Through February 12th, 2012, Breguet will be paying tribute to the Queen of Naples through an exhibition held in Geneva’s Cite du Temps and timed to coincide with the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH). The exhibition in Cite du Temps celebrates the 200th anniversary of the creation of the first wristwatch in horological history. Ordered in 1810 by Caroline Murat, sister of Napoleon and Queen of Naples, the wristwatch was completed and delivered in 1812. Moreover, Breguet will also take opportunity of this event to immortalize the 10th anniversary of its stellar Reine de Naples ladies’ watch collection.
An ardent admirer of the timepieces produced by Abraham-Louis Breguet, the Queen of Naples nurtured a passion for his eminently artistic mechanical creations, and ordered a number of watches from him, including the aforementioned first wristwatch. The No. 2639 model made for Caroline Murat has not yet been found and thus remains an enigma. It is not mentioned in any private or public collection. Nonetheless, the Breguet company archives have made it possible to retrace this historical retrospective of the unprecedented creation of this unique wristwatch.
The exhibition in Cite du Temps immerses visitors into a feminine atmosphere, where they gradually discover the history of this model and its fascinating mysteries.
The discovery of the contemporary Reine de Naples collection by Breguet also affords a wealth of surprises thanks to the authentic horological expertise it expresses. The Reine de Naples collection is unmistakably a true work of art epitomising an ideal blend of aesthetic elegance and technical virtuosity. The visit is further enriched by a selection of exceptional Haute Joaillerie creations. Through this exhibition, an authentic ode to femininity, Breguet once again proves that beauty and avant-gardism are the keynotes of all its creations.
