Breguet Charts New Waters with the Marine 5517 and 5527

Abraham-Louis Breguet’s unmatched contributions to watch making changed the course of horology, but it is probably his development of the marine chronometer that had the greatest impact on (literally) the wider world.

Breguet’s significant relationship with the ocean’s dates back to 211 years ago this month when, on October 27, 1815, Louis XVIII appointed him chronometer maker to the French Navy.

Vital for the accurate calculation of longitude at sea, a marine chronometer was long regarded as an essential piece of equipment for any significant voyage, and it speaks volumes for the respect in which Breguet was held that the French nation (and later the British one, too) relied upon his expertise for the safe passage of its fleet around the world.

Almost a decade before the mighty Swatch group acquired Breguet in 1999, the brand had started to pay tribute to ALB’s marine chronometers with the original ‘Marine’ line of wristwatches, the first of which were designed by Jorg Hysek (of Vacheron Constantin 222 fame).

Those early models, such as Ref 3400, combined the sophisticated look expected of a Breguet with some subtle nautical elements and ‘onion’ crowns (with guards) to make the watches more robust for use at sea.

More complicated models, women’s pieces and a bolder design formed the elements of a 2005 makeover for the Marine, while the bicentenary of Breguet’s appointment as Naval chronometer maker was marked with the release of a commemorative, platinum-cased chronograph with styling cues taken directly from those ship’s timepieces of old.

Since then (and following a further redesign in 2018) the Marine range has become an easily recognisable lynchpin of the brand’s collection and includes multiple complicated and non-complicated models.

The latest in the latter category is the Marine 5517, an elegant three-hander which fulfils the roles of both sports watch and dress watch.

Its 40mm diameter case is available in rose gold with a gold, black lacquered dial; white gold with a gold, ice blue lacquered dial or – probably our favourite (and the most practical for on-board wear) – titanium with a gold dial finished in two shades of blue.

In each case, Breguet’s signature ‘apple ‘hands and applied numerals are used to indicate the time, while the central seconds hand alludes to the nautical inspiration behind the watch with a ‘B’ on the counterweight. Not a ‘Breguet’ B, but the maritime flag version that signifies ‘bravo’.

Turn the Marine 5517 over and you’ll see a further nautical trope through the sapphire glass case back: a gold oscillating weight inspired, says the brand, ‘by the lines of a rudder’ (although it looks a bit more ‘ship’s wheel’ to us).

Behind it lies the lovely Calibre 777A movement, as beautifully finished as usual and with back plate striping suggestive of a ship’s decking.

Choose to wear it on a metal bracelet to match the relevant case, or on the signature blue rubber strap of the Marine range – complete with the Quai de l’Horloge pattern found on the dials, a design introduced to mark last year’s 250th anniversary of Breguet and which alludes to the great man’s Paris workshop where all of his ship’s chronometers were  built.

The second new arrival in the Marine range is the 5527 chronograph.

Inevitably more ‘sports’ than ‘dress’, it gets a 42.3mm diameter case offered in the same three metals as the 5517, but with a dial finished in light blue and grey on the white gold model; dark blue on the rose gold version and two shades of grey on the titanium model.

All carry the same Quai de l’Horloge guilloche on the dials, the ‘bravo’ tip on the central seconds hand and the ‘rudder’ oscillating weight which, in this case, powers the Calibre 582QA chronograph movement featuring an inverted anchor made from silicon.

Once again, a choice of matching metal bracelets or blue rubber, Quai de l’Horloge-patterned straps are offered.

New Breguet Marine 5517 from £20,300 (titanium on rubber) to £61,700 (rose gold on bracelet).

New Breguet Marine 5527 from £25,400 (titanium on rubber) to £72,100 (rose gold on bracelet.)