Timeline

Major Inventions and Innovations of

Abraham-Louis Breguet and his Successors

 

Over 120 patents registered since 2000!

DATE INVENTIONS INNOVATIONS
1780 Twin going-barrels to provide smoother power transfer. Perpétuelle watch – perfection of the self-winding mechanism with oscillating mass. State of winding indicator.
1783 Breguet hands and numerals. Watch repeating on gongs.
1785   Application of a bimetallic thermometer to a watch. Development of a superior lever escapement.
1786 The Breguet dial, engine-turned by hand.
1787   New design of repeating work for 10 minute ¼ hour, ½ ¼ hour and minute-repeating.
1789 Echappement naturel – escapement working without oil.
Breguet key – a ratchet key designed to engage when turned in the correct direction.
1790 Pare-chute shock protection. Collier form watchcase.
1791 Secondes d’un coup – independent jump seconds stopwatch. Quatre-baguettes – watchcase.
1792 Development and production of the mechanism for the Chappe optical telegraph.
1794 Aiguilles des Heures Sautante – jump hour hand.
Overhanging ruby cylinder escapement. Secret signature.
1795 Regulateur à Tourbillon.
Pendule Sympathique.
Perpetual calendar mechanism.
1796 Montre Souscription.
Breguet balance spring.
Pendule de voyage – the carriage clock in the form that was to be adopted by all other makers.
1798 Echappement à Force Constante (March 9).
Invention of the musical chronometer, the clockwork mechanism that acts as a metronome.
Independent seconds hand.
1799 Montre à tact. Nouveau calibre movement.
1800 Pull-twist piston for repeating. Repeating of the date.
1801 Patent of the Tourbillon Regulator (June 26).
1803   Hunting-case for slim watches.
1805   Pendule Pyramidale.
1808   Detachable horizontal platform for a carriage clock.
1810 Pendule Sympathique winding and re-setting the watch. Development of the “fork and roller” lever escapement with draw. Development and production of the first wristwatch, ordered by the Queen of Naples.
1812   Tri-metallic thermometer.
1815 Fully adjustable balance spring stud. Interchangeable escapement platform for marine chronometers.
1816   Double train/escapement watch and clock.
1819 Ocular of an astronomical telescope.
1820 Compteur Militaire.
Double secondes d’un coup dedoublante – independent split centre-seconds stopwatch.
Platinum used for a watchcase.
Slide-armed repeating work.
1829/30 Combined keyless winding and hand setting. Platinum balance wheel.
Watch designed to be worn on the wrist.
1928   First purpose-built perpetual calendar wristwatch.
1938 Start and reset mechanism of a movement with direct-drive seconds hand.
1939 Patent of the sidereal timekeeper (February 28).
1950 Chronograph reset mechanism.
Chronograph minute counter (2 patents).
1990   First Sympathique wristwatch and its clock.
Double power reserve.
1991 Timepiece with a running equation-of-time, perpetual equation-of-time wristwatch.
1994 Perpetual calendar mechanism, in-line perpetual calendar wristwatch.
1996 Timepiece movement equipped with a perpetual calendar mechanism.
1997 Patent of the in-line perpetual calendar wristwatch.
1998 The world’s smallest self-winding chronograph movement.
2002 5 patents registered, including:
Moon-phase mechanism (Reine de Naples).
2003 7 patents registered, including:
Patent for a mechanism to lock the alarm function, column-wheel system (Réveil du Tsar).
2004 7 patents registered, including:
Balance for timepiece movement, titanium balance (Tradition Tourbillon Fusée).
2005 15 patents registered, including:
Watch equipped with at least two regulating systems (Double Tourbillon).
Shock-protection device for balance pivot (Tradition).
2006 13 patents registered, including:
A musical module for a watch movement (La Musicale).
2007 3 patents registered, including:
Timepiece comprising a power-reserve display device (Tradition Tourbillon).
2008 8 patents registered, including:
Gong for a striking or alarm mechanism (minute repeater).
Balance spring with “overcoil” terminal curve in silicon (Tradition Tourbillon).
2009 8 patents registered, including:
Gong for a timepiece striking mechanism (minute repeater).
Tourbillon timepiece movement equipped with a shock-protection device (Tradition Tourbillon).
2010 11 patents registered, including:
Timepiece comprising a high-frequency mechanical movement (Type XXII).
Striking watch equipped with an acoustic membrane (La Musicale).
Magnetic pivots and magnetic anti-shock (Classique Chronométrie).
2011 19 patents registered, including:
A musical module for a watch (La Musicale).
A balance-spring with two spiral springs.
Magnetic governor for the transmission wheel(s) of the movement or strike (La Musicale).
2012 5 patents registered, including:
Balance-spring with two spiral springs featuring improved isochronism.
Contact-free torque transfer for timepiece.
2013 10 patents registered, including:
Wheel in a watch pivoting in a magnetic or electrostatic field.
Setting the frequency range of a device that produces sound with vibrating blades.
2014 5 patents registered, including:
Mainspring barrel with enhanced transmission.
Comb for a music box.
Musical watch case featuring enhanced acoustics.

 

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