CEO Montres Breguet.
Gregory Kissling.
It happened in several stages. I accepted the position in July, which allowed me to prepare over a few months and to immerse myself in the brand, notably through a large number of books. Furthermore, Breguet has always been a brand close to my heart. I have always followed it and maintained good relationships with colleagues at the Manufacture. There has also been a strong link between OMEGA and Lemania — later acquired by Breguet — which explains the historic connection between the two brands.
Everything really began just after the official announcement in early September, the start of a transition period where I was operational with both brands until the end of 2024.
These were intense moments, but with a clear objective: celebrating this iconic milestone, this quarter of a millennium. We couldn’t overlook 250 years — an extraordinary moment for the brand — and I committed myself fully alongside my teams to celebrate this anniversary in the best possible way by bringing a clear strategy in terms of product, communication, and distribution. It was therefore an intense process, but one that unfolded smoothly, because the transition was facilitated by the fact that both brands are part of the same group, allowing for a smart and non‑abrupt transition.
There is no “CEO school.” I was fortunate in my previous position at OMEGA to be responsible for product development, but I was not limited to that field. I had the opportunity to travel, meet different markets, interact with the media, and engage with end customers. I also built strong relationships during product launches, which naturally involves marketing. Ultimately, all those years at OMEGA prepared me for the role, so nothing came as a shock.
One of the first major aspects in joining a new company is understanding its structure and internal mechanisms, and being well surrounded is crucial.
Of course, there were many aspects I needed to integrate, such as human resources, which play a major role for a CEO.
I kept the development side, including product direction, and set up a team reporting directly to me on design, product management, and technical development. I am also supported by a Management Committee overseeing the various departments.
In summary, my days are intense and extremely varied, moving from one topic to another.
To celebrate the 250th anniversary, rather than holding one single major international event, we chose to tell the story of Breguet throughout the year, highlighted by our slogan: “Crafting emotions for 250 years – one invention at a time.”
This approach allows us to remain in the spotlight all year long and to take the time to reach our audience and recount many chapters of Breguet’s history through an anniversary collection united by a unique marker: Breguet gold.
This celebration took the form of a world tour launched in Paris, Place Vendôme, a symbolic location where Breguet established itself in 1930, becoming the first watchmaker on this square traditionally reserved for jewelers. From Paris to Shanghai, New York, Geneva, London, Seoul, Tokyo, and soon Dubai, each stop is accompanied by a new version of an emblematic model illustrating part of the brand’s heritage. The tour will conclude in Versailles, completing the circle in France.
For the starting point in Paris, we wanted to speak about our origins by creating an evocation of the model that succeeded in attracting a new clientele through its simplicity and price. Thanks to a new sales method, it enabled our founder to sustain the brand in the long term. This model is the Classique Souscription, the flagship of this anniversary collection.
Classique Souscription (© Breguet).
The second stage was Shanghai, a city blending tradition and innovation. This was the opportunity to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Tradition line with a new model, reference 7035. It was launched second for logical reasons: the Tradition is inspired by the tact watch (which allowed the wearer to read the time without removing the watch from the pocket), which itself was inspired by the Souscription model. The Tradition 7035 features a translucent blue grand feu enamel dial with guilloché, paying tribute to Empress Joséphine’s tact watch.
We also wished to highlight the perpetual watch, with its platinum oscillating weight – an innovation created in 1780 – highly appreciated at the end of the 18th century and instrumental in Breguet’s growing reputation, particularly within the French royal court. Breguet was the first to use a 950-platinum alloy (95% of platinum) for the oscillating mass.
Tradition 7035 (© Breguet).
Next came New York, where we have a boutique on Fifth Avenue, and where we launched two Type XX models to highlight a different chapter in the brand’s history: its link with aviation, reinforced by the creation of Louis Breguet’s aviation company in 1911.
This presentation highlighted the first East–West transatlantic flight, from Paris–Le Bourget to New York City, completed between September 1 and 2, 1930, by aviators Costes and Bellonte aboard a Breguet 19TR Super Bidon. It is also interesting to note that Breguet used to produce onboard instruments, notably for the Concorde, making it unique in producing aircraft, instruments, and pilot watches under the same name.
