{"product_id":"breguet-cor-p-m-van-houte-9798248478385","title":"Breguet: The Inventor Who Defined Time","description":"BREGUET: The Inventor Who Defined Time Subtitle: From the Quai de l'Horloge to Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Haute Horlogerie \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe definitive history of the man who didn't just make watches-he invented time as we know it. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn 1775, a young Swiss immigrant named Abraham-Louis Breguet opened a small workshop on the banks of the Seine. He had no fortune and no formal credentials, yet within a decade, his name would be a synonym for elegance in the courts of Europe. From the tragic brilliance of the \"Marie-Antoinette\" pocket watch to the invention of the tourbillon, Breguet's genius survived revolutions, exiles, and the collapse of empires to define the very language of mechanical watchmaking.\u003cbr\u003eInside this researched volume I explore: \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Revolutionary Inventor: How Breguet pioneered the self-winding \u003ci\u003eperpétuelle\u003c\/i\u003e, the first reliable shock-protection system (the \u003ci\u003epare-chute\u003c\/i\u003e), and the legendary tourbillon-a patent that changed horology forever.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA Royal Clientele: The fascinating stories behind his most famous patrons, including Marie Antoinette, Napoleon Bonaparte, Tsar Alexander I, and Winston Churchill.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Engineering Masterpieces: A deep dive into the architecture of horological icons like the No. 160 \"Marie-Antoinette\"-the most complex watch of its era-and the Queen of Naples' No. 2639, the world's first wristwatch.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Modern Renaissance: The dramatic 1999 rescue of the House of Breguet by Nicolas G. Hayek and its rise to the pinnacle of the Swatch Group.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Living Legacy: An examination of the five modern collections-Classique, Tradition, Marine, Type XX, and Reine de Naples-and how they translate 18th-century mastery into 21st-century innovation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003eWhether you are a seasoned collector, an engineering enthusiast, or a lover of European history, \u003ci\u003eBreguet: The Inventor Who Defined Time\u003c\/i\u003e is an invitation to understand why, 250 years later, the world still looks to the Quai de l'Horloge to see how time is measured. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eStep into the world of the \"Watchmaker to Kings\" and discover the mechanical heart of history. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eDr. Cornelis van Houte is a passionate watch enthusiast and prolific author whose Definitive Watch Series examens legendary timepieces through technical, historical, and cultural lenses.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Cor P. M. Van Houte\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798248478385\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 02\/15\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 120\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.65lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 11.00h x 8.50w x 0.25d","brand":"Cor P. M. Van Houte","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":49084081340671,"sku":"9798248478385","price":19.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/breguet-cor-p-m-van-houte-9798248478385","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}