Created as part of Breguet’s time-honoured tradition, the Reine de Naples is adorned with mother-of-pearl in hues of pink and mauve, encircled by diamonds. The timepiece ticks to the rhythm of a self-winding calibre with moon phases.
For Valentine’s Day, Breguet has added a new creation to the Reine de Naples collection, which historically has been designed for women. The House of Breguet created this collection in 2002 to pay homage to the wristwatch that Abraham-Louis Breguet made for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1812 – the first known wristwatch in the world. Inspired by this timepiece, the Reine de Naples is distinguished by its fine curved, oval, and slightly elongated case. This year, Breguet plays with shades of pink, inspired once again by the original display – with small off-centre seconds. A manufacture calibre with moon phase ticks inside this limited edition piece of which only 28 exist.
Romantic Palette
The dial of Valentine’s Day Reine de Naples 8905 is dressed in iridescent pale pink mother-of-pearl. A moon and several stars in white gold take their place against the deeper pink of the moon-phase indicator. The pink cabochon-cut sapphire set on the crown lends the composition a sparkling touch. A mauve-coloured alligator leather strap adds to this romantic palette. Finally, the oval piece is completed by a setting of diamonds on the bezel and the dial flange.
Signed Breguet
The craftsmanship of Breguet’s artisans ensures that the dial is easy to read, in a neoclassical style so dear to Abraham-Louis Breguet. The mother-of-pearl and silvered gold dial features the signature fine blued hands. The individual number of each timepiece appears at the top of the hours’ chapter. If the owner so wishes, Breguet will record her name in its archives, kept since the late eighteenth century, alongside the names of the House’s most prestigious patrons.
Hours and minutes are displayed in Roman numerals on a glossy circular hours chapter around an engine-turned Clous de Paris pattern. The small off-centre seconds feature an engine-turned flame design. Lastly, there is a power-reserve indicator at the top of the dial.
Valentine’s Day 2019
The white gold case of the Reine de Naples 8905 encapsulates a mechanical jewel – the 537DRL2 self-winding manufacture movement, with 45 hours of power reserve. Each of the 246 components forming the calibre visible through the sapphire-crystal caseback is carefully decorated, as is the tradition of Breguet.
For Valentine’s Day, nuances of pink and diamonds unfold on the Reine de Naples, a testimony to extraordinary watchmaking history.
The Watch of a Queen
During her reign over Naples, Caroline Murat, Napoléon Bonaparte’s younger sister, was a great supporter of the arts and would acquire over 30 Breguet watches and clocks. In 1810, the watchmaker established at Quai de l’Horloge in Paris began an unprecedented creation for the Queen of Naples: a watch designed to be worn on the wrist. This would be the world’s first known wristwatch. From its delivery in 1812 to repairs in 1849 and 1855, the Breguet archives have kept track of the history and characteristics of this watch, whose whereabouts today is unknown. The oblong-shaped creation with an engine-turned silver dial was very delicate and included several complications: a repeater, a moon-phase indicator, and also a thermometer. Finally, it had a wristlet of hair and gold thread that allowed it to be worn on the wrist.
About Breguet
The House of Breguet, founded in 1775, is the epitome of excellence in watchmaking and forms part of the European cultural heritage. Its creations have graced the wrists of some of the greatest figures in history. The famous Breguet archives house the details of every watch sold since the end of the eighteenth century. Today, the artisans at the House of Breguet continue to make unique works of art that bear witness to the brand’s rich history.
www.breguet.com
BREGUET REINE DE NAPLES 8905 SPECIFICATIONS OF THE WATCH
REF. 8905BB/W2/964 D00D
Oval case in 18-karat white gold with delicately fluted caseband. Bezel set with 128 diamonds weighing approximately 0.77 carats.
Crown set with a pink sapphire weighing 0.3 carats.
Sapphire-crystal caseback. Dimensions: 28.45 × 36.50 millimetres.
Water-resistant to 3 bar (30 meters).
Engine-turned dial in 18-karat silvered gold and iridescent pink mother-of-pearl. Small ooff-centre seconds at 7 o’clock. Moon-phase and power reserve indicators at 12 o’clock.
Individually numbered and signed Breguet. Hours chapter with Roman numerals. Open-tipped Breguet hands in blued steel.
Self-winding movement. Numbered and signed Breguet. Calibre 537DRL2 with 246 components. 8¾ lignes. 28 jewels. 45-hour power reserve. Silicon escape wheel and in-line Swiss lever escapement. Breguet balance wheel. Flat balance spring in silicon. Frequency 3.5 hertz. Adjusted in 6 positions.
Mauve-coloured alligator leather strap.
Special series for Valentine’s Day 2019 limited to 28 timepieces, numbered from 01/28 to 28/28.