Very fine and rare limited edition men`s 18k pink gold Breguet wristwatch with date and regulator dial, ref #1747. Only 75 pieces were made in 1997 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Abraham Louis Breguet`s birthday who was born in 1747. Silver Breguet guilloche dial with Arabic and Roman numerals, blue steel Breguet hands, date, and sub seconds. Swiss made, mechanical manual wind movement. Coin edge case. The case back has the names of some of the most illustrious patrons of Breguet, such as Sir Winston Churchill, Marie Antoinette, Napoleon Bonaparte, Ettore Bugatti, Arthur Rubinstein, and many more. Comes on a brown Breguet crocodile strap with an 18k rose gold Breguet tang buckle. Accompanied by an original fitted Breguet presentation box (interior has some wear), papers, and loupe (magnifying glass). Approximate diameter is 38.2mm with crown. Near mint condition. Running at the time of inspection, however not checked for accuracy. An overhaul is always recommended for used watches.

Abraham-Louis Breguet or Bréguet (10 January 1747 – 17 September 1823), born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, was a horologist who made many innovations in the course of a career in watchmaking in France. In his lifetime he was considered the leading watchmaker of his day, and he built up a clientele that included many leading public figures and members of the European nobility. Alongside his friend and contemporary John Arnold, Breguet is now widely acknowledged as one of the greatest horologists of all time.

Breguet made three series of watches, and the highest numbering of the three reached 5120, so in all it is estimated that the firm produced around 17,000 timepieces during Breguet`s life. Because of his attention to detail and his constant experimentation, no two Breguet pieces are exactly alike. His achievements soon attracted a wealthy and influential clientele that comprised a veritable "Who`s Who" of the period: Louis XVI and his Queen Marie-Antoinette, Louis XVIII, George IV of the United Kingdom, Napoleon Bonaparte, Marie-Antoinette, Alexander I of Russia, Prince of Wales, Joséphine de Beauharnais, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. Following his introduction to the court, Queen Marie-Antoinette developed a fascination for Breguet`s unique self-winding watch and Louis XVI of France bought several pieces.

1775–1780 Improved the automatic winding mechanism - his perpetual watch.

1783 Invented the gong for repeater watches (bells were used until then). Designed the apple-shaped `Breguet` hands and `Breguet numerals`. The hands still grace watch dials today.

1787 Adopted and improved the lever escapement. Abraham-Louis Breguet used it in its definitive form from 1814 (this form is still in use).

1793 Developed a small watch showing the equation of time.

1790 Invented the `pare-chute` anti-shock device.

1794 Invented a retrograde display mechanism.

1795 Invented the Breguet spiral (flat spiral balance spring with overcoil).

1795 Invented the "Sympathique" (`sympathetic`) clock, a master carriage clock which rewinds and sets to time a detachable pocket watch.

1799 Invented the `tact` watch that could be read by feel in the pocket or the dark.

1801 Patented the tourbillon escapement, developed circa 1795.

1802 Invented the echappement naturel, a double-escape wheeled chronometer escapement that needed no oil.

1821 Developed the "inking" chronograph, in partnership with Frédérick Louis Fatton.