Fashion & Jewelry, 13. February 2022 - by Francesca Morelli

The Breguet watches and their relationship with

the Napoleon Bonaparte family

A few weeks before his departure to Egypt, on April 24, 1798, Napoleon bought his first carriage watch from Breguet

Antoine-Jean Gros, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, A.-Louis Breguet (1747-1823) spent most of his life in Paris, rich in important watch inventions. Here he worked simultaneously in all horological fields and began his career with a series of masterpieces.

Breguet does his watchmaking apprenticeship in Versailles and is soon discovered by the Versailles court. Queen Marie Antoinette gave Breguet a commission for a pocket watch in 1783. It was to be the most complicated pocket watch ever created for Marie Antoinette, but unfortunately it was not completed until after her death in 1844. Highly appreciated by King Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette, Breguet watches feature original movements and cylinder or lever escapements that have been perfected time and time again. 

After a stay in Switzerland during the darkest days of the French Revolution, Breguet returned to his adopted home of Paris with a wealth of inventions.

The encounter with Napoleon Bonaparte

Towards the end of 1798, the 29-year-old Napoleon Bonaparte was a general in the French army and set off on a campaign to Egypt that would consolidate his power. A few weeks before his departure, on April 24, 1798, Napoleon bought his first carriage watch from Breguet - the records of which in the Breguet archives read "Vendu à Bonaparte". Napoleon buys two more timepieces, which were necessary to the equipment for this war.

Breguet No. 178

Traveling pendul of Napoleon Bonaparte - Musee National Suisse

©Breguet

No. 611 SMALL MEDAILLON CLOCK

This Breguet watch was sold to Empress Josephine Bonaparte in 1800. Later, Empress Josephine gave this watch to her daughter Hortense de Beauharnais, Queen of Holland; on this occasion, the piece was decorated with a crowned H and with new diamonds larger than the original ones.

Breguet No. 1717

Pocket watch by Louis Bonaparte-King of Holland

©Breguet

Breguet No. 1587 

The pocket watch of Jérôme Bonaparte. The initials "JB" are engraved on the back. 

Was on display at "Luxury & Lifestyle. Weimar und die weite Welt" exhibition at the Goeteh museum in Düsseldorf (end of 2021-2022)
©Breguet

Breguet and its customer Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples

Of all the members of the Bonaparte family, Caroline Murat (1782-1839) was the best customer of the House of Breguet. She was a true admirer of the art of watchmaking, which may have inspired many developments.

Napoleon's youngest sister, actually christened Annunziata, made her first purchase in 1805, at the age of 23, and then continued acquisitions until 1814. The woman, who in 1800 married Joachim Murat, then commander of the Consular Guard, and with her husband ruled the Kingdom of Naples from 1808 to 1815, owned no less than 34 Breguet clocks and pendulums. During her co-regency in Naples, Caroline Murat promoted the arts, took care of the furnishings of the royal palaces, took an interest in the archaeological excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum, and encouraged the development of early industrial manufacturing.

In the Manufacture Register of Breguet, one comes across an entry. It indicates that Abraham-Louis Breguet made a wristwatch for Caroline Murat from 1810 to 1812. In the book of special orders (they were called "commissions" at the time; it is located in Place Vendôme, where the historical documents of the Manufacture), which lists the specific requests of those customers who did not want to be satisfied with the deliverable pieces presented by Breguet. This commission book contains all kinds of complication mechanisms and special requests that Breguet intended to realize for his customers. On folio 29, it is noted that on June 8, 1810, the Queen of Naples placed an order for two pieces: a carriage clock with grand complications at a price of 100 louis d'or, "... plus une montre pour bracelet à répétition dont on lui fait le prix 5000 Francs" (as well as a watch for bracelet with repetition, for which she was asked to pay the price of 5000 Francs). 

In the Manufacture Register, the book containing the technical description of each watch, the following can be found. The order of the Queen of Naples was registered as watch no. 2639 of the Breguet production, with the - unprecedented - designation "répétition de forme oblongue pour bracelet" (repetition in oblong form for bracelet). The piece went into production on August 11, 1810 and was completed on December 21, 1812. Its realization thus took almost two and a half years.

Nevertheless, the watch was not delivered. It did not leave the workshops until a year later ... Abraham-Louis Breguet must have made the decision to delay delivery. Because the rule in Breguet's manufacture was that they did not deliver until everything was working perfectly. Finally, the piece was completed on December 21, 1812. It was probably sent to Queen Caroline, who had returned to Naples to take over the affairs of government, as her husband Murat had gone off on the Russian campaign alongside Emperor Napoleon.

The watch reappears in 1849 in a rhabillage book of the house, which lists the repairs of Breguet watches. There, it can be read that on March 8, 1849, the Countess Rasponi, "... residing in Paris, 63 rue d'Anjou," brought her watch No. 2639 for repair. The owner is none other than Louise Murat, the fourth child of Caroline Murat, she had married Count Giulio Rasponi in 1825.

On March 27, 1849, the clock was returned to its owner. In 1855, the watch was repaired again at Breguet and this is the last trace the house has of it. 

Today the clock is untraceable. It is not listed in any public collection or any private collection known to the public. Does it still exist? Investigations are underway, tips are welcome at the House of Breguet!

A.-Louis Breguet

Highly esteemed at all European courts, Breguet soon became the authoritative watchmaker of the diplomatic, scientific, military and financial elite. He produced special pieces for his prestigious clients. Honored by numerous institutions, Breguet becomes a member of the "Bureau des Longitudes" and watchmaker to the Royal Navy. He also joined the Academy of Sciences and received the Order of the Legion of Honor from King Louis XVIII. With his death in 1823, the professional world loses a great personality who revolutionized all facets of watchmaking. 

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By Francesca Morelli, 13. February 2022

Source: ©Breguet

Photos: ©Breguet

Image Napoleon

Wikicommons: © Antoine-Jean Gros, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons