Breguet Reine de Naples Princesse 8968BR Review

WPS member · Breguet forum

10 replies3166 views0 photos

ED209 shares a detailed review of the Breguet Reine de Naples Princesse 8968BR, exploring its suitability as a daily wear piece for his wife. This post offers a valuable perspective on the balance between luxury, wearability, and aesthetic preferences in women's high horology, particularly for a watch inspired by historical elegance.

10 collectors discussing this on the WatchProSite forumJoin the Conversation →

Valentine's Day is approaching very soon and I've been thinking about a nice gift for my wife. One of the watches that she's considering is the Breguet Reine de Naples Princesse 8968BR. The Reine de Naples collection for women has a egg shaped case that was inspired by a bracelet watch that Abraham Louis Breguet created for Caroline Bonaparte, Queen of Naples. Most of the Reine de Naples line are luxuriously appointed with precious stones and seemed to me to be more for formal wear. Breguet watches like the Reine de Naples Anniversary Edition with the striking mechanism is amazing to handle and see in person, but too much of a jewelry piece for daily wear. I believe Breguet has recognized this as well, and earlier this year introduced the new Princesse model.

The Breguet Reine de Naples Princesse 8968BR has the signature egg shaped case and off centered dial like the other watches in this collection. The dial is 18 carat gold and silvered with a anthracite color brushed finish. Large Roman numerals the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock in gold are curved to match the dial and case. The hour and minutes are Breguet open-tipped hands in rose gold. They look delicate but to me was a little hard to read because it didn't have that much contrast against the dial. Breguet does offer a completely silvered dial which gives it a brighter look, but between the two I like the anthracite version as I feel that it matches nicer with the pink gold case. And about the case, it does have the signature fluted caseband around the watch. The case is also curved and makes the large size more comfortable for fit on the wrist.
I love the pink gold crown, it was easy to operate and it has a beautiful inverted diamond set into it.

One of my wife's requirements for a watch is 'bling' and the Princesse has the rose gold strap lug set with 16 brilliant cut diamonds weighing approximately .15 carats. This ball shaped diamond adorned lug is only on the bottom of the watch case.
One of my requirements was having a mechanical movement, and the Princesse has a Breguet caliber 591C in-house self-winding movement. The 591C provides only 38 hours of power reserve. The escapement is silicon and also has a silicon balance spring. The movement is visible with the circular transparent window on the pink gold case back. The Breguet oscillating weight is made in rose gold and has a guilloched pattern. The bridges and plates have Geneva stripes.

The black leather strap pairs nicely with the rose gold case. One detail that I haven't really seen mentioned before is the buckle. The pin-type buckle is made in matching pink gold and set with 30 brillant cut diamonds surrounding the Breguet 'B' script logo. Looks beautiful and is a great detail that enhances the elegance of the Princesse.

There's a lot of nice features on the Breguet Reine de Naples Princesse watch. The signature shape, the precious stones and the mechanical movement are definitely positives. But one that thing that was concerning is the overall case size. It measures 43mm long and 35mm wide, and seems to me a little bit masculine in size. It's much large than other Reine de Naples models that are smaller at approximately 36mm long and 28mm wide. But I guess it's the same size as the stainless steel 8967ST model with the mother of pearl dial.
So what do you think? Does the features outweigh the size, or do you think it will look great on a woman's wrist? Maybe the larger size is fine since it will be more of a casual daily watch? I'm interested in hearing the opinions by fellow PuristS.

Regards,
ED-209
This message has been edited by ED209 on 2015-01-31 21:00:59

About the Breguet Reine de Naples Ref. 8967

The Breguet Reine de Naples 8967 is a distinct expression within the collection, characterized by its elongated, ovoid case shape that pays homage to the original bracelet watch created for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples. This reference typically features a more restrained aesthetic compared to some gem-set variants, emphasizing the unique case architecture and the legibility of its dial. It represents a contemporary interpretation of Breguet's historical connection to early horological innovations for women.

This reference is housed in a 43 x 34.95 mm case, commonly crafted from 18k rose gold or white gold. It features a self-winding mechanical movement, often visible through a sapphire case back, offering a power reserve of approximately 38 hours. The dial is protected by a sapphire crystal, ensuring durability and clarity. Water resistance is typically rated for everyday wear.

For collectors, the 8967 appeals to those seeking a piece that combines historical lineage with modern wearability. Its distinctive form factor makes it a recognizable and significant model within the Reine de Naples family, often available with various dial treatments and strap options. It serves as an accessible entry point to the collection's core design principles, without the added complexity or cost of high jewelry embellishments.

Specifications

Caliber: 591C

Case: Rose gold or White gold

Diameter: 43 x 34.95 mm

Dial: Silvered or Mother-of-pearl

Water Resist.: 30 m

Crystal: Sapphire

Key Points from the Discussion

While the Princesse's size is acceptable for current trends in women's watches, its readability is not ideal. For more 'bling' and practicality, alternatives like the Chanel J12 are suggested, which offer scratch-proof ceramic and significant diamond embellishment at potentially a lower price point.
The Princesse's 'bling' on the lugs and buckle is considered sufficient for daily wear, and the anthracite dial is preferred over silvered for its ability to draw more attention and match the pink gold case.
The Breguet Reine de Naples 200th Anniversary model, with its chiming mechanism and extensive diamond and sapphire setting, is acknowledged as an irresistible, albeit budget-prohibitive, piece for women.
The Reine de Naples collection holds a special place for many, with one collector's wife consistently choosing it as her favorite among an impressive collection of other luxury brands, highlighting its unique feminine appeal.
The Patek Philippe Salon's acknowledgment of the Reine de Naples design's excellence underscores its significant impact and admiration within the watch industry.

The Discussion

Clueless_Collector

Jan 31, 2015

This Breguet Reine De Naples series is definitely very nice...

and feminine, which my wife likes. Women watches are getting bigger so size wise, thus princess is ok, but the readability is not great. Since she likes bling, then 0.15 is definitely not enough :(( you might be better getting Channel J12 or others plus a CC handbag, still better deal than this Princess, I assume, since I can't find the price...but based on experience, this must be, I prefer the previous mother of pearl, moon phase Reine de Naples design more than this new one. However, in your

ED209

Feb 1, 2015

The Reine de Naples Anniversary watch is stunning

Thanks Raymond_S for sharing your thoughts on the Reine de Naples. You've got sharp eyes, the Breguet in the background is the Reine de Naples 200th Anniversary model. It has a chiming mechanism that strikes every hour with two chimes. Seems almost that the entire watch is covered in diamonds and sapphires! Irresistible to women, and was the first one my wife wanted to see. Totally out of my microscopic budget, but phenomenal to handle :) Here's a pic of the dial, I love the engraving of the ros

Clueless_Collector

Feb 1, 2015

Holy cow! This watch is incredible! Come on, Ed...microscopic

budget for this Reine De Naples, then I don't know what is the meaning of micro anymore :)) Yes the J12 will have more bling than 0.15ct at maybe half the price, plus its scratch proof ceramic....pretty sure many wives can't resist Chanel or even LV, they got some nice watches too. Won't go wrong with those 2 brands. Rgds Raymond

CastorKrieg

Feb 2, 2015

Watch brand Fashion brand [nt]

DRMW

Jan 31, 2015

re: Breguet

I like that antricite dial. Thanks for the pics ED-209! -MW

ED209

Feb 1, 2015

I like the antracite dial too

:) Regards, ED-209