The relationship between Breguet and the British royal family has continued since the 18th century. A Breguet watch owned by the king

King Charles III of England is known for his Parmigiani Fleurier "Trick" watches, but he also wears Patek Philippe, Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and a Breguet Regulator watch, which he received as a gift for his 60th birthday. Let's take a look at the long-standing connection between Breguet, a watch brand with ties to several royal families spanning centuries, and the British royal family.

George III, the first British monarch to be a Breguet client

　King George III (1738-1820), who reigned from 1760 to 1820, became a Breguet client in the 1780s, and Britain was in fact one of the first countries to take an interest in the works of Abraham-Louis Breguet, a native of Neuchâtel who established his base in Paris.

　In the spring of 1789, Abraham-Louis Breguet traveled to London hoping to settle his royal arrears and sell new watches to King George III and his son, Prince George, the future King George IV (1762-1830).

　Although London was home to many talented watchmakers, George III and George IV's interest in watches was largely focused on Breguet. Breguet's avant-garde technology and chic style appealed to them, and as discerning customers, they acquired Breguet's finest timepieces.

　Sold to King George III in 1808, Breguet Tourbillon No. 1297 was the third tourbillon model to leave the Quai de l'Horloger workshop in Paris. In 2020, the watch was put up for auction and deemed an item of national cultural heritage by British authorities.

George IV purchased a tourbillon and sympathique clock from Breguet

　George IV, who became Prince Regent for his ailing father, George III, in 1810, purchased a tourbillon in 1814. This tourbillon is perhaps the most prestigious of all. In fact, it was a large demonstration model mounted on a cone by Breguet.

　Abraham-Louis Breguet agreed to sell the piece, which he had exhibited many times, as he could not refuse a request from King George IV, a great lover of art and culture and perhaps the most knowledgeable watch enthusiast among his clients.

　That same year, George IV acquired the Sympathique clock No. 666/721, which is still in use at Windsor Castle. With the official permission of Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022), this clock was exhibited at the Louvre in 2009 as part of the major exhibition "Breguet, the Pinnacle of European Watchmaking." For the exhibit, No. 666/721 was removed from the bedroom of Elizabeth II's husband, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and remained there for approximately three months.

　George IV, who became king in 1820, also purchased several pieces that remain in the Royal Collection, including a two-movement wooden regulator, a two-movement resonance watch, and a gold riding watch.

No. 5102, a slim watch with a winding mechanism, presented to Queen Victoria

　On July 17, 1838, Queen Victoria (1819–1901), who had recently ascended to the throne, purchased Breguet watch No. 5102. The watch was very small, thin, and featured an off-center dial and the pendant winding mechanism with a knurled crown, a rare feature introduced by Breguet in 1830.

　However, it is unclear whether Queen Victoria wore this watch during her reign, which lasted until 1901.