Enjoying a new lease of life under chief executive Gregory Kissling, Breguet is continuing with the revamp and revival of its product range, this time marking the 225th anniversary of Abraham-Louis Breguet invention of the tourbillon. Breguet is rolling out a quartet of models for the occasion, starting with the compact, enthusiast-oriented Classique Tourbillon ref. 7357 that’s an old school 35 mm in diameter and regular production.
That’s followed by variants of existing models, all of which are limited editions. The Classique Tourbillon Sidéral ref. 7255PT takes things up a notch with a “mysterious” flying tourbillon and aventurine enamel dial, while the Tradition Tourbillon ref. 7047PT is a new look for the long-tenured model featuring a chain-and-fusee transmission. Lastly the Marine Tourbillon Équation Marchante ref. 5887PT gains a translucent, luminous grand feu enamel dial.
Initial thoughts
Breguet has steadily refreshed its current line up since Mr Kissling took over, while releasing a handful of all new models, like the innovative Experimentale 1. The new tourbillons mostly fall into the former category; all are based on existing models to varying degrees.
Ironically, of the four new models, it’s the entry-level piece that’s arguably the most novel. The Classique Tourbillon 7357 is clearly based on the ref. 3350 of 1989, but it has a new case and dial (but retaining the small case size). The movement is largely the same mechanically, but restyled with superior decoration and aesthetics; enough has been done to make this more haute horlogerie than the ref. 3350 that was executed to 1980s standards. Besides being accessible price-wise (as such things go), this is also regular production.
The other three models in the anniversary collection are cosmetic variations. Though the changes are only ornamental, they are done well and the resulting watches are all appealing. The appeal of each, however, is quite different; each model clearly caters to a specific audience. These are pricier and also limited editions, so none of them need to have a truly wide appeal.
While the ref. 7357 has an obvious classique appeal, the new Tradition Tourbillon is almost the opposite, it’s big, bold, modern, and almost fashionable with its Tiffany blue-like colour. Equally large but more contemporary, the Marine Tourbillon Équation Marchante ref. 5887PT stands out for being even more modern with its enamel-and-sapphire dial containing lume.
Price wise all of the new models are typical for Breguet, which means prices are competitive especially compared with equivalent watches from rival brands. Considering the quality of make, the prices are also reasonable in the context of today’s market.
Tourbillon tribute
The original ref. 3350 of 1989 is probably the archetypal Breguet tourbillon wristwatch, but the model has been production for so long and in such numbers that it is less than interesting now. The Classique Tourbillon 7357 is its successor.
Available in 18k Breguet gold or platinum, the ref. 7357 is an evolution of the ref. 3350 that overhauls the design across the case, dial, and movement. The case is still a small 35 mm (whereas the ref. 3350 was 36 mm), but now in the style first introduced with last year’s Classique Souscription. The solid gold guilloche dial is classic Breguet style, but with Arabic numerals instead of Romans.
Notably, the cal. 187B inside is evidently derived from the Lemania movement of the ref. 3350, but it has been modernised and upgraded. One of the most obvious improvements is the historically-inspired tourbillon bridge that shows off a far more refined shape and finish.
In technical terms, the movement has an extended power reserve of 60 hours (a gain of about 50% over the ref. 3350), while the tourbillon contains a non-magnetic Nivachron hairspring and silicon pallet lever for superior magnetism resistance.
The Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 is a new version of a model launched last year in Breguet gold. Now it’s in platinum, but with the same movement and black aventurine enamel dial, which is fired enamel containing copper flecks.
This is the most ordinary of the anniversary models, though its is unconventional for Breguet in terms of design as the black and silver palette is one rarely employed by the brand.
Though the cal. 187M1 inside is Breguet’s first-ever flying tourbillon, the movement is based on the cal. 187B above, which is turn is descended from the Lemania calibre of the 1980s.
The Marine Tourbillon Équation Marchante 5887 is not a new model either, but more interesting thanks to its complications and dial, and also the fact that it’s available with a matching platinum bracelet (that is as impressive as it is expensive).
