Abraham-Louis Breguet, the innovator of the horological world. The inventor of the tourbillon and pioneer in the fields of minute repeaters and automatic movements. Sadly, the current brand has as much connection to this great watchmaker as the Faberge toiletries company of the 80s had to the legendary jeweler to the Tsars.

From 1775 to 1970, the Breguet watch company was owned by only two different families. However, as the Quartz Crisis took its toll on the mechanical watch industry, the brand changed hands more times than a joint at a frat party. As the number of company custodians increased, the innovation that was the brand’s calling card for centuries stalled completely. Unlike it’s sister brand Blancpain, they aren’t able to say that they have never produced a quartz timepiece because they didn’t go completely out of business. The quartz pieces they produced are probably the last foray into technological advancement that the brand attempted. Eventually, the Swatch Group took ownership of the ailing company in 1999 and appointed it as their flagship brand within the group.

While this strategic move did help the brand, it never quite found it’s footing again. Breguet still produces fine horology but they are often heavily discounted at retail. Struggling to find it’s own place in the watch landscape. It is difficult to innovate and appeal to an increasingly educated watch buying public when your main selling point is a tenuous link to a long-dead watchmaker.

How to fix the brand? The brand needs to channel the innovative spirit of Bregeut. Covering his greatest hits like an elderly touring rock band desperately trying to milk their audience one last time keeps the fanboys happy but prevents them from breaking new ground and creating new fans.  When passionate collectors can interact and then purchase from living legends like Philippe Dufour and FP Journe, then it is hard to get the same people to purchase the horological equivalent of a stale cheese sandwich. There is no doubt that Breguet has many gifted watchmakers and many great calibres to draw from, especially since it purchased Lemania in 1992. Allow these gifted artisans the chance to fully embrace the spirit of Breguet and produce vibrant modern timepieces.

For the brand to live it must be alive. Change is what Breguet always embraced with his work and I’m sure he would welcome that again to help his brand remain relevant.