The history behind the first luxury watch dates back 200 years, when Abraham-Louis Breguet designed the first model for Queen Caroline Murat of Naples. It’s no surprise that Breguet was considered the leading watchmaker of his day— at the very least, his clientele that included leading public figures and members of European nobility could be a testament to that. Last week, the namesake label that carried on Breguet’s legacy honored its founder at an event that celebrated both the bicentennial of the first wristwatch, as well as the 10th anniversary of the brand’s “Reine de Naples” ladies collection.
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The event, which was held on October 5th and 6th, was held in Naples, where the history of this special watch began. At the event, guests from around the world explored the Reggia Di Capodimonte, which is a national museum today but was originally built as a palace for Charles de Bourbon in 1738. It eventually became the home of Caroline Murat, who had apartments built during her reign over Naples, which lasted until 1815. Guests of this particular event enjoyed lunch inside the apartments’ ballroom, and a VIP gala was held on the Isle of Capri.
Of course, the celebrated historic wristwatch was on display at the brand’s travelling “Reine de Naples” exhibition in Capri, along with other pieces of the contemporary “Reine de Naples” collection. A special new anniversary model of the watch was also previewed, as well as a complete jewelry set, both of which dually pay tribute to both landmark anniversaries for the brand.
The new anniversary watch resembles the Reggia Di Capodimonte, complete with the image of a Mediterranean-style garden pavilion. The oval watch’s silvered gold dial flaunts 233 brilliant cut diamonds and 303 blue sapphires, with an additional 28 diamonds and 27 sapphires on the bezel and snap. A crown placed at 4 o’clock solidifies the watch’s nobility, and a diamond heart sparkles at the heart of an engraved gold rose. The watch’s alligator strap includes a folding clasp with 26 diamonds, making it a truly dazzling luxury watch.
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