Aviators Costes and Bellonte and their Breguet 19TR Super Bidon.
We produced two versions, because our archives have revealed that the first Type XX in gold – only three pieces made – was born with a silver dial featuring a tachymeter and a 30-minute counter. This anniversary version is produced as a limited edition, while the black-dial version joins the regular collection.
The two Type XX models (© Breguet).
The fourth stage of our world tour took place in Geneva on June 26, a symbolic date, known at the time as 7 Messidor of Year IX, corresponding to the date on which Breguet received the patent for the tourbillon system from the Ministry of the Interior. Why this launch in Geneva? Because we know from the letters that were exchanged that he conceived the tourbillon during his stay in Switzerland, which took place between Geneva, Neuchâtel, and Le Locle.
To launch this new model, we gave it the nickname “Sidéral,” corresponding to the original meaning of the word “tourbillon.” Indeed, in the 18th century, the word did not refer to a meteorological phenomenon as it does today, but rather to an astronomical term describing the revolution of celestial bodies around a center.
Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 (© Breguet).
This model features a magnificent aventurine enamel dial, and it is the first time we have created a flying tourbillon – meaning one without an upper bridge. The design is mysterious; there is no visible connection between the cage and the movement, giving the impression that the tourbillon is floating in total weightlessness.
Flying Tourbillon (© Breguet).
If the use of Breguet gold constitutes the first marker of the anniversary collection, the second one is a new guilloché pattern. Breguet introduced guilloché in 1786, particularly on dials, influenced by Parisian artistic currents of the time. Beyond aesthetics, guilloché was used to reduce reflections – an early form of anti‑glare. Differentiated guilloché also allowed functions to be distinguished visually.
At Breguet, we can develop new guilloché patterns thanks to the manufacture of new cams. We therefore created the “Quai de l’Horloge” motif, based on a representation of the Île de la Cité and Île Saint‑Louis from an 18th‑century map. This motif appears in linear or radial form, notably on dials, cases, and casebacks.
New “Quai de l’Horloge” guilloché pattern (© Breguet).
Next, on September 10, we launched the Marine Hora Mundi in London. In 1815, Breguet became the official watchmaker of the French Royal Navy, the highest title for a watchmaker. From that moment, he produced marine chronometers – the GPS of the time. We wanted to highlight what is probably the most fascinating GMT movement in watchmaking, equipped with a mechanical memory that allows the wearer to jump from one time zone to another while keeping the same display – something extraordinary, useful, and intuitive.
We chose London for this launch because sailors traditionally set their marine chronometers to Greenwich to calculate longitude.
This new model, limited to only 50 pieces, features an extraordinary dial composed of two components: a gold base engraved with meridians and parallels, and an upper sapphire dial showcasing the art of enamel miniature painting. The image of the world is inspired by NASA’s 2012 Black Marble photograph, which raised awareness that our planet never sleeps. To highlight this, we used phosphorescent enamel to depict the bright city lights.
Marine Hora Mundi dial (© Breguet).
The next stage took place in Seoul, the most important market for our Reine de Naples collection, whose history is remarkable. Caroline Murat, sister of Napoleon Bonaparte and future Queen of Naples, was Breguet’s most important client, with 34 watches commissioned. In 1810, she requested a wristwatch — an oblong-shaped watch delivered two years later with a bracelet made of gold hair. Unfortunately, we have no visual representation of this watch, but we do have a written description, which served as an interpretation for the current model. The Reine de Naples represents not only the first wristwatch, but also the first watch designed specifically for a woman.
This collection is truly iconic and extremely important to us. We redesigned both the dial and the bracelet to make it a true piece of jewelry suitable for daily wear, with a bracelet inspired by the pearl bracelets worn by Caroline Murat.
Reine de Naples 8925 (© Breguet).
And then recently, Tokyo – where we launched two classic pieces, the 7225 and the 7235. The latter is inspired by the famous watch No. 5, a milestone in the Breguet style of the era, which has endured across generations and preserved its identity even 250 years later. With this watch, Breguet revolutionized style, which until then had been heavy and baroque. It imposed it even, as Breguet is probably the only brand to have preserved its visual identity over 250 years.
