Gregory Kissling, Breguet’s New CEO, on His Vision and the 250th Anniversary

A microtechnology engineer with an MBA and a Grasp’s diploma in Luxurious Administration, Gregory Kissling was appointed a couple of months in the past as the top of one of the prestigious names in Haute Horlogerie: Breguet. A go to to the Vallée de Joux gave us the chance to take a seat down with him to debate his profession and the way forward for a model that’s about to have a good time its 250th anniversary.

Xavier Markl, MONOCHROME – Gregory, thanks for having us. How did you get into the watchmaking business, and what was the trail that led you to change into CEO of Breguet?

Gregory Kissling, CEO of Breguet – I’m initially from Neuchâtel, which actually makes it simpler to enter this excellent watchmaking business. I’ve all the time been drawn to know-how, so I attended engineering faculty in Le Locle, the place a number of specialities are taught, together with microtechnology. That’s how I first obtained hooked on watchmaking.

Although I used to be initially fascinated about robotics, I rapidly discovered myself returning to watchmaking – first at Cartier as a motion constructor, then at Omega, the place I spent over 20 years working not solely on actions but additionally on the habillage (word: the exterior, non-movement elements of a watch).

If you’re into watches, you inevitably examine Breguet, his story, his innovations. He’s the daddy of contemporary horology. At Omega, I had the possibility to fulfill George Daniels as we had been creating the co-axial escapement (word: you’ll be able to see Gregory explaining this escapement in a video there). Daniels was an enormous admirer of Breguet and wrote a implausible guide about him. Breguet was a significant supply of inspiration for Daniels – and thru him, for me too.

I’ve all the time been fascinated by Breguet’s distinctive capacity to mix custom, modernity, and know-how. Take the magnetic pivot, as an example. Chronometry has all the time been important to Breguet, and the magnetic pivot completely illustrates that. The identical goes for using silicon, which Breguet pioneered.

You clearly had nice information of Breguet already, however what shocked you after becoming a member of the model?

Throughout my time at Omega, I had the chance to work together with colleagues from Breguet via varied Swatch Group transversal tasks. The Group is sort of a massive household, it’s not simply manufacturers and manufactures. So I already knew a few of the folks at Breguet earlier than arriving. Nonetheless, what actually shocked me was the depth of know-how and the unbelievable expertise inside the firm – watchmakers, craftsmen, lab technicians, R&D groups, designers…

Breguet is a very verticalized manufacture, with experience throughout each self-discipline. However past the services, equipment, and instruments, it’s the folks behind them that impressed me most. The human aspect is on the coronary heart of Breguet.

Then there’s the distinctive heritage. In fact, there are books, however the model’s patrimony is really distinctive. We’ve managed to rigorously protect it – not solely the bodily heritage, with practically 400 historic watches in our assortment, but additionally the intangible, via detailed archives and paperwork. We’re fortunate to have Emmanuel Breguet, a seventh-generation descendant of the founder, whose information is invaluable. We don’t replicate the previous, we use it as a supply of inspiration.

Certainly, Breguet is a really verticalized manufacture. However as we’ve mentioned, you’re additionally a part of a bunch. What does that imply for the model?

It’s an actual asset for Breguet to be a part of a bunch with such an distinctive degree of vertical integration. We are able to produce our personal lubricants via Moebius, make our personal regulating organs, grasp onerous supplies, and even develop and industrialise new alloys. These are strategic sources – significantly on the subject of fostering innovation, which lies on the very core of Breguet’s DNA.

What do you hope to carry to Breguet watches?

The thought is to construct on what has already been performed, from the time of Abraham-Louis Breguet to the current day, all the time with an eye fixed towards innovation. However not innovation for its personal sake – relatively, innovation that brings worth to our purchasers.

Our present assortment is structured round distinct product households, every representing a distinct chapter of Breguet’s story. The Sort XX and its ties to aviation, the Marine vary – Breguet was appointed official watchmaker to the French Royal Navy by King Louis XVIII in 1815 – the Classique, the Custom, and the Reine de Naples… These are highly effective collections, and every should proceed to evolve.

Breguet can be a totally built-in manufacture, able to designing, creating, and producing its personal actions. That’s an amazing asset. Being able to work on each the motion and the habillage, and to carry true innovation to each, is an actual privilege.

What are the principle challenges for the model?

Our first problem is making certain that Breguet holds the place it deserves. On the identical time, we have to stay related to a brand new technology of purchasers. People who find themselves already acquainted with Breguet perceive its significance, however we additionally wish to attain those that might not but pay attention to the model’s unbelievable heritage.

In 2025, we’ll be celebrating our 250th anniversary. It’s the proper alternative to speak this message. We’ve begun with our historical past, and we’ll quickly spotlight our innovations. We’ll be presenting new merchandise every month, in several cities. The anniversary assortment relies on our present providing, nevertheless it additionally attracts inspiration from Breguet’s many inventions. We’ll wrap up the yr with a particular shock in Versailles, a metropolis deeply linked to the Breguet legacy.

And at last, when you had to decide on one Breguet watch?

One which doesn’t exist but!