The Swiss watchmaking industry owes a lot to a significant invention developed by Breguet 225 years ago that changed the course of mechanical watches and continues to be relevant till date. The major history-changing invention was the creation of tourbillon developed by its founder Abraham-Louis Breguet.
It was on June 26, 1801, that A.-L. Breguet patented a revolutionary mechanism that nullified the effects of gravity providing incredible precision in mechanical pocket watches. This year marks the 225th anniversary of Breguet’s tourbillon patent and the brand pays tribute to this groundbreaking invention by releasing four tourbillon watches.
In his lifetime, Breguet created 35 tourbillon watches, and fewer than 10 of them are known to survive till date and some of them are displayed at the Breguet Museum at Place Vendome, Paris.
Breguet, The Master Innovator
Of all the prestigious complications invented by watch-makers over the centuries, the tourbillon enjoys a superhero status. The tourbillon’s cult following amongst collectors stems from the fact that the mechanism which, even in its most conventional form, is extremely difficult to manufacture. At a time when all tools were still primitive, the production of a tourbillon watch was the ultimate certificate of competence in watchmaking.
Tourbillon, The Complication
Tourbillon was invented to eliminate the effects of gravity on the pocket watches that remained in static position inside a pocket. Breguet got around the problem of gravity affecting the functioning of the watch by rotating the entire balance and escapement around their common axis once a minute. This constant rotation averaged out all the positional errors. A.-L. Breguet received a patent from France’s Ministry of the Interior for a new regulating device known as the tourbillon on June 26, 1801, dated according to the republican calendar of the time, 7 Messidor, Year IX. The tourbillon was perhaps too technical for regular use; only 35 were sold between 1805 and A.-L. Breguet’s death in 1823. But it’s only after his death that it was recognised as horology’s most ingenious invention. Although progress in fine watchmaking over the past two centuries has given watchmakers more conventional means of obtaining accuracy in wristwatches, the tourbillon retains its fascination by the complexity of its action, and the sheer genius of the concept. Another critical element that makes the tourbillon a fascinating feat is the construction of the lightweight yet strong cage that rotates the movement’s regulating organ.
The 225 Anniversary Editions
On June 26, 2026, Breguet unveiled four different tourbillon models to commemorate the momentous occasion.
The Classique Tourbillon 7357 follows in the footsteps of a historic Breguet 3350, introduced by Breguet in 1989. This model was powered by an equally famous movement, Calibre 558. The new Classique Tourbillon 7357 works on an optimised version of the 558 movement now known as Calibre 187B. The watch is available in two versions, platinum and Breguet gold, and bears the Breguet hallmark.
Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255
This one is another variant of a previous Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 wristwatch, which was released on the 26th of June 2025, with its first flying tourbillon as part of the 250th anniversary celebrations. This model incorporates a mysterious display, a watchmaking construction that Breguet had not used for nearly 20 years. With a platinum case, a black aventurine enamel dial, and a 50-hour power reserve, this watch is issued in a 50-piece limited edition.
Tradition Tourbillon 7047
Breguet developed two revolutionary new mechanisms. First, an escapement known as the constant-force escapement, patented in 1798; secondly the Tourbillon regulator patented in 1801 that now forms the heart of the new Tradition Tourbillon 7047. This new timepiece in platinum comes in a limited edition of 25 pieces. It features a dial and bridges, adorned with Bleu de France hue, and showcases a large fusee-and-chain bridge that appears on either side of the sub-dial, offering a striking contrast and display on the dial.
Marine Tourbillon Équation Marchante 5887
The Marine collection draws on the historical ties between Breguet and the French Royal Navy, following his appointment to the Bureau des Longitudes on 10 December 1814. He was awarded the official title of Horloger de la Marine Royale by Louis XVIII on 27 October 1815 for his exceptional expertise in marine chronometry. The new dial is adorned with an exact, luminescent representation of the sky over Paris at midnight on 26 June 1801. Limited to just 25 pieces, the watch can be personalised to show the sky corresponding to any chosen date and location. It includes a perpetual calendar and an equation of time complication, displaying the difference between conventional mean time– which remains constant and is shown on the main dial–and true solar time.
