Breguet has a new boss, Gregory Kissling, who started as chief executive at the beginning of October. Born in Neuchâtel – just like Abraham-Louis Breguet himself – Mr Kissling takes over one of the most storied brands in watchmaking.

Although Breguet has ceded ground to its haute horlogerie competitors in recent years, the brand remains exceptional in terms of history and significance. Mr Kissling will no doubt seek to restore some of the brand’s glory. Appealing products will be key to that, and Mr Kissling has a strong track record.

A micro-mechanical engineer by training, Mr Kissling began his career as a movement constructor at Cartier. He soon joined Omega as product manager in 2004, where he steadily rose through the ranks in product development. Two years ago Mr Kissling was named vice president of product at Omega, making him one of the most senior leaders of the company.

Gregory Kissling outside the Breguet manufacture in Le Chenit

Mr Kissling’s time in product development has seen Omega unveil watches that were well received by enthusiasts, particularly vintage-inspired Speedmaster models. Amongst the projects he was responsible for was the Speedmaster Moonwatch 321. He also worked on wider projects that spanned Swatch Group, including the development of proprietary precious metal alloys like Sedna and Moonshine gold.

As the chief executive of Breguet, Mr Kissling reports to president Marc Hayek, who oversees the high-end brands owned by Swatch Group, namely Blancpain, Breguet, Jaquet Droz, and Glashütte Original.

Mr Kissling succeeds Lionel a Marca, who took the top job at Breguet in August 2021. Mr a Marca moves on to become vice-president of operations at Blancpain, where he was in charge of product development earlier in his career.