The depths of the Mediterranean harbor a natural treasure: Posidonia oceanica – an aquatic plant essential to the sea’s balance. Breguet depicts the plant’s arabesques on the Marine Haute Joaillerie Poseidonia through the art of mother-of-pearl marquetry and invisible setting. The dial, set with 85 baguette-cut diamonds, appears to ripple across the intense iridescence of the Tahitian mother-of-pearl, which is deeply colored or more silvery depending on the light. The skillful setting continues on the bezel, caseband, lugs of the strap, and the clasp of the buckle. The mechanical heart of the Marine Haute Joaillerie Poseidonia beats to the rhythm of caliber 591C, an extra-thin self-winding manufacture movement.
Mother-of-Pearl and Diamonds
Worked in marquetry, the Tahitian mother-of-pearl demands expertise and delicacy. For the Marine Haute Joaillerie Poseidonia, Breguet combines the craft with the art of invisible setting. The white gold of the dial thus recedes from view, becoming imperceptible behind the glint of the diamonds. The artisan selects each mother-of-pearl attentively to harmonize its iridescent pattern, unique to each gem, with the inset curves of the Poseidonia. Together, their radiance evokes rays of sunshine playing on the sea’s surface. The lines of the pattern unfurl, with diamonds extending out to the lugs of the strap.
Delicate, gold Breguet hands indicate the hours and minutes. The tip of the second hand reveals the letter B of the maritime code of signals – a distinctive feature of the Marine collection. The traditional baguette-set bezel facilitates reading: the distinct triangular diamonds mark each of the 12 hours. The sides of the white-gold case and the crown are delicately fluted, alternating between polished white gold and baguette-cut diamonds. A briolette-cut diamond tops the crown, claw set with six baguette-cut diamonds. The crown protection is set entirely invisibly with 14 baguette-cut diamonds.
The setting continues to the clasp of the strap buckle, echoing the inset bezel and the shape of the open-tipped Breguet hands. The B for Breguet stands out against the slightly colored metallic finish in the center of the buckle.
Emeralds, Rubies, and Sapphires
To join the diamond and Tahitian mother-of-pearl Marine Haute Joaillerie, Breguet proposes three other versions with white mother-of-pearl marquetry: sapphire-set blue, ruby-set red and emerald-set green. From the dominant hue of each version – red, green, or blue –, Breguet composes the curves of the Poseidonia in different colors. Each of the 85 gems composing the pattern is selected for its hue, is then cut and set invisibly. After months of work, the result reveals a singular radiance of remarkable colors, unique to each Marine Haute Joaillerie. On the bezel, the setting is composed of the different colors of the dial, just like the setting of the strap buckle. The metallic finish in the center of the buckle also takes the dominant color, as does the iridescent nuance of the leather strap.
Mechanical Heart
On the caseback, the transparent sapphire reveals the extra-thin, self-winding 591C caliber, whose bridges are engine-turned by hand with the Marine motif – inspired by the deck of a ship. On the bevel of the white-gold rotor, the sparkling diamond border contrasts with the intensity of the Tahitian mother-of-pearl. The words Horloger de la Marine (Watchmaker to the Navy) are engraved on the rim of the caseback in white gold. This refers to the title of Chronometer-maker to the French Royal Navy bestowed upon Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1815
