Breguet has led the way for two of horology’s most desirable complications: the tourbillon and the perpetual calendar. Each tourbillon watch by Breguet features an engraving, “Brevet du 7 Messidor An 9”, or in the Gregorian calendar, June 26th, 1801. After the French Revolution, a new calendar was imposed and it was during this time of political, social, and economic upheaval that Abraham-Louis Breguet first began to work on the concept of the tourbillon years earlier and finally patented it in 1801. Imagine, throughout the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror, the rule of the Directory, Napoleon’s return to France, and the establishment of Napoleon’s Consulate – Breguet was inventing the foundations of horology that are still immensely relevant today.

Though it is debatable whether Breguet made the first perpetual calendar watch, as there are ones made by British clockmaker Thomas Mudge that pre-date Breguet, Breguet did invent the first self-winding perpetual calendar pocket watch, and his perpetual calendar pocket watches are some of the most famous of these early horological innovations.

The present watch combines these two formidable horological innovations in an oversized platinum case. On the dial, the simple perpetual calendar layout and exposed tourbillon cage is framed by the signature guilloche patterns favored by Breguet, and on the movement, the floral scrolls are hand-engraved and completely hand-finished. In close to new condition, with all of its original accessories, it is a watch that speaks louder than words for the most astute collector.