Keli Chew, International Luxury Brand Management 2015-2016, Singapore
To conclude the Managing a Watch Brand elective, we were rewarded with
a visit to the Breguet boutique and museum located at Place Vendome. This was a
special arrangement, kindly made possible by our professor Jerome Auzanneau
We were warmly greeted upon arrival and were encouraged to browse
around and to ask questions regarding the collections. The boutique was
spacious and ornately decorated; each showcase featured collections, each more
stunning that the other.
We then proceeded to the museum located above the boutique. There, we
had the pleasure to meet M. Emmanuel Breguet, Vice President and Head of
Patrimony and Strategic Development. He welcomed us and took us through the
illustrious history of the brand, which included distinguished clientele such
as King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and the Turkish ottomans. After which, we had
the opportunity to view some of these beautifully crafted vintage pieces on
display. My personal favourite is a tactile pocket watch made for Empress
Josephine; it is in blue enamel and features a letter “H” in diamonds on the
reverse. 
M. Breguet also kindly presented original ledgers from the vault,
showing records of orders from Emperor Napoleon and other clients. Every record
was handwritten and some even included detailed drawings, we watched in awe at
the detailed descriptions as he leafed gently through the pages. We discovered
amongst the archives, records of the first ever wristwatch invented, giving
evidence that Breguet was indeed the inventor of wristwatches.
We were also shown a guilloche machine from 1815 and explained the
technicalities and difficulties involved in guillochage. We have a newfound respect
for the craft and manufacture, known for the use of up to 4 different guilloche
patterns on a single dial.
The visit has been extremely enriching in helping us understand further
the art of fine watchmaking as well as this innovative French watchmaking house
known for inventing the tourbillion. Thank you M. Breguet and your team for
this opportunity to visit!
