Major Inventions and Innovations of
Abraham-Louis Breguet and his Successors
by Breguet blog
Abraham-Louis Breguet's life and work left an indelible mark on horology. Breguet's drive for innovation led to a long list of pioneering achievements during his lifetime. Breguet pushed precision timekeeping and brought an elevated aesthetic to an otherwise ordinary industry. His legacy has inspired countless successors and the might of his influence has resulted in the registration of over 120 patents since 2000 alone. A selection of inventions and innovations through the ages is listed below.
1780
Inventions – Twin going-barrels to provide smoother power transfer.
Innovations – Perpétuelle watch – perfection of the self-winding mechanism with oscillating mass. State of winding indicator.
1783
Inventions – Breguet apple-shaped aiguilles à pomme or 'moons' hands and numerals. Watch repeating on gongs.
1785
Innovations – Application of a bimetallic thermometer to a watch. Development of a superior lever escapement.
1786
Inventions – Breguet dial, engine-turned by hand.
1787
Innovations – New design of repeating work for 10 minute ¼ hour, ½ ¼ hour and minute-repeating.
1789
Inventions – Echappement naturel – escapement working without oil.
Breguet key – a ratchet key designed to engage when turned in the correct direction.
1790
Inventions – Pare-chute shock protection.
Innovations – Collier form watchcase.
1791
Innovations – Quatre-baguettes watchcase.
Inventions – Secondes d’un coup – independent jump seconds stopwatch.
1792
Inventions – Development and production of the mechanism for the Chappe optical telegraph.
1794
Inventions – Aiguilles des Heures Sautante – jump hour hand.
Overhanging ruby cylinder escapement. Secret signature.
1795
Inventions – Regulateur à Tourbillon. Pendule Sympathique.
Innovations – Perpetual calendar mechanism.
1796
Inventions – Montre Souscription. Breguet balance spring.
Innovations – Pendule de voyage – the carriage clock in the form that was to be adopted by all other makers.
1798
Inventions – Echappement à Force Constante (March 9).
Invention of the musical chronometer, the clockwork mechanism that acts as a metronome. Independent seconds hand.
1799
Inventions – Montre à tact.
Innovations – Nouveau calibre movement.
1800
Inventions – Pull-twist piston for repeating. Repeating of the date.
1801
Inventions – Patent of the Tourbillon Regulator (June 26).
1803
Innovations – Hunting-case for slim watches.
1805
Innovations – Pendule Pyramidale.
1808
Innovations – Detachable horizontal platform for a carriage clock.
1810
Inventions – Pendule Sympathique winding and re-setting the watch.
Innovations – Development of the “fork and roller” lever escapement with draw. Development and production of the first wristwatch, ordered by the Queen of Naples.
1812
Innovations – Tri-metallic thermometer.
1815
Inventions – Fully adjustable balance spring stud.
Innovations – Interchangeable escapement platform for marine chronometers.
1816
Innovations – Double train/escapement watch and clock.
1819
Inventions – Ocular of an astronomical telescope.
1820
Inventions – Compteur Militaire. Double secondes d’un coup dedoublante – independent split centre-seconds stopwatch.
Innovations – Platinum used for a watchcase. Slide-armed repeating work.
1829/30
Inventions – Combined keyless winding and hand setting.
Innovations – Platinum balance wheel. Watch designed to be worn on the wrist.
1928
Innovations – First purpose-built perpetual calendar wristwatch.
1938
Inventions – Start and reset mechanism of a movement with direct-drive seconds hand.
1939
Inventions – Patent of the sidereal timekeeper (February 28).
1950
Inventions – Chronograph reset mechanism. Chronograph minute counter (2 patents).
1990
Innovations – First Sympathique wristwatch and its clock. Double power reserve.
1991
Inventions – Timepiece with a running equation-of-time, perpetual equation-of-time wristwatch.
1994
Inventions – Perpetual calendar mechanism, in-line perpetual calendar wristwatch.
1996
Inventions – Timepiece movement equipped with a perpetual calendar mechanism.
1997
Inventions – Patent of the in-line perpetual calendar wristwatch.
1998
Inventions – The world’s smallest self-winding chronograph movement.
2002
Inventions – 5 patents registered, including:
Moon-phase mechanism (Reine de Naples).
2003
Inventions – 7 patents registered, including:
Patent for a mechanism to lock the alarm function, column-wheel system (Réveil du Tsar).
2004
Inventions – 7 patents registered, including:
Balance for timepiece movement, titanium balance (Tradition Tourbillon Fusée).
2005
Inventions – 15 patents registered, including:
Watch equipped with at least two regulating systems (Double Tourbillon).
Shock-protection device for balance pivot (Tradition).
2006
Inventions – 13 patents registered, including:
A musical module for a watch movement (La Musicale).
2007
Inventions – 3 patents registered, including:
Timepiece comprising a power-reserve display device (Tradition Tourbillon).
2008
Inventions – 8 patents registered, including:
Gong for a striking or alarm mechanism (minute repeater).
Balance spring with “overcoil” terminal curve in silicon (Tradition Tourbillon).
2009
Inventions – 8 patents registered, including:
Gong for a timepiece striking mechanism (minute repeater).
Tourbillon timepiece movement equipped with a shock-protection device (Tradition Tourbillon).
2010
Inventions – 11 patents registered, including:
Timepiece comprising a high-frequency mechanical movement (Type XXII).
Striking watch equipped with an acoustic membrane (La Musicale).
Magnetic pivots and magnetic anti-shock (Classique Chronométrie).
2011
Inventions – 19 patents registered, including:
A musical module for a watch (La Musicale).
A balance-spring with two spiral springs.
Magnetic governor for the transmission wheel(s) of the movement or strike (La Musicale).
2012
Inventions – 5 patents registered, including:
Balance-spring with two spiral springs featuring improved isochronism.
Contact-free torque transfer for timepiece.
2013
Inventions – 10 patents registered, including:
Wheel in a watch pivoting in a magnetic or electrostatic field.
Setting the frequency range of a device that produces sound with vibrating blades.
2014
Inventions – 5 patents registered, including:
Mainspring barrel with enhanced transmission.
Comb for a music box.
Musical watch case featuring enhanced acoustics.
... and many other patents still to come ...