Results for Breguet Classique

Breguet Gala Launches Historic Exhibition in San Francisco

Video: New York’s Frick Collection Takes You Inside A Masterpiece By A. L. Breguet

“Precision and Splendor: Clocks and Watches at the Frick Collection” is an exhibit at New York’s Frick Collection of a stunning group of priceless clocks and watches, many from the collection of Winthrop K. Edey, who bequeathed his collection of clocks and watches –which includes remarkable timepieces dating all the way back to the Renaissance […]

A Tasteful Laurent Ferrier Classic Origin for Shreve, Crump & Low

One of the oldest jewellers in the United States, Shreve, Crump & Low (SC&L;) has turned to Laurent Ferrier (LF) for the Classic Origin SC&L; x LF, a tasteful take on the brand’s manual-wind, time-only wristwatch. Boston-based SC&L; was founded in 1796, but the new Classic Origin adopts a restrained aesthetic in blue and bronze that’s a welcome departure from the sector dials and Breguet numerals that characterise many of LF’s recent editions. Available in either stainless steel or red gold, the SC&L; edition is LF116.01, a hand-wind calibre that’s LF’s most accessible movement but still features refined touches like a linear winding click in polished steel. Initial thoughts I like the fact that the SC&L; edition adopts LF’s signature style while avoiding overused elements like a sector layout in “salmon” or green. This instantly sets the SC&L; version apart from most other Classic Origin iterations. Furthermore, the combination of grained blue and satin gold on the dial is unusual but appealing as it gives the watch a contemporary feel that works well with LF’s low-key “Galet” style. And the discreet SC&L; logo above the seconds is an elegant touch. The SC&L; edition being a manual-wind Classic Origin is both a pro and a con. It’s an advantage because of affordability; the Classic Origin is LF’s most accessible timepiece; the steel SC&L; edition costs US$42,000. However, the calibre inside doesn’t have the same level of detail as the micro-rotor automat...

Introducing – A Classic Rejuvenated, Chronoswiss Releases the Lunar Chronograph Aurora

Chronoswiss was founded in 1983 by German watchmaker Gerd Rüdiger Lang and was sold in early 2012 to Swiss entrepreneurs Oliver and Eva Ebstein, who transferred operations to Lucerne, Switzerland. Known for reviving the regulator layout, Lang’s neoclassical design language, characterised by oversized onion crowns, knurled bezels, guilloché dials and Breguet-inspired features, was modernised by […]

Armchair Picks: a Classic, a Minimalist, and a Maverick from Baselworld 2019

As the dust settles at Basel, our writer, Frank Chuo, selects a diverse trio as his favourite novelties from Baselworld 2019.

A Preview of the Upcoming Sotheby’s Important Watches Auction, Including Paul Newman Racing Gear, and Some Gorgeous Breguets

The Sotheby’s Important Watches sale is set to take place on June 9 in New York. A total of 135 lots are set to go under the hammer, with an interesting mix of vintage and modern watches among them. As with any major auction, there are too many great lots to do all of them proper justice, but our editorial team studied the catalog and a handful of watches (and other items) jumped out at us. From unique Paul Newman racing ephemera, to cool clocks and a whole bunch of Breguet, there’s something here for any watch enthusiast (or movie fan) to get excited about. Here are some of the highlights, chosen by Zach Kazan, Blake Buettner, and Zach Weiss. Zach Kazan Lots 28 and 29: Paul Newman Racing Ephemera  While the centerpiece of the upcoming Important Watches sale at Sotheby’s is a Daytona owned by Paul Newman, the lots that make this auction truly unique and special are Newman related, but not actually watches at all. After all, we’ve done the Paul Newman Daytona thing. But what we haven’t done, at least not in a watch collecting milieu, a racing suit. Along with a truly superlative selection of watches, Sotheby’s has some great Paul Newman racing ephemera that goes a long way toward reminding us that the watch that has become synonymous with his name wasn’t a prop, or part of a costume. He wore it because it was a watch for race car drivers, and Paul Newman was a race car driver.  Lot 49 is a cream colored racing jumpsuit worn by Newman on at least two occasion...

J.N. Shapiro Infinity Tantalum: Fractals, Infinity, And Mastery Of Technique

J.N. Shapiro is the eponymous brand of Josh Shapiro, an educator turned watchmaker who specializes in guilloche. His latest watch, the Infinity Tantalum, is a classic three-hander with a small seconds dial designed in the spirit of George Daniels, Breguet, and other greats. The palladium dial is completely hand-guilloche and sports tantalum chapter rings. And, oh, that gorgeous style!