Classique 7235 (© Breguet).
During this tour, we displayed the anniversary collection pieces side-by-side with heritage pieces to demonstrate that our visual identity has been preserved for 250 years, with a style that has transcended eras.
The second piece, the Classique 7225, reprises the face with its two small “ears” from what is perhaps Breguet’s most extraordinary tourbillon watch, nicknamed “Potocki,” after the Polish count who commissioned it. That watch featured an observation seconds hand and a four-minute rotating cage with a natural escapement. For the 2025 piece, we wanted to pay tribute to this pursuit of precision so dear to Abraham-Louis Breguet. To do so, we integrated the magnetic pivot, totally insensitive to positional variations – effectively the equivalent of a tourbillon for a wristwatch.
Classique 7225 (© Breguet).
This allowed us to create a scientific category, formalized by the Breguet hallmark, structured around three pillars:
• Aesthetic harmony, with precise finishing rules.
• Performance, which may be chronometric, magnetic, acoustic (for minute repeaters), or water resistance. We defined three categories for chronometric performance: “Scientific” (+/- 1 second per day), “Civil and Sport” (+/- 2 seconds per day), and “Evening & Jewellery” (-2 to +6 seconds per day – still better than COSC).
• Ethics, to highlight the preservation of our know-how and rare crafts. If guillochage still exists today, I believe it is largely thanks to Breguet. It also certifies that our products are 100% manufactured in Switzerland for the watch head and the clasp.
Caliber 74SC featuring the Breguet hallmark (© Breguet).
So this piece is truly important as it introduces the Breguet hallmark.
Upcoming stages (at the time of the interview) include Dubai, with more lavish pieces, and we will conclude our anniversary in Versailles, where we can imagine presenting other, perhaps even more complicated models. There will also be a major announcement at the National Maritime Museum of France, where something will be unveiled. The idea is also to convey a message about what Breguet will represent tomorrow in terms of innovation. So, there are still many surprises to come before the end of the year!
Regarding communication, we are in the process of evolving it – not in total rupture with the past, but by bringing a different, more modern angle through the tools available on our networks, as well as through our traveling exhibitions called “Les Tiroirs du Temps,” whose purpose is to introduce the great inventions of the brand. What we want is also to reach a new audience, a new generation that loves fine watchmaking and seeks authenticity and craftsmanship.
As for distribution, we have a strong network that continues to grow, with the opening of several boutiques this year. We are of course maintaining a network of partners who also showcase the brand.
This launch created an element of surprise because I think many people expected Breguet to begin with a grand complication. We wanted to emphasize that the Souscription marked a defining moment in the career of our founder, and I would even say for the brand itself, because without this model, it is very likely that we would not be celebrating 250 years of uninterrupted existence today. It is a watch that clearly allowed our founder to preserve the brand.
Until the French Revolution, most of his clientele consisted of the royal court and the powerful elites. But after these political changes, he had to reinvent himself by creating a product suited to a new clientele. In 1793, Breguet fled revolutionary unrest and returned to Switzerland for about two years. This is where three of his major ideas took shape: the tourbillon, the sympathique clock, and the Souscription watch.
Our founder was not only a brilliant watchmaker; he was also astute in business, as shown by the Souscription model, which for 30 years generated up to 50% of his revenue. The principle of the souscription was simple: the client paid 25% of the final price at the time of the order, allowing Breguet to avoid borrowing from banks – ironically, many of his clients were bankers.
This ingenious idea allowed him to overcome the post-Revolution period by gaining access to new clients and financing scientific timekeeping pieces that could take a long time to develop. For instance, more than 10 years separated the invention of the tourbillon from the sale of the first watch equipped with this system.
We really wanted to communicate about this chapter, especially because this model is not widely known by the general public.
Moreover, we wanted to make a strong statement by offering a product that brings together all the essential DNA of Breguet from that time: the face (dial and hands) of the current Classique collection, a movement architecture reminiscent of the Tradition collection, and the smooth case of the earliest models.
