Breguet Reine de Naples 8958 Cammea Ballerina

Breguet presents its latest creation in the Reine de Naples line, a model that pays homage to ballet art and Russia. The house presents three ballerinas, executed using one of the favorite techniques – cameos, decorating the dial. The art of high relief engraving consists in working on different layers of seashell, creating a sculpture of extraordinary sophistication – Breguet Reine de Naples 8958 Cammea Ballerina.

“…she,
One foot touching the floor,
Another slowly circling,
And suddenly a leap, and suddenly flying,
Flying like fluff from the mouth of Aeolus;
Then the camp will sow, then it will develop
And he beats his foot with a fast foot.”
A.S. Pushkin “Eugene Onegin”

The house of Breguet has historical relations with Russia. Abraham-Louis Breguet was a supplier of watches to many royal families, high military dignitaries and diplomats. In Russia, Tsar Alexander I, a great fan of watchmaking, had a passion for Breguet watches and shared this passion with others. Archival materials have shown that the Romanovs and many famous Russian families have been clients of the House for more than a century.

In creating its new Reine de Naples model, the Breguet manufactory draws inspiration from one of Russia’s main artistic symbols, the classical ballet. A source of national pride and an image of Russian art, ballet, with its more than 300-year history, has become an integral part of Russia. The exquisite creation, limited to five copies, was released exclusively for Russia.

The art of creating cameos, relief images made from the shells of marine mollusks by hand carving, came to us from the depths of the centuries. They gained unprecedented popularity during the reign of Queen Victoria. Catherine the Great, who also loved them very much, also contributed to the fashion for cameos. The richness and contrast of the sardonyx shells used by Breguet make it possible to emphasize the elegance of the design and the craftsmanship of the carver.

The small Italian town of Torre del Greco, located near Naples, has been considered the center of stone-cutting for two centuries. It is there that father and son work, the authors of the cameos that adorn Breguet products. The eldest of the engravers began studying the art of carving at the age of seven with the master Giuseppe Chalanga, and the youngest was educated at the Academy of Fine Arts of Naples.

The artist, who strives to create a unique pattern consistent with the natural shades of the shell, carefully selects the material according to color, degree of transparency, surface relief and features of the layered structure. After applying the sketch, the master removes the outer layer of the shell, and then grinds and smoothes it. As a result, the main pattern is created on a spotless white surface.

The master cuts through its contours and deepens the borders, but no more than two millimeters. The smallest details are created using the best tools that allow you to reveal more brightly colored layers. The dark shade of the background and the creamy color of the drawing itself create a subtle contrast characteristic of antique glyptics. The process is completed by cleaning and polishing, after which the master’s work appears in all its splendor.

Technical specifications Breguet Reine de Naples 8958 Cammea Ballerina

Automatic, Caliber 537/3, 26 stones, guilloched rotor made of 950 platinum. It is numbered and signed “Breguet”. The power reserve is 45 hours. Swiss silicon escapement, silicon balance wheel, silicon balance spring. The balanced frequency is 3.5 Hz.

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