The ref. 5887PT combines Breguet’s ultra-thin self-winding tourbillon movement with a perpetual calendar (featuring a retrograde date too) and a running equation of time. Though the model has been in the catalogue for over a decade now, this latest version has an enamelled sapphire dial similar to that found on last year’s Marine Hora Mundi 5555.
The dial is clear sapphire with a tinted finish, then enamelled in the traditional way with vitreous enamel that’s fired in an oven. But the enamel incorporates luminous pigments, allowing it to glow in the dark. The luminous portions of the dial depict the constellations and the moon exactly as would have been visible from Paris on the night of June 26, 1801, the day A.-L. Breguet filed his patent for the tourbillon.
The cal. 581DPE remains the same mechanically, but now sports a new decoration. The bridges are inlaid with Breguet gold and then engraved with a depiction of the Royal Louis, a 19th century warship that was one of several flagships of the French navy to bear this name. And the peripheral rotor has a platinum mass that’s engine turned and engraved by hand, then coated in blue for contrast.
Blue is a now recurring theme for Breguet, but the Tradition Tourbillon 7047 takes the colour more seriously than most. Again the new ref. 7047PT is unchanged mechanically, but is now dressed mostly in blue.
The sub-dial for the time is now in Bleu de France fired enamel, echoing the same blue treatment for the bridges of the tourbillon, barrel, and fusee. The tourbillon cage is similarly coated in blue, as are the links of the chain. Even the endstone for the tourbillon is a blue spinel, instead of the usual red ruby. All of the components in turn are mounted on a frosted base plate coated a pale baby blue.
This continues on the back with Bleu de France-coated finger bridges on a pale blue base plate. The result is an unexpectedly contemporary watch that looks entirely different from the preceding versions of the Tradition Tourbillon.
Key facts and price
Breguet Classique Tourbillon Ref. 7357PT/1A/386 (platinum) Ref. 7357BH/1H/386 (Breguet gold)
Diameter: 35 mm Height: 9.2 mm Material: 18k Breguet gold or platinum Crystal: Sapphire Water resistance: 30 m
Movement: Cal. 187B Functions: Hours, minutes, and tourbillon regulator Winding: Manual wind Frequency: 18,000 beats per hour (2.5 Hz) Power reserve: 60 hours
Strap: Calfskin with folding clasp
Limited edition: No Availability: At Breguet boutiques and retailers Price: CHF140,000 in Breguet gold; CHF154,000 in platinum (prices exclude taxes)
Breguet Classique Tourbillon Sidéral Ref. 7255PT/2N/9VU
Diameter: 38 mm Height: 10.2 mm Material: Platinum Crystal: Sapphire Water resistance: 30 m
Movement: Cal. 187M1 Functions: Hours, minutes, and flying tourbillon regulator Winding: Manual wind Frequency: 18,000 beats per hour (2.5 Hz) Power reserve: 50 hours
Strap: Alligator with folding clasp
Limited edition: 50 pieces Availability: At Breguet boutiques and retailers Price: CHF223,000 (prices exclude taxes)
Breguet Tradition Tourbillon Ref. 7047PT/YY/5ZU SL
Diameter: 41 mm Height: 16 mm Material: Platinum Crystal: Sapphire Water resistance: 30 m
Movement: Cal. 569 Functions: Hours, minutes, and tourbillon regulator with chain and fusee Winding: Manual wind Frequency: 18,000 beats per hour (2.5 Hz) Power reserve: 55 hours
Strap: Rubber with folding clasp
Limited edition: 25 pieces Availability: At Breguet boutiques and retailers Price: CHF246,300 (prices exclude taxes)
Breguet Marine Tourbillon Équation Marchante Ref. 5887PT/YS/5WV SL
Diameter: 43.9 mm Height: 11.8 mm Material: Platinum Crystal: Sapphire Water resistance: 100 m
Movement: Cal. 581DPE Functions: Hours, minutes, perpetual calendar, running equation of time, power reserve, and tourbillon Winding: Automatic Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz) Power reserve: 80 hours
Strap: Rubber with folding clasp or matching platinum bracelet
Limited edition: 25 pieces each with strap or bracelet Availability: At Breguet boutiques and retailers Price: CHF292,300 on strap and CHF 370,700 on bracelet (prices exclude taxes)
For more information, visit Breguet.com.
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