In 1810, when Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples and sister to Napoleon Bonaparte, commissioned a watch from Abraham-Louis Breguet, she unknowingly set history in motion. The “repeater in oblong form for bracelet” that she received two years later became the world’s first wristwatch and a lasting emblem of feminine innovation.
Two hundred and fifty years after the founding of the Manufacture, Breguet honours this legacy with new additions to its iconic Reine de Naples collection: References 9935 and 8925. Both are crafted in Breguet gold for the first time and embody the Maison’s signature blend of technical artistry and poetic design.
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The Reine de Naples 9935 captures the celestial beauty of the night sky. Beneath its softly curved silhouette, a new movement – the Calibre 537L2 – powers an enlarged moon phase display that takes centre stage on a dial composed of aventurine glass and Tahitian mother-of-pearl. Speckled with copper, the deep blue aventurine recalls a starlit sky, while the moon itself, carved from white mother-of-pearl, carries a secret signature visible only to its owner.
Six pear-shaped diamonds accent the golden Arabic numerals, and a snow-set diamond lug at 6 o’clock adds a subtle sparkle. Each watch is engraved with “BREGUET 250 YEARS”, its oscillating weight in 950 platinum adorned with a hand-guilloché “Petit Trianon” motif – a tribute to Versailles and Breguet’s role as official watchmaker to the French court.
In contrast, the Reine de Naples 8925 speaks to refined minimalism. Powered by the Calibre 586/1, it presents the hours and minutes on a beautifully restrained dial available in white mother-of-pearl, rich gold, or black aventurine. Its bezel glitters with 41 diamonds, while a single pear-shaped diamond rests at 12 o’clock, which is a discreet yet radiant signature.
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Both models feature a new gold bracelet, its supple links inspired by the pearls once adored by Queen Caroline. The snow-set central lug bridges case and bracelet with seamless grace, turning the watch into a piece of jewellery that moves effortlessly from day to night.
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