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Speaking of gold, you spearheaded the development of Omega’s proprietary gold alloys when you were its Head of Product Management. Did that experience inspire you to develop Breguet Gold for this collection?
I wanted Breguet Gold to serve as a defining marker for the entire anniversary collection, linking all the pieces together. Thanks to our patrimony, we discovered that Breguet’s first gold watches were neither fully yellow nor rose, but something in between. At Omega, I developed many alloys, and while it’s never easy, knowing the direction makes the process much faster. But it’s not just about achieving the right colour — it’s also about how the alloy is manufactured, decorated, and set. For Breguet Gold, we added palladium to stabilise the hue, so it won’t fade, and it also has the advantage of being harder than stainless steel.
What else can we look forward to for the rest of the anniversary and beyond?
Oh, we have plenty of ideas — a new escapement, a new calibre. Alongside the new Quai de l’Horloge guilloche pattern, we’re also introducing another motif inspired by the Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette’s estate, coming very soon. And we want to start exploring the duality between Paris and the Vallee de Joux. Our watchmaking expertise lies in Switzerland, but our savoir-faire originated in France, and we want to highlight that unique heritage.
What do you think Abraham-Louis would say if he were here today for the celebrations?
I think he would be proud. For most brands, there’s very little connection between their early creations and the watches in their current collections. Many are rooted in designs from the 1950s to the 1970s. But with Breguet, you can trace a clear line from an 18th century watch to one we make today. If he were here, I would also ask him to look at the materials, machines, and technologies available to us now — and tell us what he thinks is possible for the future.
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