The size – 40 mm in diameter – was determined by the need for legibility with a single hand. Wristwatches appeared long after the original Souscription pocket watch, but we wanted to improve the ergonomic wear of our collection, and we decided to modify the shape of the lugs by making their underside more curved.
It was also Breguet who asked his usual glassmaker to create a chevé-shaped crystal, meaning flat, to make the watch as thin as possible. This glass shape has been reproduced for the Souscription 2025.
As mentioned earlier, there are two markers – two common denominators – in this anniversary collection. The first is the development of an exclusive proprietary gold, born from the following question: What type of gold did Abraham-Louis Breguet use? Golds at that time were not standardized as they are today, with shade norms ranging from 2N to 6N. We performed analysis on several heritage pieces and found that the golds were neither fully yellow nor fully pink, but somewhere in between.
Yellow gold has been somewhat abandoned in recent years, so we wanted to develop a yellow gold, but with a slightly blonde, slightly rosy tone.
I was familiar with this kind of development thanks to my previous experience, and we are fortunate in the Group to have our own foundry and metallurgy specialists. This allowed us to develop very quickly this alloy called “Breguet gold,” a quaternary alloy composed of gold (75%), silver, copper, and palladium. It offers excellent resistance to discoloration and, thanks to heat treatment, it achieves a hardness superior to traditional steel, making it less susceptible to scratches.
Mechanically, it is also an alloy that is easy to work with, making it suitable for métiers d’art such as anglage and guillochage.
Breguet gold is used throughout the entire anniversary collection, and it is likely to remain because it is an alloy that people appreciate.
Breguet’s heritage is indeed inexhaustible, and I like to say, “it’s a legacy in motion,” because we are not confined by our heritage – we build on it to continue innovating. To remain faithful to our founder’s spirit, we must ask ourselves the following question: With the materials, machines, and technologies available today, what would he do?
The codes may evolve slightly, but I think it would be a serious mistake to create a total break, because as I said earlier, Breguet is the one and only brand to have preserved its visual identity for 250 years. My role, as a temporary guardian of the brand, is therefore to find the right balance between tradition, innovation, and modernity.
Breguet is a brand for connoisseurs, which requires intensive work to increase awareness and attract a new clientele. It is an alchemy between the product, of course, communication, and our distribution network – all to provide an unforgettable experience. For example, when people visit our manufacture, they come out with stars in their eyes, because we do not simply show watchmakers behind glass – we enter the workshops, we speak with artisans. Visitors can even try guillochage, anglage, engraving. Through this immersion in crafts and know-how, this new audience becomes aware of the true spirit of Breguet.
This is what we are trying to achieve this year by transporting our manufacture through temporary exhibitions. It is foundational work that will allow us to capture this new audience. And we are already seeing results this year – a new dynamic is beginning to take shape.
Internal training is also extremely important. We have put in place tools to deeply transmit the knowledge, history, and emotion that define the brand.
The typical Breguet client is someone who appreciates the brand, its history, its know-how, and its timelessness. Interestingly, preferences vary depending on the market. For example, in Korea, watchmaking means Breguet, and the most appreciated product is the Reine de Naples. In Japan, the market is extremely knowledgeable about our history.
Now, we want to open this audience further, knowing that young generations are looking for authenticity, timelessness, and classicism – which is making a strong comeback. Another element this generation values, and which we highlight through our Breguet hallmark, is durability and lifetime reparability, in direct opposition to planned obsolescence, which is far too common today. Our after-sales service is extremely strong, and our restoration workshop is capable of repairing a Breguet that is 220 years old.
Indeed, it is not necessarily the same clientele if we compare a steel Type XX with a classical piece, even though some clients own both. However, the Type XX follows a logic: Abraham-Louis Breguet also produced instrument timepieces, with the marine chronometer being the best example.
The Type XX appeared at a time when pilots needed a timepiece with a specific function – the flyback complication – which provides a tremendous time-saving advantage when recalculating a heading.
Retour en vol (© Breguet).
It therefore has its rightful place in the brand’s universe, and it is even more legitimate to produce a pilot’s watch given that one branch of the Breguet family built aircraft. We truly want to highlight that Breguet produced pilot watches, onboard instruments, and even built its own aircraft through Breguet Aviation, later acquired by Marcel Dassault.
