Marcus Hanke[PuristSPro Moderator]
11519
Baselworld 2013: the Breguet report
May 29, 2013,09:01 AM
Breguet at Baselworld 2013
presented by Marcus Hanke
For
me, Breguet was always not simply a mere watch production, but much
more watchmaking with a magical touch. This year, I could feel this
touch very clearly.
Although having been presented last year
already, the Classique Chronométrie 7727 is still a novelty worth to be
reported about, since it is now readily available in its final
production shape. In my eyes, this watch represents perfectly the
Breguet approach of classic design combined with extreme innovation and
really worthy to wear the genius’ name. It also proves that it is
possible to present modern watch technology without draping it into a
mixture of steel with various other materials, open cut dial,
skeletonized hands with multiple colour schemes, black Super Luminova,
and a composite steel-wool-leather-rubber strap.
The
Chronométrie is one of the major innovations of the past years, and
time will show how much it will influence the future watchmaking
technology. First, there is finally a worthy home for the marvelous 10
Hertz escapement, after the Type XXII had (and still has) some flaws in
both design and useability. With a case diameter of 41mm, the
Chronométrie is a highly elegant timepiece, with the Breguet-typical
collection of slim heat-blued hands “pommes de Breguet” and various
guilloche patterns on the silver dial. And, presumably the most
important change from last year’s prototype: the formerly bright red “10
Hz” marking has lost its colour, only to be visible as a dial
structure.
Besides
the ultra-high alternation frequency, the other major innovation of the
Chronométrie is of course its magnetic balance pivot: Resulting from
the use of a pair of completely amagnetic silicium hairsprings and
balance wheel, the possibility of using tiny, but strong magnets to keep
a magnetic balance pivot in place became real. Normally, a balance is
held in two bearings of jewels, which again are able to move a little
bit in order to absorb the pivot’s axial movement after shocks.
Breguet’s magnetic technology keeps the balance pivot held in position
by a strong magnetic field between two magnets. Only the tips of the
pivot are touching the magnets, to limit the axial air. If minor shocks,
especially lateral ones, hit the balance, the magnetic field promptly
forces the pivot back into position. To absorb major shocks, the
traditional parechoc, or “Parachute” system originally invented by
Breguet is engaged.
While
the magnetic field also slows down the pivot, this effect is
nonetheless much smaller than that of the conventional jewel-bearing and
its friction, so the Chronométrie’s escapement is about twice as
efficient as a conventional Swiss lever escapement. What fascinates me
is the ability to produce micro-magnets with a field strength that can
be exactly calculated and limited to tenths of a millimeter, so the rest
of the watch movement would not be affected by it.
The
dial of the Chronométrie 7727 features a small second at 12, with
another tiny subdial showing the 10ths of a second, a power reserve
indication at 6, and the top side of the Parachute system at 2. The
hand-winding movement has a power reserve of 60 hours.
Another
breathtaking novelty is the Classique La Musicale 7800: I mean this
literally, since one should really hold one’s breath, in order to listen
to the crystal-clear (though not very loud) tones of Bach’s
“Badinerie”, from his h-minor orchestral suite. The central dial rotates
when the music mechanism is engaged. Diameter is very large at 48mm,
but this is necessary to accomodate the musical mechanism, and to get
some sound volume from it. The case sides are adorned with the notes of
the piece played.
There
are many beautiful chronographs on the market. However, barely one of
them will beat the good looks of the new Classique Chronographe 5287,
with the classical appearance of the handwinding cal. 533.3 movement.
This Lémania-derived movement is in use since several years already, but
still a great sight. The new watch has a larger case, with 42.5mm
diameter, and a unique design of the small second at 9.
A small, but attractive innovation is the new folding clasp design.
The
Classique Reserve de Marche 5277 is a typical Breguet, its mechanical
uniqueness being the silicium hairspring and a special “high energy”
mainspring barrel, permitting the watch to run for 96 hours. Diameter is
at decent 38mm.
Talking-piece-quality
should also be attributed to the new Classique Tourbillon extra-thin
5377 with automatic winding. If I recall correctly, the movement
measures only 3mm in height, the whole watch is not thicker than 7mm.
This is made possible by a rather unique peripheral rotor made from
platinum and placed as a ring around the movement’s rim. While reminding
of Carl F. Bucherer’s rotor system, the Breguet counterpart seems to
lack the former’s sophisticated shock absorption system. However, the
tourbillon itself is not designed as a sports watch, as neither the
tourbillon cage features a specific shock protection.
To
assure a stable energy flow over the long power reserve of 90 hours,
the mainspring barrel is mounted on a ball bearing, a system introduced
some years ago by Eterna. The hairspring and escapement are made from
silicium. Absolutely eye-catching is the marvelous hand-engraving of the
movement bridges, another advantage of the peripheral winding rotor,
which leaves the full movement surface free for decoration.
As
a sidenote: The watch was running, but many scratches on the tourbillon
cage, while the other movement parts were perfectly finished, suggested
it to be a prototype. Only when editing my pictures, I noticed
something weird about the balance ring, which I had not seen on the real
watch, due to its fast movement: It is a simple stamped ring with fake
weight screws, while the press picture shows the titanium balance ring
with real golden screws. This is an example of how clever the Breguet
engineers camouflage a working prototype!
The "simulated" balance ring of the prototype ...
... and the production titanium balance ring with golden weight screws as shown on the press picture.
The
Type XXII 10 Hertz chronograph is now offered in 18k pink gold with
brown dial. I still consider this watch to be everything other but an
epitome in useability. That the stop second hand rotates in 30 seconds,
the whole watch is based on these 30 second ranges, makes it
unnecessarily clumsy in use. Finally, that the second timezone wastes
the space of two subdials indicating the same hour once on a 12 hours,
then on a 24 hours subdial, instead of including a conventional 12 hours
chronograph counter and a separate 24 hours GMT indication, only adds
to this clumsiness.
In
my opinion the nicer chronograph is the new Marine Chronograph 8827 for
ladies, available in stainless steel. With a diameter of 34.6mm and a
dial from mother of pearl and a nice yin-yang-styled small second at 6,
it will be very popular with the ladies, I am sure.
Highlight
of the ladies collection, though, certainly is the Reine de Naples
Day/Night 8998. The upper half of the dial is dominated by a large
day-night indication, in which the balance serves as the sun. The
ensemble of the disk with the sun (balance), titanium moon and clouds
made from mother of pearl inlays rotates once every 24 hours. So the
beating “heart” of the watch appears to be dancing with the moon around
the pivot located at the 12 position of a bridge completing the hour
dial. This is indeed a fascinating watch!
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To leave comments, please go to Marcus' original report in Breguet forum, breguet.watchprosite.com