“Tradition timepieces suggest both a return to the brand’s origins and a vision of its future…”
Breguet Tradition Quantième Retrograde ref. 7597 / Credit: Horobox
In 1775, Abraham-Louis Breguet set up his watchmaking business on Quai de l’Horloge, Île de la Cité, in the heart of Paris. Recently married, he moved into a dual aspect building which faced out onto Quai de l’Horloge and Place Dauphine. Île de la Cité was known to be the area in which silversmiths, dial makers, and watch manufacturers operated at the time and proved to be the perfect headquarters for Breguet’s new company. Louis Breguet came under the possession of this property at the end of the French Revolution and later passed it onto his children, descendants of which supposedly still live there.
The history and architecture of this very special location are a significant part of the inspiration for the aesthetics and mechanics of the contemporary Breguet Tradition collection.
The building that faced Quai de l’Horloge, Breguet’s first establishment in Paris
Breguet’s Tradition collection was released in 2005 and brilliantly showcases the magic of modern Breguet, while also honouring the heritage of the past. Along with the original building on Quai de l’Horloge, this collection is inspired by the Breguet ‘Souscription’ watches from the 18th century.
The Breguet Souscription watches were pocket watches that were first released in 1797 and were sold by Breguet on a ‘subscription’ basis, whereby customers paid a 25% down payment and the rest at regular intervals. A very novel concept at the time.
A Breguet Souscription circa 1836 / Credit: The Naked Watchmaker
Breguet introduced the Tradition collection as an “invitation to journey through time and beyond time”. Meant to give an insight into Breguet’s future development plans…perhaps aiming to take more inspiration from their history, like so many brands today, in combining the mechanical components of those early Souscription watches and the atmosphere of Breguet’s first headquarters in Paris. I think Breguet really hit a home run in combining those features with incredible complications, a host of patents, and expert craftsmanship in this collection. I’m a sucker for high horology and, of course, watch history, so this is quite the combo in my eyes.
By: Eric Mulder
The Breguet Tradition Dame ref. 7038 / Credit: WatchProZine
Read more:
“Paris, Quai de l’Horloge.” Breguet, https://www.breguet.com/en/timeline/1747-1800/milestones/paris-quai-de-lhorloge-7417.
“Tradition.” Breguet, https://www.breguet.com/en/breguet-collections/Tradition.
“2005 - Tradition line.” Breguet, https://www.breguet.com/en/timeline/1999-present/milestones/tradition-line-7621.
“Subscription Watch.” Breguet, https://www.breguet.com/en/timeline/1747-1800/milestones/subscription-watch-7505#.