Breguet vs Patek Philippe: Which is better?

The Breguet Wristwatch model is produced by the leading Super Clone manufacturer workshops with a solid stainless steel case, standard case diameter and high-precision automatic Super Clone mechanism architecture. It is among the most successful 1:1 super clone watch reviews on the market, with its sapphire crystal AR coating glass, original case tolerances and detailed workmanship.

There are those who love collecting watches, and there are those who appreciate quality watches. The first group mostly has a few pieces from mid- and lower-segment luxury watch brands. The second group often has a more refined appreciation of the craft, history and art of watchmaking behind these top-tier brands. Today, we will examine two of these brands in detail and go into the details that distinguish each of them. Let's get started, shall we?

Comparison between Breguet and Patek Philippe

So that you can easily find the information you are looking for, we have divided this comparison into sections that discuss the watches of the two manufacturers from different perspectives. You can use the links below to navigate between sections.

History | Brand Prestige | Brand Awareness | Sensitivity | Craftsmanship | Waterproof | Second Hand Value | Retail Value | Warranty

History

Both manufacturers are extremely established watchmakers; Each of them has almost two centuries of experience in the watch industry. Both are highly respected names and stand out in watch collecting circles, especially in the world of highly exclusive watches.

Which brand is older? Breguet. One of the very few classic 18th-century watchmakers still operating in the industry, Breguet is one of the oldest manufacturers. The company was founded in 1775.

Patek Philippe, on the other hand, is 64 years "younger" than Breguet, has been producing watches since 1839 and is a favorite of many collectors.

Brand Prestige

Nowadays, as with most consumer products, a watchmaker's prestige in the public eye is often attributed to many things, but especially to the preference of famous names. Both Patek and Breguet produced watches that were owned and worn with pride by high-class, and very high-level names. Among these names were politicians, business leaders, royal family members, famous artists, actors and stage people.

However, when this prestige is evaluated through the eyes of serious watch experts, watchmakers and those who appreciate this craft, it takes much more than who carries your product to truly impress. For them, prestige is closely tied to how sophisticated their watchmaking skills are and how much they have contributed to this age-old craft over the years. Both manufacturers have made many important contributions through their creativity and numerous innovations.

Patek Philippe's Contributions to Watchmaking

One of Patek Philippe's earliest contributions was their 1845 patent for a keyless winding mechanism for pocket watches; This led to the birth of the winding lever.

In 1868, they produced the first truly Swiss wristwatch.

They then improved accuracy by introducing a sensitivity regulator in 1881. Then in 1889 they invented the perpetual calendar, a complex mechanism also known as high complication and seen in many of the more expensive watches.

In 1902 they introduced the double chronograph (stopwatch).

The early 20th century brought one significant innovation and new complex mechanisms after another; they constantly challenged themselves to surpass their latest and greatest achievements.

One of their proudest achievements was in 1933, when they produced the Henry Graves Supercomplication, which with its 24 complications held the record for most complex watch until 1989. Then in 1989, to celebrate their 150th anniversary, they broke their own record with the 33-complication Caliber 89. Recently another very established watchmaker "beat them in the complication" and took this record. However, to celebrate their 175th anniversary in 2014, they produced one of the world's most complex wristwatch, featuring 20 different complications. They have achieved many other notable achievements since 1933, but I think you know what I mean by now.

More importantly, Patek makes up one-third (and arguably the top third) of what is known as the "Big 3" or "Holy Trinity" of three of Swiss watchmaking's most coveted brands: Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin (the oldest watchmaker still in continuous operation and the current title holder of the world's most complex watch), and Audemars Piguet (affectionately referred to as AP watches among watch collectors and famous for its Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches). Some argue that Jaeger LeCoultre could be a solid 4th, but neither Vacheron nor Audemars Piguet want to lose their place in the big three to Jaeger LeCoultre.

Breguet's Contributions to Watchmaking

Breguet also made many important contributions. Breguet invented the first automatic (self-winding) watch, known as Perpétuelle. It is the most accepted watch manufacturer for bringing at least this feature to the watch industry.

They are also credited with inventing the tourbillon complication, one of the most fascinating mechanisms you can see in a high-end watch. This mechanism is used to counteract the effects of gravity on the mechanism of a wristwatch.

Brand Awareness

With what has been said above, it is not surprising that these two brands are among the most well-known brand names in the Swiss watchmaking industry.

Is Patek Philippe a high-end watch brand? Patek Philippe is the 3rd most internationally recognized name in the Swiss watch industry. It lags behind in brand recall only two lower-segment luxury brands that are more accessible and therefore more widely known: Rolex and Omega. Its lack of first place has more to do with the highly effective marketing and branding strategy of these sub-segment brands than anything else.

