Abraham-Louis Breguet is undeniably one of the most influential watchmakers in history. A.L. Breguet is known not only as a savvy businessman who created perhaps the first "brand" in the watch industry with clear identifying markers - so-called unmistakable signs - but also as a superlative inventor, the mind behind some of the most important innovations (some of which are still in use today). Think of the perpetual calendar, shock protection, or the gongs of repeater watches. And, of course, his masterpiece - the tourbillon, which celebrates its 220th anniversary this year. To pay homage to its founder and his invention, Breguet releases an exclusive watch - the new Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Anniversaire 5365.
ABRAHAM-LOUIS BREGUET AND THE TOURBILLON
Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823) contributed significantly to the watch industry, including a long list of inventions and innovations, as well as improving some devices that had been conceived but never realized. Many modern watchmakers consider A.L. Breguet a legend, without whom the watch industry would not be the same.
Perhaps the invention most associated with Abraham-Louis Breguet is the tourbillon regulator, patented on June 26, 1801 - or the 7th Messidor of the year IX, according to the French Republican calendar in use at the time. Breguet's idea was to install the escapement inside a rotating carriage making a complete revolution every minute, intended to solve the problem of gravity's effect on the regularity of watch movements, which at that time were carried vertically in pockets rather than on the wrist. Thus, he obtained a patent in Paris for his "timepiece compensating for all inequalities that may be found in the balance wheel and main spring."
Above: Breguet No. 1176, an important pocket watch created in 1809. It was the third Breguet watch with a tourbillon and the first with a four-minute tourbillon (instead of the classic one-minute tourbillon). First sold to a Polish nobleman in 1809 for 4,600 French francs, it was acquired by Breguet in 2014 for 821,000 Swiss francs and is now part of the museum collection (displayed in the Paris boutique).
At that time, Breguet used the word tourbillon, referring to the meaning used by Descartes in his philosophy - a planetary system rotating around a single axis. During his lifetime, Abraham-Louis Breguet created 40 tourbillons by 1829, including 35 watches.
From a watchmaker's perspective, the development and creation of an exquisite tourbillon are complex and delicate arts, often considered one of the highest achievements in horology. Technically speaking, the regulator must be installed in a rotating cage. The gear train architecture is traditional. Energy is stored in a barrel containing the mainspring, which powers the mechanism by transferring motion to the wheels. However, the design of the regulator is different: the escape wheel gear traditionally rotates around an intermediate wheel with a fixed tooth, thus driving the cage containing the escape and balance wheels. The tourbillon cage, which usually rotates once per minute, is an astonishing piece of miniature engineering, composed of over 50 parts, each weighing as little as possible.
Today, the name tourbillon, which Abraham-Louis Breguet gave to his invention, is widely known in the watch world. The tourbillon has long been part of the lexicon of modern watch design. Beyond the technical reason for its existence, its mesmerizing movement is also a significant part of its appeal. And, as expected, it still holds a worthy place in Breguet's collection, creating pieces that are both a nod to the past and a look to the future... The imprint left by Abraham-Louis Breguet was so technical and aesthetic that his successors have never deviated from the set path while maintaining an amazing ability to innovate.
BREGUET CLASSIQUE TOURBILLON EXTRA-PLAT ANNIVERSAIRE 5365
Now, in 2021, Breguet celebrates the 220th anniversary of its founder's invention with a new version of the Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat, automatic watches we have seen many times, whether in the traditional guilloché edition with power reserve indicator - model 5377, the elegant enamel edition without power reserve - model 5367, the same edition with a blue enamel dial, and finally, the impressive edition with a skeletonized movement - model 5395. But while the basics are known, and we have explained them many times, the new Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Anniversaire 5365 comes with a whole list of evolutions that make it special.
Limited to 35 pieces - an ode to the number of tourbillon watches produced during Abraham-Louis Breguet's lifetime - this model was slightly modified compared to the Classique reference 5377 to become a sincere tribute to A.L. Breguet's timeless watch aesthetics. These ultra-thin watches are housed in a 41-millimeter 18-carat rose gold case with all the attributes of traditional Breguet watches. The design is elegant and sophisticated, with polished surfaces and straps, naturally adorned with a refined fluted pattern. The welded lugs with screw pins are thin and quite elongated, and the case height is only 7mm, making the model extremely discreet and unobtrusive. Sapphire crystals are positioned on both sides.
Where these watches truly evolve is on the dial. First of all, in pursuit of timelessness and elegance, the power reserve indicator, usually located at the "9 o'clock" position, has been removed - as in the enamel editions 5367. The cleaner idea was to focus on the two features of this 220th-anniversary edition: the tourbillon regulator and the extremely fine guilloché patterns on the dial.
