Mr. Peter Kramer, Brand President of Breguet U.S. and Canada, and friend of the brand Navid Armstrong invited a handful of guests to a private cocktail reception and viewing at the Tourbillon Boutique in San Francisco on August 16, 2017. The evening featured a special selection of women’s mechanical watches from Breguet’s Reine de Naples collection, famous for its homage to Napoleon Bonaparte’s youngest sister, Queen of Naples, Caroline Bonaparte Murat.
The World’s First Wristwatch was Made for a Woman
In 1810, Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823) designed the first wristwatch in history — and sold it a few months later to Caroline Murat. Egg-shaped and elegant, the Reine de Naples remains one of the most recognizable luxury timepieces for women. On display at the event, a reproduction of the original, an oblong watch on a gold bracelet registered as No. 2639. Also shown, the $1.7 million exquisite “Crazy Flower Full Baguette” wristwatch with over 58-carats of diamonds, the Rose de la Reine jewelry collection — a contemporary reincarnation of the of the dainty cameos and pearls favored by Marie-Antoinette — and countless other must-haves.
More scenes from the event:
Photos by Lucas Francisco and Devlin Shand for Drew Altizer Photography
King Louis XVI and his Queen, Marie-Antoinette, were early enthusiasts of Breguet’s watchmaking. Breguet served as the preferred watchmaker to patrons such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Winston Churchill, Queen Victoria, King George V, Tsar Alexander I, and Rossini, just to name a few.
To see and purchase items from the collections in San Francisco visit the Tourbillon Boutique at 231 Post Street, near Union Square.