The tourbillon began with a practical question: how could a pocket watch maintain a steadier rate when it spent much of its time in a vertical position? Abraham-Louis Breguet’s answer was a rotating cage carrying the balance and escapement, patented on 26 June 1801. Two hundred and twenty-five years later, the invention remains central to the watchmaking of the house he founded.
On 29 October, Breguet and Swisswatches invite a small group of guests to Düsseldorf. Gregory Kissling, CEO of Breguet, will attend an event in Germany for the first time and discuss the tourbillon, the history of the house and its watchmaking today — with the opportunity to speak with him personally and examine the watches at close range.
The selection shows how far the complication has travelled. The Tradition Tourbillon pairs it with a fusée-and-chain transmission; the Classique Sidéral suspends it as a flying, “mysterious” tourbillon beneath an aventurine dial; the Classique 5345 sets two rotating cages side by side; the Marine Équation Marchante combines it with a perpetual calendar and a running equation of time. Alongside them, the two new Classique Tourbillon 7357, and the Expérimentale 1 — the first high-frequency tourbillon, running at 10 Hz with a magnetic escapement.
Places are strictly limited and attendance is by invitation. Please register your interest below; Swisswatches will confirm invitations personally and share the exact location with confirmed guests. The participation fee of €149 per person will be donated in full to an organisation helping children access education.
When you wear a Breguet, it's not just about aesthetics or design balance. You are wearing a piece of history.
Gregory Kissling, CEO of Breguet, in conversation with Swisswatches
A private, hands-on evening for watch enthusiasts and collectors who want to experience Breguet’s most celebrated invention up close – and mark 225 years of the tourbillon with Breguet CEO Gregory Kissling. Places are strictly limited, and attendance is subject to confirmation by Swisswatches.