Abraham-Louis Breguet, arguably the most renowned watchmaker in history. Known not only for the eponymous brand, Breguet; but also as the inventor of the Perpétuelle, the tourbillon, the first modern wristwatch and a other notables. We often discuss his achievements as an established watchmaker, but what about his early life?
Baptized in a church in Neuchâlet in 1747, Breguet was born the first child of Jonas-Louis Breguet and Suzanne-Marguerite Breguet (née Bolle). His family had been established in the region for more than 200 years, as opposed to some accounts that claim his ancestors were forced out of France as a result of the Reformation. His father chose to become a merchant in Neuchâlet, as the region had been enjoying some prosperity since it fell into the hands of the Prussian Hohenzollerns earlier in the century. When Abraham- Louis was 5 years old, his father bought a hotel in Les Verrières (another town in which the Breguet family was already established) and decided to move the family.
DDespite not belonging to a family of watchmakers, which was typical at the time for watchmakers, Breguet got into the business when his mom, widowed in 1758, remarried Joseph Tattet; a militia officer and watchmaker. Breguet is not known to have been an especially talented pupil, however, when he was sent on probation to work for a watchmaker in Les Verrières in 1762, 15-year-old Abraham-Louis showed promise as a watchmaker for the first time. As such, the teenager eventually moved to Versailles, believing France to be the best place for artists to thrive at the time. After spending two years in Versailles, Breguet moved to Paris in 1765 to continue his studies. For the next decade he would study application and theory under three different masters: Ferdinand Berthoud, Jean-Antoine Lépine, and Abbé Marie.
As with most famous artists or artisans, Breguet was recognized by his teachers as having an exceptional gift, this combined with his extreme curiosity are likely the attributes that led him to develop so many important contributions to horology.