Returning to the product itself, the positioning in terms of price and aesthetics is different. It is a product that can indeed appeal to a different, younger clientele, but there are still common threads – such as the fluted caseband. And it is not a product made with lesser standards; the quality requirements are identical to those of a classical piece.
The Type XX can be a beautiful entry point for someone who loves the brand, supported by a strong historical connection to military aviation. And let’s not forget that Type XX production was financially very beneficial for the company, with an initial order of 1,100 watches in the 1950s.
A great deal of effort went into the engineering of the movement because most flyback chronograph movements on the market today are standard chronographs modified to support the function. By contrast, the current Type XX movement was designed entirely around the flyback complication, with specific patents. The manual-wind format allowed us to respect the aesthetic codes of the original model.
The Souscription embodies the aesthetic classicism of Breguet through its dial, since our founder invented the Breguet numerals and the so-called “Breguet hands.” The Souscription therefore expresses Breguet’s classicism and naturally belongs in the Classique line.
The Tradition collection is based on an interpretation of a historical piece – the tact watch. The two lines share many common points, even more so today with the Souscription 2025, but what clearly differentiates the Tradition is that it allows the movement to be viewed dial side.
The Heritage line is characterized by its tonneau-shaped case inspired by certain Breguet pieces from the early 1900s in an art-deco style. It is an interesting line that allows us to explore different stylistic directions.
We are fully aware of this treasure and highlight it in several ways. A recent example is a small book about the Souscription watch, in which we revealed for the first time to the public the handwritten manuscripts of our founder, who intended to write a treatise on watchmaking that, unfortunately, was never completed.
Through our events and exhibitions, we have printed many facsimiles to demonstrate that Breguet possesses an almost inexhaustible resource. These include our production books, client registers for each watch, which from the very beginning featured a unique number and include the great names of past centuries. Even today, we promote the possibility of registering oneself in these great books. This intangible heritage, located on Place Vendôme in our museum space, is something we have highlighted especially this year.
Yes, of course, this highly knowledgeable clientele is important, and we listen to their opinions. For example, ergonomics are essential for a wristwatch, and for the anniversary collection, a clear shift has been made in sizing. Indeed, the diameters of the Tradition, Tourbillon, and Type XX models have been reduced. However, one must keep in mind that case size will always be linked to the size and complication of the movement, and the evolution of quality standards can introduce constraints, particularly regarding dimensions.
I would add that I completed my engineering studies in Le Locle, and we believe it was in this city that he conceived the idea of the tourbillon.
I am not intimidated, as I am a rather pragmatic person, but it is of course an immense honor to lead this iconic brand. My mission is clear: together with my teams, my colleagues, and the support of the Group, to give new momentum to the brand. I am deeply committed to my mission and extremely passionate about the brand. I learn something new every day – whether in the crafts, the techniques, or the history.
We also discover extraordinary things through auctions; I recommend you take a look at lot 66 at the November Sotheby’s sale (note: the lot sold for 838,200 CHF with an estimate of 26,000 to 50,000 CHF). This lot illustrates the existence of solutions known today but already explored and mastered by Breguet two centuries ago.
To remain coherent with the brand, creating something entirely disruptive would not be appropriate. However, introducing a certain degree of rupture is desirable – and I believe we will already send a strong signal at the end of this year – to show that Breguet is a legacy in motion and that one of our objectives is to advance the microtechnical science of watchmaking, not only for ourselves but also to foster progress within the broader horological community.
Looking beyond that, I would like to reproduce Breguet’s philosophy – asking, “What would he do today with the means available, or even with means that do not yet exist?” We could explore many avenues while remaining within the realm of mechanical watchmaking.
One direction could be exploring new ways to display time. Another example: have we fully explored the potential of the sympathique clock, which is in some ways the first connected timepiece? There are so many avenues.
Even if it is a dream, even if the idea does not yet exist today, this innovation must be meaningful and bring real value to the end customer.
My ultimate dream would perhaps be to design a true perpetual watch that, by its construction, would no longer require maintenance.
