Prestigious watchmaker Breguet has celebrated the launch of its new Marine collection with an evening event in the heart of Hyde Park. The launch, which displayed the men’s and women’s Breguet Marine timepieces, was hosted on October 17 within the innovative architecture of Chucs Café Serpentine, surrounded by London’s Serpentine Lake.
Founded by Swiss horologist Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1775, the House of Breguet has long been considered one of Europe’s finest watchmakers. Breguet’s products have been sported by some of history’s most notable individuals; its earliest patrons included Queen Marie Antoinette, Napoleon Bonaparte and later, Queen Victoria and Winston Churchill.
The new Marine collection includes the exquisite Marine Tourbillion Équation Marchante 5887 model and sees a departure from classic Guillochage techniques. The Marine collection timepieces feature instead an engine-turned design, which evokes the movements of the sea lapping the shore. The collection commemorates Breguet’s long-standing ties with the maritime world, which begun in 1815 when Breguet was appointed by the King of France as official chronometer-maker to the Royal Navy.
However, the presentation of the collection’s timepieces was not the only highlight of the evening. The event also welcomed Annabelle Boudinot of NGO Race for Water, with which Breguet has partnered since 2018. During the evening Boudinot had an opportunity to raise awareness for the charity’s work in preventing plastic pollution in our oceans.
In particular, Boudinot discussed her adventures as Second-in-Command during the Race for Water Odyssey, a five-year ocean cleanup expedition on board a clean-energy yacht, together with record-breaking sailor Dee Caffari. Boudinot explained how the current state of the oceans had inspired her to join the journey with Race for Water and how Breguet’s commitment was inspirational: ‘it is very reassuring to see people are taking the problem seriously’ she said, adding that Breguet’s partnership ‘provides us with hope’.
Continuing the theme of environmental awareness, artist Lou McCurdy was also present at the Breguet launch, presenting a poignant bespoke artwork crafted from Thames water plastic waste.
The event, while celebrating Breguet’s watchmaking expertise and an exciting new line of products, also cemented its relationship with the maritime world and the brand's commitment to the preservation of our oceans. The Breguet Marine collection can be viewed online at breguet.com.