EDITOR'S REVIEW
The egg-shaped watches of Breguet’s sophisticated Reine de Naples collection were directly inspired by a watch commissioned by Napoleon’s sister, Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, to the most famous watchmaker of the day, Abraham-Louis Breguet. By consulting historical descriptions of the original, designers at Breguet have recreated the oval shape of the Queen of Naples’ jewellery watch in this collection, which first saw the light in 2002. The Princesse Mini 9818 model in white gold comes in a 32.7 x 27.3mm case with a fluted caseband, and features a lavender mother-of-pearl dial emblazoned with the large Roman numeral XII crafted in white mother-of-pearl marquetry. A briolette-cut diamond on the crown and 64 brilliant-cut diamonds on the bezel and lugs give the watch a regal air. In keeping with Breguet’s commitment to fine watchmaking, this tiny piece is equipped with a mechanical automatic movement made in Breguet’s workshops in the Vallée de Joux, with a platinum oscillating weight for its 38-hour power reserve visible through the sapphire crystal caseback.
