Classic 7327 QP: guardian of time and of the temple
To immerse oneself in a Breguet timepiece is to open a history book: the history of people, their passions and sometimes their follies. In the space of just a few decades, Abraham-Louis Breguet laid the technical and aesthetic foundations for the centuries of watchmaking that followed.
The perpetual calendar (referred to by its French acronym, QP standing for quantième perpétuel) is probably the most emblematic of this art. Like the tourbillon and the minute repeater, it is one of the most important complications. Breguet was familiar with it, and with good reason: the very principle of the perpetual calendar dates back to the 18th century. Its objective is as simple to state as it is tricky to achieve: to count off the days, dates, months and years (including leap years) without any errors.
Adding a wheel for 29 February once every four years isn't complicated. What is complicated is that the watch has to know when to display it. This presupposes that it has previously calculated and "remembered" the previous 1461 days in a "mechanical memory".
Mastering this kinematic chain is however only one-third of the problem. This is followed by inserting the movement into a case that should conventionally be as slim as possible. In its Classique 7327 QP, Breguet has endeavored to preserve the slimness required by the aesthetics of the great watchmaker. Its Caliber 502.3.P is therefore just 4.5mm thick, and as such, is one Breguet's thinnest movements. It is thanks to this caliber that Ref. 7327 is just over 9mm thick and 39mm in diameter.
Then comes the final one-third of the challenge: perfect legibility. The precious perpetual calendar calls for a lot of indications on the dial side and the Classique 7327 QP has seven of them, i.e. all the perpetual calendar indications, minus the seconds, plus the moon phase. To ensure direct and intuitive reading, Breguet combines central and subsidiary, sliding and retrograde hands on a hand-guilloché dial featuring satin-brushed segments – embodying the art of displaying a complication in the simplest possible manner.
Classique 7327 Perpetual Calendar
CASE: white/rose gold (au choix selon photo chosie), sapphire back, water-resistant to 3 bar
DIMENSIONS: 39mm in diameter, 9.13mm thick
MOVEMENT: mechanical self-winding Caliber 502.3.P, ultra-thin, inverted in-line lever escapement with silicon horns, flat silicon balance-spring, 45h power reserve, 294 components, platinum oscillating weight, frequency 3 Hz
FUNCTIONS: hours, minutes, day, date, retrograde month, leap years, moon phases
DIAL: silvered gold, hand-guilloché
STRAP: brown alligator leather with folding clasp
Type XX: an eagerly anticipated comeback
It had been keenly awaited for four years. An eternity for the collector, a record for a Manufacture which developed, manufactured and assembled a new chronograph movement specifically for this timepiece.
Why such great honors? Because the Type XX encompasses the twofold heritage of the Breguet Manufacture: on the one hand, Haute Horlogerie; and on the other, modern aviation. The Type XX embodies the horological essence of Abraham-Louis Breguet, made operational at the heart of Breguet's aircraft used for military and then civilian purposes throughout the 20th century.
This is why the new Type XX is offered in two versions that nonetheless share a common DNA: that of the 1,100 timepieces delivered to the French Air Force between 1955 and 1959. These laid the foundations of the Type XX style: Arabic numerals, large luminescent hands and hour-markers, a two-pusher chronograph function as well as a robust steel case. Breguet has however made subtle improvements. On the military version, the 30-minute at 3 o'clock is now larger than the 60-second counter at 9 o'clock. On the civilian version, it is a 15-minute counter. The strap becomes interchangeable on each version (leather or NATO fabric options are supplied with the watch). Finally, the chronograph is now of the flyback variety with an inverted lever escapement with silicon horns. Type XX, back in action at last.
Type 20 Chronograph 2057 - Military Version
CASE: steel, bidirectional bezel, 3-position crown, sapphire back, water-resistant to 100m
DIMENSIONS: 42mm
MOVEMENT: mechanical self-winding (Caliber 7281, 60h power reserve), silicon balance-spring, inverted lugs and pallet-lever, gold rotor shaped like an aircraft profile, Haute Horlogerie decoration
FUNCTIONS: hours, minutes, small seconds, date, chronograph, flyback, 30-minute counter
DIAL: black, green luminescent hands and hour-markers
STRAPS: interchangeable calf leather and NATO fabric
Type XX Chronograph 2067 - Civil Version
CASE: steel, bidirectional bezel, 3-position crown, sapphire back, water-resistant to 100m
DIMENSIONS: 42mm
MOVEMENT: mechanical self-winding (Caliber 728, 60h power reserve), silicon balance-spring, inverted lugs and pallet-lever, gold rotor shaped like an aircraft profile, Haute Horlogerie decoration
FUNCTIONS: hours, minutes, small seconds, date, chronograph, in-flight return, 15-minute and 12-hour counters
DIAL: black, two ivory-toned luminescent hands and hour-markers
STRAP: interchangeable calfskin and NATO fabric
Reine de Naples 8918
A return to its roots? That's definitely what the new Reine de Naples 8918 suggests. It is the latest addition to the line inspired by the first wristwatch created by A.-L. Breguet for Caroline Murat, the youngest of Napoleon's three sisters. While the collection has recently been adorned with the trappings of modernity (denim strap, variable-length heart-style hands), Ref. 8918 marks a return to an assertive classicism: a gold case with diamond-set bezel, flange and crown, opaline pink Grand Feu enamel dial and a dainty matching leather strap. Its Arabic numerals stretch majestically to embrace the asymmetrical arcs of its curved, egg-shaped case.
The singular geometry of this bold yet extremely precious timepiece adopts all the hallmarks of Manufacture Breguet: open-tipped hands, a finely fluted case, and a hand-guilloché dial eternally bearing the handwritten signature of the great watchmaker. A distinctive women's watchmaking classic that remains unequaled.
Reine de Naples 8918
CASE: 18K rose gold; bezel, flange and crown set with 118 diamonds, approx. 0.94ct.
DIMENSIONS: 36.50 x 28.45mm
MOVEMENT: mechanical self-winding, silicon balance-spring and escape-wheel, sapphire case-back, 45h power reserve, platinum oscillating weight, water-resistant to 3 bar
FUNCTIONS: hours, minutes, seconds
DIAL: Opaline pink Grand Feu enamel, off-centered chapter ring with Breguet Arabic numerals
STRAP: pink leather