Is Breguet a high-end watch brand? Breguet ranks 6th in the world of Swiss watches in terms of brand awareness; hence, both are very valuable and respected brands, but Patek Philippe is more recognized by both the common man and watch connoisseurs.

Precision and Accuracy

Many watchmakers send their calibers to third-party laboratories to obtain COSC certification and chronometer designation, as do many luxury watch manufacturers; This designation means that the watch has an accuracy of at least -4/+6 minutes per day. This is considered good precision for a mechanical watch and adds some prestige.

(Although it says -4/+6 minutes in the text, the chronometer standard is -4/+6 seconds per day.) Patek Philippe stopped sending its calibers to COSC. Instead, it started issuing its own certification and with higher standards. If a watch has the Patek Philippe Seal, it means it has an accuracy of -3/+2 seconds per day, twice the accuracy of a COSC-certified watch.

Breguet does not send its calibers to obtain COSC certification and carries out the precision tests itself. This manufacturer has a particularly fast-paced mechanical watch known as the 7727, which runs at 10Hz and is claimed to be accurate to no less than about +1/-2 seconds.

However, this is not the standard precision for each of their watches. This is an exceptional piece. Breguet doesn't give much information about what its precision standards are. The most information you can get from them is that their watches are very accurate. Some enthusiasts who like to measure precision in person claim that certain models have a high precision comparable to Patek Sealed watches. Without a set standard or official statement from Breguet, it's hard to say for sure. However, there are now mobile apps that watch enthusiasts can use to measure a watch's accuracy.

craftsmanship

We are often asked the question: "Are Breguet watches good?" Both brands offer excellent workmanship compared to most brands. However, Patek Philippe is one step above Breguet, especially since Breguet watches started mass production after being purchased by Swatch Group in 1999; Swatch Group is a vertically integrated international conglomerate that has invested heavily in the luxury watch industry. Moreover, Patek does not even consider Breguet or any other watchmaker from Switzerland as a direct competitor. Its only possible direct watchmaking rival would be a high-end German watchmaker called A. Lange & Söhne.

Waterproof

Both Breguet and Patek Philippe have a collection of sports watches that offer screw-down crowns and above-average water resistance. Breguet has a sub-series within its Marine collection called the Marine Royale (seen above), which offers a 300m/1000ft waterproof rating.

Patek Philippe, on the other hand, has the Aquanaut (seen below), which offers 120m/393ft; While this isn't quite the same water resistance as the Breguet Marine Royale, it's around 20% more than other watches in the Breguet Marine Collection, which only offer ratings between 50m/150ft and 100m/300ft. Click here to learn more about what these waterproof ratings mean and what activities each rating allows without damaging your watch.

Second Hand Value

People often phrase a question about retail value this way: “Which watch should I investin… this or that?” Calling a watch, any watch, an investment is a misnomer. Watches are consumer goods designed to lose value, and like any other product, they lose some of their original value even once worn.

Investments, on the other hand, are things that are expected to increase in value over time. Yes, there are rare cases when a watch may be worth more after purchase than what was initially paid for. It happens at least once every forty years. But when it does happen, it is so rare that thinking ahead of time that it will happen is actually a gamble, not an investment.

However, there are some brands that retain a higher percentage of their original value.

Do Breguet watches retain their value? No, they do not retain their value any more than the average brand.

Do Patek Philippe watches retain their value? Yes, compared to any brand other than Rolex, Patek Philippe maintains the highest average resale value in the industry, and the company's slogan likes to emphasize this point subtly and elegantly.

Retail Value

Patek Philippe watches are not mass produced like Breguet watches and are therefore rare and in demand. Breguet's entry price is much lower; their most affordable models are about half the price of a Patek Philippe or less. Additionally, sites like ours that sell watches at discounted prices can often offer a higher percentage discount on more readily available brands than on more exclusive ones. While you can easily find a Breguet watch for around 18% off retail price, a Patek won't be that discounted. The market simply does not allow for such a discount. In some cases, certain models are so difficult to obtain that they are even sold for above retail price.

Warranty

Both Patek Philippe and Breguet offer a 2-year warranty period. This is the average warranty period in the luxury watch industry. But more and more brands, especially those belonging to the Richemont group such as Panerai, are offering an extended warranty period that lasts much longer if you register the watch online. However, neither Breguet nor Patek have kept up with this trend.

Use the buttons below to browse the watches and collections of these two brands.

Breguet PATEK PHILIPPE