212 years ago today, the world's first wristwatch was born.

August 11th 2022 is the 212th anniversary of the beginning of the production of the first "bracelet" watch, a Breguet ref. 2639 "repeater of oblong shape for bracelet". The commission was for Caroline Murat, the youngest sister of Napoleon Iᵉʳ, wife of Joachim Murat, Marshal of the Empire.

Unfortunately, we don't know what it looked like. It was finished on December 21, 1812, after 863 days or 2 years, 4 months, and 10 days. It was invoiced for 4800 francs, about the equivalent of $2M today.

The watch is described during a service at Breguet in March 1849: "very flat repeating watch No. 2639, silver dial, Arabic numerals, with thermometer and advance-retarder off the dial, said watch fitting into a gold trimmed hair band, at will, single gold key, another gold trimmed band also, in a red leather case. To repair."

It was repaired again in 1855 then no more traces in the Breguet archives.

The last known owner was Louise Julie Caroline Murat (1805 - 1889). Fourth and last child of Joachim and Caroline Murat, who married Count Giulio Rasponi in 1825. She had 6 children, of which only one branch still has active descendants, Laetizia Rasponi (1832 - 1906) and Cesare Rasponi Bonanzi (1822 - 1886).

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I might have been wrong about the first wristwatch. The ancient Sumerian innovators who first divided the movements of the heavens into countable intervals, 60 was the perfect number. The number 60 can be divided by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, and 30 equal parts. Moreover, ancient astronomers believed there were 360 days in a year, a number which 60 fits neatly into six times. Now this 5000 years old guy appears to be wearing what looks suspiciously like an Invicta watch!

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