Breguet’s 250th anniversary is a milestone that few watchmaking maisons can claim, and the Manufacture is marking it with a series of exceptional timepieces that revisit its greatest inventions, while at the same time, pushing technical boundaries forward. Before the year wraps up, the brand unveiled two standout releases that perfectly capture both sides of Breguet’s DNA. The new Classique 7225 and Classique 7235 each draw from different chapters of the brand’s history, yet both are unmistakably Breguet in spirit, craft, and character.
For collectors who value innovation at the very heart of watchmaking, the Classique 7225 presents an exciting evolution of the Maison’s pursuit of accuracy. Inspired by an early 19th-century timepiece crafted between 1802 and 1809, the 7225 reinterprets Breguet’s pioneering ideas for the modern era. The highlight here is the pairing of a magnetic-pivot balance and a high-frequency 10 Hz escapement, a combination that significantly enhances precision and stability. Where traditional movements struggle with positional variations and friction, the magnetic pivot uses two micro-magnets to keep the balance-staff perfectly centred, boosting performance across all six positions of the watch.
(Related: Breguet's Type XX 2075 charts a new course in gold)
This sophisticated mechanism sits inside an 18K Breguet gold 41mm case, complete with the Maison’s signature hand-guilloché “Quai de l’Horloge” pattern on both the dial and the caseband. At a glance, the layout mirrors the historic inspiration – central hours and minutes, a fan-shaped power reserve at six o’clock, and dual small-seconds indicators at two and ten o’clock. The latter includes an “observation seconds” counter with a flyback function activated by a discreet pusher at eight, allowing measurement of intermediate events with intuitive ease. It’s a distinctly Breguet touch that blends practicality with mechanical poetry.
Through the sapphire crystal caseback, a phenakistoscope-style animation on the escape wheel reveals alternating “1775” and “2025” inscriptions – a subtle tribute to 250 years of watchmaking mastery.
Where the 7225 looks ahead, the Classique 7235 pays homage to one of the most important watches in the Maison’s archives: The Breguet No. 5, delivered in 1794. Rather than a reproduction, this 250-piece limited edition reimagines the original pocket watch’s spirit and layout for a contemporary wristwatch.
Meanwhile, complications like the moon phase at two o’clock, power reserve between ten and eleven, and small seconds at five are arranged with the balanced asymmetry that defines the Breguet aesthetic. The dial, crafted in 18K Breguet gold, features the same “Quai de l’Horloge” hand-guilloché motif, creating depth and clarity across multiple textures and levels.
Inside, the new Calibre 502.3.DRL powers the timepiece. At just 3.95 mm thick, this self-winding movement achieves remarkable slimness thanks to an off-centre oscillating weight, recalling Breguet’s invention of the “perpétuelle,” the ancestor of today’s automatic watches. A sapphire caseback reveals a breathtaking hand-engraved depiction of the historic “Turgot” map of Paris, a tribute to the city that shaped Breguet’s early years.
Together, the Classique 7225 and 7235 offer two complementary expressions of Breguet’s 250-year legacy – one driven by technical innovation, the other by historical elegance. For enthusiasts, they serve as a reminder that while horology evolves, true watchmaking artistry endures.
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