Two centuries after the passing of Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823), his legacy is kept alive in Switzerland's Vallée de Joux -- the hub of haute horlogerie.
Breguet's watchmaking takes place in large modern buildings in the village of L'Orient while the administrative headquarters is located in nearby L'Abbaye.
Traditional techniques are combined with avant-garde processes in the workshops, whose latest showpiece is the Classique Quantième Perpétuel 7327 presented in a 39mm 18-carat white or rose gold case.
This mechanical model reflects the very essence of Breguet in offering a simple-to-use timepiece yet involving a sophisticated production process in its realisation.
The Classique Quantième Perpétuel 7327 illustrates the maison's expertise in perpetual calendars and heritage from its humble beginnings in France.
A native of Neuchâtel, the teenage Abraham-Louis Breguet left his hometown and headed to Paris for a watchmaking apprenticeship.
In 1775, he opened a workshop in Ile de la Cité, and then worked on a series of breakthroughs such as self-winding perpétuelle, gongs for repeating mechanisms and shock-protection for balance pivots.
Breguet ingeniously set the standard and defined fine watchmaking through the various inventions.
The Perpétuelle was equipped with an à secousses (moving) oscillating weight enabling the calibre to react to the wearer's body movements and thus automatically wind the mechanism.
In 1780, the first Perpétuelle was sold to Duc d'Orléans, and thereafter, self-winding timepieces earned Breguet reputation at the court of Versailles and throughout Europe.
The inventive horologist was also regarded as one of the first designers, who introduced the neoclassical style to watchmaking, which gave dials an avant-garde look while making it easier to read the indications.
On models with a calendar mechanism, he experimented with his first guilloché silvered dials.
Guillochage involves precision-engraving of materials in grids of straight, curved or broken lines, created with the help of engine-turning lathes. The technique also provides better protection against general wear and tear to polished surfaces while its anti-reflective properties further allowed easier readability of the dial.
An off-centre dial and eccentric "moon" tip hands are among other designs by Breguet -- the Watchmaker of Kings.
Aesthetic codes dating back to the brand's origins are cherished in the Classique collection, whose new member the contemporary Quantième Perpétuel 7327 remains faithful to the signatures.
This model with a complex complication is actually user-friendly as indicators of the perpetual calendar are neatly arranged on the dial with a Clous de Paris hobnail pattern.
Between 1 and 2 o'clock, the moon phase is designed with a strong sense of realism, notably thanks to its hand-hammered surface. Its sky is coated with a blue lacquer composed of spangles subtly revealing the twinkling stars depending on how the timepiece is turned.
The day, date and year indicators are harmoniously entwined at the base of the dial. A quarter-circle between 10 and 11 o'clock displays the months via a retrograde hand. The hours and minutes are indicated by the traditional eccentric moon tip hands in blued steel.
A corrector stylus can be used to simply adjust these indications.
The Classique Quantième Perpétuel 7327 is powered by one of Breguet's thinnest movements, Calibre 502.3.P beating at a frequency of 3Hz while providing a power reserve of 45 hours.
Technically, the perpetual calendar complication displays the exact date, taking into account the variable length of the months and the leap-year cycle. To accomplish this feat, the movement must have a four-year mechanical "memory" corresponding to 1,461 days.
The mechanism is based on a gearing system from the hour's wheel and a large central lever that drives the entire movement on a daily basis.
The self-winding calibre features an open barrel, contributing to its slenderness while guaranteeing constant, powerful energy. Moreover, its gold oscillating weight is off-centred to provide maximum space for the movement's main components, enabling it to be integrated to a minimum thickness.
Other significant parts include flat silicon balance-spring and an inverted straight-line escapement with silicon horns. In addition to being resistant to corrosion and wear, silicone is insensitive to the influence of magnetic fields and improves the watch's precision
The sapphire crystal case back gives a view of the rhodium-plated movement and decorations showing Breguet's artisanal crafts.
The gold oscillating weight is hand-engraved on a rose engine with a circular barleycorn motif, the bridges are adorned with Côtes de Genève, and the other components are finished with chamfered edges and likewise with Côtes de Genève.
