225 years of the tourbillon: Breguet continues to reinvent its iconic invention

The tourbillon, a revolutionary watch complication invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1801, is celebrating 225 years of innovation. Forced into exile in Switzerland from 1793 to 1795 following the French Revolution, Breguet conceived the tourbillon to counteract gravity's impact on the precision of pocket watches. By housing the escapement and regulating organ in a rotating cage, the device continuously repositions its center of gravity, averaging out positional errors. The patent was granted in 1801, but it took six years for the system's official approval and another six for the first sales. Between 1796 and 1829, Breguet and his collaborators produced 40 tourbillons. Today, the tourbillon is widely adopted across the watchmaking industry, but Breguet maintains unique historical legitimacy due to its 1801 patent. Gregory Kissling, CEO of Breguet, emphasizes that the brand doesn't merely reproduce its heritage but actively evolves it. "We do not reproduce a heritage; we bring it to life," Kissling stated. "Each generation of Breguet tourbillons seeks to provide a new answer to the same quest: that of precision, while magnifying this moving mechanical art." He further noted, "The tourbillon is not just another complication at Breguet: it is part of our DNA. It remains a spectacular demonstration of mechanical mastery and watchmaking expertise. Designing, manufacturing, and regulating a tourbillon remains a challenge today."

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We do not reproduce a heritage; we bring it to life. Each generation of Breguet tourbillons seeks to provide a new answer to the same quest: that of precision, while magnifying this moving mechanical art.