Before inventing the tourbillon, Abraham-Louis Breguet revolutionised repeating watches with a gong spring. The legacy is underlined by a new minute repeater as well as tourbillon watches from Breguet Classique Complications collection.
The latest Classique Répétition Minutes 7637 features a black Grand Feu enamel dial with the minute track, Breguet Arabic numerals and logo highlighted by a powdered silver colour. On the left side of the 42mm rose gold case, a dedicated slide activates the minute repeater.
Historically, the horological complication was devised around 1680 as an acoustic solution to tell time after dark.
Passionate about chiming mechanisms, Abraham-Louis Breguet invented the gong spring in 1783. It was one of the breakthroughs in the early years of his business, following its establishment in Paris in 1775.
At Quai de l'Horloge on Ile de la Cité, his workshop was the cradle of self-winding timepieces, Breguet hands, guilloché dials and other elements that set the fine watchmaking standard.
Breguet's repeating watch featured the gong spring rather than the traditional bell. Initially a straight blade placed across the back plate, it was then coiled up around the movement. The innovation allowed reducing the timepiece's thickness while emitting clearer, more harmonious sounds.
Starry white gold Classique Tourbillon 3358.
The native of Neuchâtel was also behind a number of quarter, half-quarter and minute striking mechanisms.
The heritage is embodied in the Classique Répétition Minutes 7637, whose sapphire crystal caseback reveals the entirely hand-chased mechanical movement and polished steel hammers.
Delivering a power reserve of 40 hours, the hand-wound Calibre 567.2 is engineered with an ingenious positioning of the hammer, gongs and gong-holders. As the gongs are fixed to the case middle, instead of the plate, they vibrate directly and transmit sound more effectively.
Gold is used to craft the gongs and the case that share the same acoustic impedance, thus providing better sound transmission and performance -- a feature that has been duly patented by Breguet. In addition, other materials must have obvious acoustic qualities.
The development of the minute repeater involves the expertise of a watchmaker as well as an acoustician, who is all ears for the perfect sound. As each timepiece is hand-crafted, the acoustics differ subtly from one watch to another, making this complication even more unique.
An acoustician is all ears for the perfect sound.
The Classique Répétition Minutes 7637 is also available in white gold with its Grand Feu enamel dial in midnight blue.
Likewise, two new versions of the Classique Tourbillon 3358 are also in rose or white gold. The 35mm case is illuminated by diamonds set on the bezel, lugs and crown while the spinning mechanism can be observed from both the front and back of the stunning models.
Patented on June 26, 1801, the tourbillon regulator ensures the precision of mechanical timepieces by neutralising the effects of gravity, which causes variations in rate each time a watch changes position.
Breguet solved the problem by installing the entire escapement inside a mobile carriage performing one complete rotation per minute.
The legendary horologist named his brainchild tourbillon, which according to 19th century dictionaries, refers to a planetary system and its rotation on a single axis, or energy that causes the rotation of the planets around the Sun.
Dazzling rose gold Classique Tourbillon 3358.
The beauty of the mechanism is set against the starry dial of the white gold Classique Tourbillon 3358.
The dial opens like a curved arena at 6 o'clock to reveal the regulator. Composed of 45 snow-set diamonds, an imposing shooting star-shaped bar crosses the tourbillon. It is centred by a blue spinel that acts as a pivoting stone for the tourbillon carriage.
Stars, some with diamonds, twinkle on the mother-of-pearl dial in midnight blue. The off-centred chapter ring reflects the brand's DNA with Arabic numerals and Breguet hands while the serial number appears at 4 o'clock.
The dazzling dial of the rose gold model is adorned with 281 diamonds, with snow-setting technique used for gems inside the chapter ring in natural white mother-of-pearl. Positioned at the base of the dial, the tourbillon is integrated into a curved and polished oval-shaped aperture and enhanced by a rounded gold bar sparkling with 14 diamonds.
The Classique Tourbillon 3358 is powered by Calibre 187D, which offers a power reserve of 50 hours. The sapphire crystal caseback reveals the hammered baseplate, hand-engraved with Breguet's logo and reference number of the hand-wound movement.
The slide on the left activates the Classique Répétition Minutes 7637.
Sapphire crystal caseback reveals the hammered baseplate and hand-engraved decoration.