Complicated Collectors: Edgar Mannheimer

London, 1965. Christie’s had arranged the third and final part of the Sir David Salomons Collection for sale — a sequence of Breguet watches assembled by the Victorian baronet whose obsession with Abraham-Louis Breguet had produced the most important English-language study of the watchmaker’s work. When the bidding closed, one man had bought every lot in the catalogue. Continuing our ongoing Complicated Collectors series, Edgar Mannheimer left an indelible mark on watch collecting. He was 40 years old, and had settled in Zurich a decade earlier with nothing but the instincts he had developed in the post-war black markets of Germany. He was not a collector in the sense that he did not keep what he bought. What he did, with a consistency and conviction that separated him from every other figure in the mid-century horological trade, was understand, ahead of the market, what something was worth. The Salomons lots were subsequently divided between two collectors. It was, in miniature, a portrait of how Mannheimer operated: he absorbed the risk, resolved the complexity, and left his clients with the watches. Neutitschein and Auschwitz Edgar Mannheimer was born on December 23, 1925, in Neutitschein, Moravia, into a family whose presence in the town was visible and established. His father ran Marsmalz, a confectionery business prominent enough to operate the community’s first delivery van — a small but telling detail about the family’s position within a world where Je...

Buying Guide – Honouring the Tourbillon with Six Showstoppers

Since its invention by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1801, the tourbillon has remained one of the most mesmerising mechanisms in watchmaking. Often regarded as a complication in its own right, despite not actually indicating anything most of the time, it is a very complex and extremely precise testament to the maker’s abilities, whoever it is. Rotating […]

Introducing: The Baltic MR Moissanite - The Final MR…For Now

Baltic’s MR, which stands for “micro-rotor,” is the perfect affordable flex on the wrist. The 36mm watches in the collection feature a sturdy field-watch case paired with either a Breguet-style or dressy roulette-inspired dial and, to top it all off, a micro-rotor movement. For around €700, the Baltic MR offers unmatched style and attitude, even […] Visit Introducing: The Baltic MR Moissanite - The Final MR…For Now to read the full article.

Hands-on – L.Leroy Osmior Bal du Temps, Sounding the Return of a Famed Name

If I had to describe the return of L.Leroy, once one of France’s most illustrious watchmaking houses, with its name respected as much as those of Breguet and Ferdinand Berthoud, it was very theatrical. Founded in 1785 by Charles Leroy in Paris, it became famous for its marine chronometers, regulator clocks, and commissions for European […]

In-Depth: Understanding Isochronism and Oscillators

The beginning of 2025 marked the 350th anniversary of the hairspring, the invention that made portable precision timekeeping possible. To commemorate the occasion, we published a series of deep dives covering the disputes around its invention, the evolution of spring materials over the years and the finer rules of forming Breguet overcoils. This final instalment examines isochronism. Some initial definitions and considerations A proper and universal definition of isochronism is: the property of an oscillatory system to maintain the same period of vibration despite variation in environmental factors. This implies that a vibrational system’s behaviour is inherent and external factors should not influence its frequency.  A few basic terms help frame the discussion. The period, measured in seconds, is the time taken for the oscillator to travel from one extreme position, through equilibrium, and back again. Frequency, measured in Hertz, is the inverse of the period; a system with a constant period can serve as a stable timebase. The amplitude is the distance swept by the oscillator from the equilibrium point to its extreme position. In practical terms, when saying that a sprung balance has an amplitude of 330°, it means the balance wheel rotates a full 330° in one direction from its equilibrium point before swinging back.  Figure I. Anatomy of a sinusoidal wave. In watchmaking parlance, isochronism means that an oscillator keeps the same period, regardless of its amplit...

Breguet Celebrates Striking Heritage with Classique Grande Sonnerie Métiers d’Art 1905

The penultimate entry in Breguet’s 250th celebration is the Classique Grande Sonnerie Métiers d’Art 1905, a complicated pocket watch that unites several of Breguet’s creations, along with the métiers d’art know-how and high-technology of the modern Breguet manufacture. The 1905 features hand engraving and flinqué enamel, as well as using Breguet’s magnetic strike governor and gold gongs. As with all of the brand’s 250th anniversary creations, the nearly 60 mm case is made of Breguet Gold, with Bleu de France for an additional pop of colour. Initial thoughts During the 2000s, Breguet launched the Montre de Poche 1907, a minute repeating tourbillon pocket clock watch with grande et petite sonnerie. At the time, several of the best brands were building new complicated pocket watches, most notably Patek Philippe, rather than scavenging ebauches. In the 20 years since, new production complicated pocket watches have disappeared from nearly every brand’s catalogue – except for Breguet’s. The Montre de poche 1907BA/12. Image – Breguet Officially the 1907 has only been offered in yellow gold – though white and rose gold examples probably exist as well. Now, to celebrate 250 years of the house of Breguet, the 1907 gets a new look and technical overhaul with the striking Classique Grande Sonnerie Métiers d’Art 1905 in an 18k “Breguet Gold” case. The 1905 is not completely novel, mechanically speaking, as none of Breguet’s launches this year have been...

