A pillar of watchmaking tradition, Breguet has a long and distinguished lineage. Its founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet is considered by many as the father of watchmaking. Indeed, he is one of the greatest horologists of all time. Since 1775, clients have included Napoleon Bonaparte, Marie-Antoinette, Winston Churchill, Alexander Dumas, Princes, Dukes, Sultans and Kings. Breguet's influence on watchmaking is unequalled. He perfected the self-winding watch, created the first oil-free escapement, incorporated the first shock absorber into a timepiece, developed perpetual date mechanisms, and invented and patented the Tourbillon. Signature Breguet styling is evident in today's masterpieces; blue steel hands, guilloche engraving, and the fluted caseband.