In Breguet’s new Tradition collection timepieces, guilloché engraving, one of the “seven unmistakable signs of Breguet,” plays a central role.
The newest models in Breguet’s Tradition collection feature unexpected design twists that have not been seen in the collection before. The new Tradition watches intentionally “have a more contemporary feel,” according to Breguet. Breaking from past models in the line, the timepieces feature the brand’s iconic Breguet numerals. They have grand feu enamel dials, new movement colors and new straps. Each new watch embodies Breguet’s DNA “by uniting the House’s key characteristics within its movement,” according to the brand. The movement is” visible on the dial side and showcasing the brand’s heritage, its founder’s legacy, as well as the path along which its future will be written.” The new Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7037, 7038 and 7097 feature a retrograde small seconds display. The Tradition GMT 7067 has a dual time function.
Aesthetic Harmony
The Tradition collection originally launched in 2005. It is directly inspired by founder Abraham-Louis Breguet’s two objectives in his watchmaking, which were “to design an exceptional movement whilst [also] achieving perfect aesthetic harmony.” In the Tradition collection, the movement is showcased on the front of the watch rather than the back. The watch’s mechanics, with their symmetrical design, harken back to Mr. Breguet’s early souscription and tact watches of the late 18th century.
All in the details
In the new Tradition timepieces, the movements have colored finishes and are complemented by artisanal enamel and aventurine dials. Guilloché engraving is one of the “seven unmistakable signs of Breguet.”
The Art of Guilloche
Abraham-Louis Breguet was the first watchmaker to incorporate guilloché into watch design in 1786. It remains a brand signature to this day. It literally takes center stage as a decoration for the 7037’s and 7038’s barrel covers at the center of the timepieces’ dial side.
A Centuries-Old Handicraft
The exceptional, centuries-old métier d’art of engine-turning is alive and well at Breguet. Twenty highly skilled artisans work in a dedicated guilloché workshop using both vintage and modern machines. Craftspeople achieve meticulous engraving using a hand-operated mechanical lathe to create precise grooves to form a design. Artisans require years of training to achieve perfect results.
Out Of The Blue
The new Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7037’s automatic movement is blue, a first for the collection. The color provides a contrasting backdrop for the watch’s white grand feu enamel dial. The guilloché barrel cover at the center of the dial side has a hand crafted spiral design. In a first for the Tradition collection, the watch comes on a blue rubber strap, which is interchangeable. Another version of the 7037 is features a black movement and black grand feu enamel dial in a platinum case.
Ray of Light
The Tradition Seconde Rétrograde model 7038 also features a retrograde seconds display. A fully diamond-set bezel enhances its black-on-black monochromatic dial and movement. The 7038’s dial is black aventurine glass with a subtle sparkle. Both its barrel cover and winding rotor, visible through the watch’s sapphire crystal case back, have a sunburst guilloché pattern. The pattern “evokes sunbeams and pays tribute to this exceptional craftsmanship first introduced on watch dials by A.-L. Breguet.”
Exceptional Heritage
Unlike the 7037 and the 7038, the Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7097 features a white grand feu enamel dial and a rose-gold case. The movement, including the barrel, is finished in charcoal gray. Its monochromatic look extends to its gray calf leather strap (a saddle-stitched rubber strap is also available).
The new Tradition GMT 7067 continues Breguet’s rich heritage of crafting travel watches. In 1815, King Louis XVIII appointed Breguet to be watchmaker to the French Royal Navy. In those days, accurate timekeeping at sea was an essential tool for navigation. The 7067’s main dial at the 12 o’clock position is crafted of green enamel with a gradient effect, a first for the Tradition collection. A subdial at 8 o’clock displays the home time, with a day/night indicator just above it. The new Tradition GMT 7067 has a hand-wound mechanical movement. It is available in a platinum 44-millimeter case with an interchangeable black rubber strap.
With these new timepieces setting the path for future watches in the Tradition collection, what might we see next? Only time will tell.