Complicated Collectors: Gerd Ahrens

In the autumn of 1948, at Galerie Fischer’s auction house in Lucerne, a young Swiss watchmaker secured Lot 155, a Breguet pocket watch, No. 4763, circa 1848, with a straight-line club-tooth lever escapement. The case, fitted later by E. Brown at George Daniels’s suggestion to employ original movements and parts held in stock, aligned with his purpose. For most collectors, such a purchase might not have represented a pure Breguet. But for Gerd Ahrens, it was something altogether different: the first sentence in what would become a four-century narrative of mechanical ingenuity. Gerd Ahrens in his shop office on Schwanenplatz 7 around 1955. Image – Gerd Ahrens Foundation: a life built on wheels and springs Gerd Ahrens was born on September 18, 1920, in Hamburg, Germany, at a time when mechanical watches represented the pinnacle of portable precision. His father, Otto Ahrens, born in 1877, had already established himself as a highly respected watchmaker. Otto’s path, however, would be marked by the upheavals of the twentieth century. Before World War I, he had operated a successful shop in Paris and had built connections throughout the watchmaking centres of Inner Switzerland. The evidence of his skill was tangible: Otto personally built ten pocket watches, demonstrating not just commercial acumen but genuine mastery of the craft. Then the war came. Otto was forced to close his Paris shop in 1914, and the conflict left him penniless. A trained craftsman of the highest...

Introducing – The Arnold & Son Constant Force 11 Platinum Edition

Friendships matter in life, and what better way to celebrate the bond between two of watchmaking’s greatest individuals than with a tribute watch? Bringing together Abraham-Louis Breguet’s renowned tourbillon escapement and John Arnold’s beloved fusée-and-chain system, lovingly replaced with a constant force mechanism, the Constant Force Tourbillon 11 made a deep impression when launched earlier […]

Introducing – The Airain Type 20 “70 Ans”, a Horizon-Blue Tribute to the French Flyback Chronograph

Born from the French Ministry of Defence’s Type 20 brief in the mid-1950s, the Type 20 Chronograph watches featured a black dial, a flyback (retour en vol) function, a rotating bezel, and pilot-proof robustness. Alongside fellow suppliers like Breguet, Mathey-Tissot, and Auricoste, Airain’s Type 20 quickly became one of the most recognisable field chronographs. A […]

Who Was George Daniels? - Fighting Quartz In Times Of Crisis

We started our series about the people behind watch brands’ names with Abraham-Louis Breguet, arguably the greatest watchmaker ever. This week, instead of presenting you with another name behind a brand, we would like to introduce you to watchmaker/inventor George Daniels, who wrote an essential book about Breguet’s watchmaking philosophy. Like Breguet, Daniels got caught […] Visit Who Was George Daniels? - Fighting Quartz In Times Of Crisis to read the full article.

First Look – The Stylish Pequignet Royale Paris 39.5mm Power Reserve-Small Seconds

France’s golden age of horology during the 17th and 18th centuries produced notable figures like Julien Le Roy, Ferdinand Berthoud and Abraham-Louis Breguet. And it’s fair to say that had it not been for the expulsion of French Protestants following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 by King Louis XIV, Swiss watchmaking […]

The Evergreens – The History of Urban Jürgensen, The Legendary Danish Watchmaker Set To Return

Looking back at the history of watchmaking, there are some inevitable names to be mentioned: Abraham-Louis Breguet, John Harrison, Thomas Mudge, John Arnold, Antide Janvier, Jean-Marc Vacheron and Christiaan Huygens, just to name a few. Moving up North, in the city of Copenhagen, to be precise, we have to talk about one of the most […]

Hands-on – The Arnold & Son Constant Force Tourbillon 11, a Tribute to Some of the Greatest Watchmakers

In haute horlogerie, few relationships have shaped timekeeping history quite like that of John Arnold and Abraham-Louis Breguet. Bound by shared respect and a deep commitment to mechanical innovation, their friendship helped lay the groundwork for modern precision watchmaking. Arnold & Son’s latest release, the Constant Force Tourbillon 11, is a tribute to that legacy […]