Indeed, the Tourbillon Extra-Plat 5365 introduces new patterns - more precisely, traditional patterns, but with a new execution. Guilloché, a technique widely used by Breguet, was developed not only for aesthetic reasons. As explained by the brand representatives, "by offering surfaces with finely worked irregularities, turning or guilloché allows light to be captured in various ways, from maximum clarity to a more matte surface. The light captured in this way allows clear delineation of the different reading zones on the dial. Moreover, engraved surfaces are better protected from the destructive effects of time than polished ones, which are too shiny and susceptible to corrosion and scratches. Finally, engraved surfaces provide the relief necessary to collect micro-dust that could impair the chronometric performance of the first pocket watches more than two centuries ago". Knowing A.L. Breguet's penchant for complex and off-center displays, the appropriate use of guilloché and various patterns has improved the legibility of the timepieces. It has also become a distinctive mark of the brand, contributing to its identity.
For the Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Anniversaire 5365, Breguet chose a combination of two classic patterns - clou de Paris and grain d'orge, applied on an 18-carat gold base. The central part of the dial uses a clou de Paris (or hobnail) motif, but in an extremely fine manner. Executed by hand with a diamond-tipped tool, it is created by interweaving engraved and intersecting lines with a pitch of only 0.25 millimeters - about twice smaller than the usual pitch. As a result, from a normal viewing distance (when wearing the watch), the surface becomes almost uniform and matte. This facilitates the reading of the hours and minutes, indicated by two blued steel hands with an off-center pivot and a round matte chapter ring, always contrasting with the rest of the dial. To further separate the readings, the periphery of the dial is adorned with a grain d'orge (or barley grain) pattern. And finally, the last of the unmistakable signs - secret signatures visible only at certain angles, framing the 12 o'clock marker.
The rest of the dial focuses on the tourbillon regulator. Unusually positioned between 3 and 6 o'clock, this minute anti-gravity regulator is held in place by a new blued steel bridge - an unprecedented feature for the brand. Secondly, the cartouche above the tourbillon bears the inscription "Brevet No 157," indicating the patent number granted to Abraham-Louis Breguet for his invention 220 years ago. Note that this tourbillon may pay homage to an invention made over two centuries ago, but in this Tourbillon Extra-Plat Anniversaire 5365 model, it is equipped with modern attributes such as a fast 4 Hz frequency, inverted lateral lever escapement with silicon horns, and silicon balance spring.
Turning the watch over, you will find the signature refined caliber 581. It is an ultra-thin automatic movement. Its thinness is made possible by the use of a peripheral rotor. Unlike a traditional centrally mounted rotor, which increases the movement's thickness and partially obscures the bridges beneath it, the peripheral rotor is a ring-shaped segment mounted and rotating around the movement and connected to the winding mechanism via 3 ball bearings. Made of platinum for greater inertia, it is adorned with a wave pattern hand-guilloché. The movement itself is built around a large barrel capable of storing energy for up to 80 hours.
But that's not all, as the Tourbillon Extra-Plat Anniversaire 5365 caliber features a unique decoration that pays tribute to A.L. Breguet's work. Hand-engraved on the bridges is an exact copy of the original watercolor plate used by Abraham-Louis Breguet to apply for the 1801 patent for the tourbillon regulator (see at the beginning of the article). Additionally, the barrel is engraved by hand with the inscriptions "Anniversaire 1801-2021" and "Brevet No 157 Du 7 Messidor An IX" on the lower tourbillon bridge. Naturally, the movement is finely decorated by hand with beveled edges and polished countersinks (among other traditional techniques).
AVAILABILITY AND PRICE
The Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Anniversaire 5365 is worn on a brown alligator leather strap with an 18-carat rose gold triple folding clasp. The watch will be released in a limited edition of 35 pieces with individual numbering and priced at 158,000 Swiss francs (including taxes). More information can be found on www.breguet.com.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS - BREGUET CLASSIQUE TOURBILLON EXTRA-PLAT ANNIVERSAIRE 5365
Case: diameter 41 mm x height 7 mm - 18-carat rose gold case, polished finish, fluted caseband - welded lugs with screw bars - sapphire crystals front and back - water resistance 30 m
Dial: 18-carat gold base, silvered, with hand-guilloché pattern - Clous de Paris and grain d'orge patterns, off-center matte chapter ring - Breguet signature with secret signature - Breguet open-tipped blued steel hands - special engraving "Brevet No 157" above the tourbillon.
Movement: Caliber 581, in-house developed - ultra-thin automatic movement with peripheral rotor - 33 jewels - 16 lignes - 4 Hz minute tourbillon with reversed lateral lever escapement with silicon horns and silicon balance spring - 80-hour power reserve - adjusted in 6 positions - special hand engraving on bridges and blued steel tourbillon bridge - hours, minutes, small seconds on the tourbillon
Strap: Brown alligator leather strap with 18-carat rose gold triple folding clasp
Reference: 5365BR/15/9WU
Availability: Limited edition of 35 pieces (individually numbered)
Price: 158,000 Swiss francs (including taxes)