Celestial shades: Breguet re-imagines The Reine de Naples – The Watch of a Queen

 

 

Breguet Reine de Naples 8918 ladies watch features expertly applied grand feu enamel on its dial – a first for this watch collection.

The Reine de Naples 8918 in grand feu enamel ticks to the rhythm of a self-winding manufacture caliber.

Breguet‘s Reine de Naples collection is inspired by an early bracelet watch A.-L. Breguet created for Bonaparte’s sister Caroline, Queen of Naples. With their customary care and precision, Breguet’s watchmakers have created a symbol of feminine refinement in a contemporary jewellery watch.

In a premiere for the luxury watchmaker, Breguet highlights the delicate oval shape of the dial of the Reine de Naples watch with pure, bright white grand feu enamel, complete with numerals in celestial shades.

The Reine de Naples 8918 features expertly applied grand feu enamel on its dial – a first for this collection. Against an immaculate background, the stylized Breguet Arabic numerals appear in blue enamel, as does the signature of the House and the words “émaillé Grand Feu” (grand feu enamel). The alligator leather strap, fitted with a folding buckle set with 28 diamonds, echoes these heavenly hues. 117 diamonds emphasize the circumference of the bezel and the dial flange of this composition in white gold.

The demanding grand feu enamel technique creates dials with a unique grain and immutable colors.

During the particularly delicate creation process, the dial is heated at a temperature above 800°C – hence the name of this traditional technique. It is placed in the kiln several times in order to create a natural sheen to the surface.

The time can be easily read thanks to the fine Breguet hands in blued steel. The off-center hours chapter features dots, diamond-shaped markers and fleurs-de-lis, punctuated by a pear-shaped diamond at 6 o’clock. If the light is just right, the reflections allow a glimpse of Breguet’s secret signature, which is placed at 3 o’clock.

A white-gold case with finely fluted sides houses the self-winding manufacture caliber 537/3, which has a power reserve of 45 hours. A briolette-cut diamond lends a touch of sparkle to the crown at 4 o’clock. The sapphire-crystal caseback reveals the movement of the watch. Each component is decorated by hand with great care. If the owner so wishes, the House of Breguet will record her name in its archives, kept since the late eighteenth century, next to the individual number, engraved on the back of the watch.

The watch (36.5 x 28.45mm.) is available in 13 versions.

Water-resistant to 3 bar (30m), the Reine de Naples is also a vailable in white gold, in rose gold or in yellow gold with silvered gold dial, hand-engraved on a rose engine and partly in white natural mother-of-pearl with Breguet Arabic numerals (black or red for the white gold models). One of the models is available in rose gold with dial in champagne-coloured Tahitian natural mother-of-pearl and partly in white natural mother-of-pearl, hand-engraved on a rose engine.

The Watch of a Queen

During her reign over Naples, Caroline Murat, Napoléon Bonaparte’s younger sister, was a great supporter of the arts and would acquire over 30 Breguet watches and clocks. In 1810, the watchmaker established at Quai de l’Horloge in Paris began an unprecedented creation for the Queen of Naples: a watch designed to be worn on the wrist. It was the first wristwatch designed especially for this purpose. From its delivery in 1812 to repairs in 1849 and 1855, the Breguet archives have kept track of the history and characteristics of this watch, whose whereabouts today are unknown. The oblong-shaped creation with an engine-turned silver dial was very delicate and included several complications: a repeater, a moon-phase indicator, and also a thermometer. Finally, it had a wristlet of hair and gold thread that allowed it to be worn on the wrist.

The Blue Version of Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Automatique

The traditional grand feu enamel technique was also used by Breguet for the launch of the 2020 Extra-Thin Self-Winding Tourbillon. In 2020, Breguet adorns the dial of its Extra-Thin Self-Winding Tourbillon with a touch of deep blue, by using the traditional grand feu enamel technique. There are a limited number of artisans still capable of mastering this age-old process, which was dear to Abraham-Louis Breguet, as he appreciated the spotless aspect it conferred on watches. Not surprising, given that he had revolutionised watchmaking aesthetics by ridding watches of heavy and superfluous decoration. Today, Breguet keeps this art alive with a workshop entirely dedicated to enameling.

Available exclusively at Breguet boutiques, this new release in platinum features a blue alligator leather strap.

Breguet Reopens a Number of its European Boutiques

The House of Breguet announced the reopening of several of its Boutiques in Europe. In Switzerland, stores in Geneva, Zurich and Gstaad reopened their doors on Monday May, 11, in addition to Paris and Cannes, France. In Austria, Vienna’s boutique is also open again, as well as one of the House’s newest physical representations – found in Düsseldorf, Germany. The reopening of the Milanese boutique followed on May, 18.

Given the reduced opening hours due to the recovering period, Breguet invites you to consult the page dedicated to the luxury watchmaking brands points of sales for further information.