The Arnold & Son Constant Force Tourbillon 11 is the result of a historic friendship

This elegant tourbillon piece celebrates the friendship between two legendary watchmakers: John Arnold and Abraham-Louis Breguet.The post The Arnold & Son Constant Force Tourbillon 11 is the result of a historic friendship appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Introducing – The Arnold & Son Constant Force Tourbillon 11

Arnold & Son presents the limited edition Constant Force Tourbillon 11, a classical beauty inspired by the first tourbillon created by Abraham-Louis Breguet based on John Arnold’s marine chronometer movement no. 11. Reunited once again, the yellow gold watch, with a constant force mechanism on the dial and a tourbillon regulator on the caseback, is […]

Raymond Weil Introduces the Millesime Shellman Edition

Japanese retailer Shellman has given Raymond Weil’s vintage-inspired Millesime a gentle makeover with the Millesime Centre Seconds Shellman Limited Edition. While staying faithful to the original in overall style, the Shellman edition incorporates numerous subtle tweaks that reflect the detail-oriented approach of Japanese watch enthusiasts. The Shellman edition features a domed, “sector” dial with a two-tone “champagne gold” finish with a single Breguet numeral at 12 o’clock. But more notable is the case, which resembles the standard version on its face, but is actually thinner at just 9.25 mm, giving the watch a surprisingly slim profile. Initial thoughts In keeping with Shellman’s past limited editions, the new Millesime is vintage inspired and thoughtfully designed. Though it resembles the standard models in many ways, the Shellman edition is substantively different in several key respects, including with the two-tone, domed dial and thinner case. These refinements enhance the vintage flavour of the watch, and also give it better proportions. However, the typography for the brand name and “Automatic” is identical to that of the standard model. While the modern font doesn’t have the same vintage feel as the rest of the design, the print is in dark grey and less prominent. The Shellman edition is priced at JPY308,000 with taxes, or around US$1,950, which is about the same as the standard model. With its greater appeal and limited numbers, it is an ea...

Albishorn Introduces the Type 10 Chronograph

Less than two months have elapsed since Albishorn made its debut, but the brainchild of Sébastien Chaulmontet is back with the Type 10, an “imaginary vintage” prequel to the Type 20 pilot’s watch made famous by Breguet. Available with black or green textured dials, the Type 10 features a proprietary manually wound monopusher chronograph movement with an unusual layout that differentiates it from other Type 20-inspired watches. Though not a limited edition, the Type 10 will be produced in small batches of just 25 watches in each livery. Initial thoughts Conceptually, I like the idea of “imaginary vintage” – the brand’s tagline – because it liberates the design from the constraints of the past and avoids coming off as a copy or homage. While I don’t like every detail of the Type 10, there’s a lot to be excited about, especially as a preview of what might be coming next from the fledgling brand. The Type 10 is powered by the proprietary ALB02 M, a manually wound chronograph movement that, like the Maxigraph, shares some of the architecture of the ubiquitous Valjoux 7750. But to call this a cal. 7750 would be to miss the numerous refinements implemented by Dr Chaulmontet that result in a slimmer movement with, reportedly, a more pleasant pusher action. The Type 10 retains many of the best features of the Maxigraph, including its case. Interestingly, the case is not quite identical; the Type 10’s case is slightly thinner on account of its manually wound ...

The Habring² Oskar is a Classical Moon Phase

Described by Habring² as “a relative of Felix“, the Oskar shares the brand’s signature A11 movement but gains a calendar module, with the seconds at six or central. Launched to mark the 20th anniversary of Habring², the Oskar makes its debut in three different variants, a pair with date-and-moon and the final model with just a moon phase. All three feature the same classical aesthetic with Breguet numerals and a compact, 38.5 mm case. Initial thoughts The Oskar is an excellent example of what the Austrian independent has to offer – appealing, clean aesthetics paired with the excellent, proprietary A11 movement, and a price tag of well under US$8,000. And the Oskar also reflect Habring²’s technical competence that the brand managed to squeeze the complication module into a 9 mm high case, with the movement alone being just 5.5 mm high. Admittedly, the vintage-inspired styling might be a little generic, although it is easily appealing. The design is well-executed with a properly proportioned dial and thoughtful details. As is typical for Habring², the Oskar is an honest product and an excellent value proposition, with the moon phase model priced at €6,050 and the moon phase with pointer date about 10% more. Mid century style  The case is a simple, fuss-free affair that is similar to that found on other Habring² models, including the Felix. Entirely polished, the stainless steel case is 38.5 mm in diameter and 9 mm in thickness for both versions. All three m...