Breguet launched the Reine de Naples collection in 2002 in tribute to an historical model.
Breguet. Breguet. Breguet. Breguet. Breguet. Breguet
Reine de Naples. Reine de Naples. Reine de Naples. Reine de Naples. Reine de Naples
Launch Year
2002
Functions
Hours, minutes
Movement
Mechanical self-winding
Distinctive features
Pink gold egg-shaped case, mother-of-pearl dial, diamond-set pink gold bracelet
Introduced in 2002, the Reine de Naples collection is of noble descent, since it stems from a one-of-a-kind model ordered from Abraham-Louis Breguet by Caroline Murat and regarded as the first ever wristwatch. In designing this iconic ladies’ watch collection, given that the original model had vanished in 1855, Breguet studied the meticulous descriptions provided by its historical records. The latter show that on June 8th 1810, Caroline Murat, queen of Naples, placed an order for a “repeater watch for which we shall charge 5000 francs”. Beating at the heart of this watch, recorded as number 2636, was a movement equipped with a ‘detached’ lever escapement. Reference 2639 also featured a thermometer.
On December 21st 1812, the model was completed and delivered to its owner. The registers define it as “a very thin repeater watch N° 2639, silver dial, Arabic numerals, thermometer and fast/slow indicator off the dial, the said watch is mounted on a wristlet of hair woven with gold thread, simple gold key, a second wristlet, also woven with gold, in a red leather case.” An additional entry in August 1855 specifies that the watch had a guilloché gold case and a “large ring of cracked gold.”
Portrait of Caroline Bonaparte, queen of Naples and of the Two Sicilies
It was in tribute to this historical model that Breguet launched the Reine de Naples collection in 2002. Its design is in many ways extremely similar to what we can imagine from the archives, with an egg-shaped case, along with hours and minutes displayed on a subdial by blued steel “open-tipped” hands. The bezel and flange are set with diamonds. The model is powered by a mechanical self-winding movement.
The Reine de Naples has been interpreted since then in several aesthetic and technical variations, thereby confirming the appeal of its curvaceous design. The dial is variously adorned with finely guilloché mother-of-pearl, cameo-carved natural shell, as well as set with diamonds and other coloured precious stones. The often diamond-set pink or white gold case comes in either a maxi size – 43.75x35.40mm – or a miniature 33x24.95mm version. Its distinctive shape offers scope to play with the Arabic or Roman numerals, stretching or narrowing them at will. Other distinctive features include the small crown at 4 o’clock and the ball-type lug at 6 o’clock that connects the case to the satin strap or woven gold bracelet – a nod to the wristlet of hair woven with golden thread mentioned in the Breguet archives. The Reine de Naples hosts a number of horological complications such as the moon phase with day/night indication and the striking mechanism – notably the passing strike that sounds three times an hour.
Another original complication was added for Valentine’s Day 2021, when Breguet introduced an ingenious mechanism to the Reine de Naples Cœur 9825. The heart-shaped minute hand at 6 o’clock changes shape, expanding and contracting like a beating heart as it travels around the ovoid dial in white lacquered sapphire crystal. Hours are displayed in a central aperture, ensuring nothing gets in the way of this delightful choreography.
Key Characteristics
- Collection launched in 2002 and inspired by one of the very first wristwatch created in 1810 for Caroline Murat, queen of Naples
- Egg-shaped gold case