The most expensive pocket watch in the world, made for. Said to have been fascinated by breguet s watches, marie antoinette acquired over the years a number of his timepieces, notably a perpetuelle. Giving its unique pedigree, exceptional craftsmanship, complex movement and historical importance, a truly once in a lifetime experience. Queen marie antoinette desired a pocket watch containing all known horological complications at the time. Hayek, president, and ceo of montres breguet set himself the challenge of reproducing the marie antoinette pocket watch identically. In some ways, this watch and the story round it have shaped the inspiration for what retains me in love with timepieces and why i began ablogtowatch within the first place. Y ou may have already read about the famous breguet marie antoinette pocket watch no. Many experts refer to it as to the most important watch ever produced for technological, aesthetic, historical and even emotional reasons.
It is actually a pure coincidence that breguet unveiled the breguet 1160 marie antoinette pocket watch just months after the original 160 was found. In many ways, this replica watch and the story around it have formed the foundation for what keeps me in love with timepieces and why i started ablogtowatch in the first place. The curious saga of breguets infamous marie antoinette. Hayek gives an exciting challenge to our watchmakers. Technically, its a replica of a watch made in 1783 that we thought was. The intriguing story of marie antoinette and her legendary.
Breguet marie antoinette grande complication pocket. In the end breguet s marie antoinette watch did not just disappear from its place on display but also from the minds of watch lovers worldwide. It took 44 years to complete after it was first commissioned in marie antoinette never saw the watch through to its completion, as she was sent to the guillotine 10 years before it breguet 1160 marie antoinette taschenuhr original replica handson alle uhren. Stolen in 1983 from a jerusalem museum, the marie antoinette watch bearing breguet number 160 resurfaced in 2007 while at baselworld 2008 montres breguet unveiled the new marie antoinette number 1160, built on the basis of archival research and original drawings. See more ideas about pocket, watches and pocket watch. In 1783, just as the queen of france, marie antoinette, was sitting for a portrait, an officer of the queens guard visited abrahamlouis breguet s workshop. That included the original breguet marie antoinette no. It is more than likely the most valuable horological object in. Breguet making of marie antoinette grande complication. In many ways, this watch and the story around it have formed the foundation for what keeps me in love with timepieces and why i started ablogtowatch in the first place. Today this watch is still considered as the 5th most complicated in the world. That was between 17891795 and that is when he stopped work on the watch. The incredible story behind breguets marie antoinette. Further, the marie antoinette pocket watch was much more complicated.
Jaegerlecoultre master grande tradition grande complication minute repeater watch for 2015 handson duration. We go handson with the breguet 1160 marie antoinette pocket watch, truly one of the most impressive and fascinating horological objects ever made. Reproducing and designing such a large number of complications on the sole basis of documents is against the odds and reveals the talent of the watchmakers at montres breguet. My hope is that the original queen marie antoinette breguet pocket watch and the new breguet grand complication ref. Armani watches for men luxury watches vintage pocket watch antique clocks marie antoinette cool watches jewelry watches modern times pocket watches.
How marie antoinettes pocket watch saved the petit trianon. The breguet 1160 marie antoinette pocket watch is truly one of the most impressive and fascinating horological objects of our modern times. The result is a breguet s masterpiece, the marie antoinette pocket watch breguet no. The business was a success, and around 1807 abrahamlouis breguet took on his son louisantoine as his partner, renaming the firm breguet et fils breguet and sons.
Said to have been fascinated by breguet s watches, marie antoinette acquired over the years a number of his timepieces, notably a perpetuelle fitted with a selfwinding device. Breguet crafted two dials for the marie antoinette, a traditional one in enamel, but also one from rock crystal, which allows for seeing the mechanics, and was fitted on the watch as we saw it. Breguet 1160 marie antoinette pocket watch original. Reproduction of the watch no 160 called marie antoinette based only on pictures and descriptions. This iconic model is a reproduction, on the unique basis of archives and documents, of the marieantoinette no. That photo above is me holding breguet s marie antoinette number 1160, a 63mm pocket watch crafted from gold, and one of the worlds most complicated pocket watches. In 1783, a mysterious admirer of hers ordered from breguet, as a gift for the queen, a watch that was to be as spectacular as possible, incorporating the fullest range of horological expertise known at. This fascinating, elegantly designed volume features more than seventy watches and clocks that were constructed by the breguet company, and it contains many. The most expensive pocket watch in the world, made for marie antoinette. The complete history of the breguet 160 marie antoinette. Hayek in 2005 and completed in 2009 however, around the same period 1794, another important breguet pocket. Continue reading breguet 1160 marie antoinette pocket. In 1783, just as the queen of france, marie antoinette, was sitting for a portrait an officer of the queens guard visited abrahamlouis breguet s workshop.
It took 44 years to complete and is perhaps the most famous watch in history, as much for its intriguing story as. Hayek, the ceo of the swatch group who now own breguet realised that an important part of the companies history was missing. The queen never got to admire her present, the breguet number 160, known as the marie antoinette in her honor. The queen was such a fan that in september of 1792, while awaiting her trial, marie antoinette requested a simple breguet watch from her prison cell. This 60mm pocketwatch features a full perpetual calendar, a jumping hour hand, 23 complications, power reserve indicator, a bimetallic thermometer and 823 parts. Diller stole a lot of breguets that night, but the marie antoinette pocket watch was something else entirely. The advent of the modern replica of the pocket watch generally called the marie antoinette had an interesting side effect. Breguet 1160 marie antoinette pocket replica watch. Today, the breguet 160 marie antoinette original pocket watch is on display at the l.
From john biggs new book on the mysterious breguet marie. The breguet 1160 marie antoinette pocket watch is actually probably the most spectacular and interesting horological objects of our trendy occasions. It took 44 years to complete and is perhaps the most famous watch in history. Though it took breguet 34 years to finish the watch, after both breguet himself and marie antoinette had died. In 1783, a mysterious admirer of hers ordered from breguet, as a gift for the queen, a watch that was to be as spectacular as possible, incorporating the fullest range of horological expertise known at the time. The watch was finally completed in 1827 34 years after her death, four years after breguet s, and 44 years after the timepiece was ordered. The tale of intrigue begins in 1783, when an anonymous patron tapped legendary watchmaker abrahamlouis breguet to create a pocket watch for queen marie antoinette. This timepiece was eventually discovered in the collection of sir david salomons, as was one of abrahamlouis breguet. Louisantoine took over the firm upon the death of his father in 1823. Napoleon bonaparte was a client before he became emperor, breguet made the most complicated pocket watch ever created for marie antoinette completed. Perhaps breguet s most famous timepiece is the marie antoinette pocket watch, which took forty years to make and was the most complex watch of its time. The man was infamous thief naaman diller, who will forever be remembered for his atrocious act of thievery that night in 1983.
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