Hodinkee
Bring a Loupe: A Pair of U.S. Army-Issued Submariners, A Breguet QP, and A Universal Genève Compur
All that and more in this week's edition of Hodinkee's What's Selling Where column.
586 articles · 4 videos found · page 7 of 20
Breguet's 1801 rotating-cage escapement, explained.
The coiled spring that controls the balance wheel; Huygens 1675, Breguet overcoil 1795.
Designer behind modern Breguet 1973-89 and the eponymous Daniel Roth brand with its double-ellipse case.
The cursive italic Arabic numerals designed by Abraham-Louis Breguet ~1790; canonical haute-horlogerie dress watch numeral.
Hodinkee
All that and more in this week's edition of Hodinkee's What's Selling Where column.
Revolution
Time+Tide
Love is in the air, with brands unveiling Valentine's Day limited editions this week.The post New releases from Bremont, Brellum, Breguet and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Abraham-Louis Breguet was the leading watchmaker of his day and enjoyed the patronage of France’s royalty and aristocracy. Among the names on his VIP list was Caroline Murat, aka the Reine de Naples, Napoleon Bonaparte’s youngest sister, who was a keen collector of Breguet’s horological marvels. The Reine de Naples collection is a free interpretation […]
Deployant
Each year, Breguet does an interesting offering for Valentine's Day.This year is no different. Introducing the Reine de Naplea 9915.
Time+Tide
This November, Sotheby’s will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the foundation of Breguet in Paris in 1775 with a dedicated auction.The post Sotheby’s announces the largest auction dedicated to Breguet timepieces in over 30 years appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Teddy Baldassarre
For those in the know, Breguet is a name in the history of watchmaking that commands instant respect, and even reverence. The brand’s legendary founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet, is rightfully lauded as the inventor of the tourbillon, but his lifetime horological resumé goes far beyond even that: he made the first self-winding movement, the first watch that was wound by a crown rather than a key, the pare-chute shock protection system, and the gong system for repeater watches, among other innovations. His customers included historical figures like King Louis XVI of France, Queen Marie-Antoinette, and Napoleon Bonaparte. He even invented a style of hands that many other watchmakers other than Breguet still use today. The modern brand that bears his name is one of the undisputed, upper-echelon Swiss watch maisons, alongside names like Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet, and the jewel in the crown of the Swatch Group. All that said and acknowledged, a newcomer to Breguet, especially the prospective owner of his or her first Breguet watch, may find all of this background intimidating. And make no mistake, Breguet is unapologetic in both its embrace of historical renown and its timepieces’ exalted level of luxury. The brand’s modern-day stewards harbor no illusion that they offer anything that would be any aficionado’s “first watch.” The whole concept of “entry level” must be stretched a bit at this venerated tier of watchmaking: like Patek Philippe, A. Lan...
SJX Watches
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...
SJX Watches
Hermès is a brand with a distinctive, often whimsical, visual identity that translates well across products, even on its most complicated watches like the Arceau Duc Attelé, which combines a triple-axis central tourbillon (containing a high-frequency escapement) with a minute repeater featuring novel “tuning fork” gongs. Large, thick, and very complex, the Duc Attelé still manages to capture the elegant aesthetic of the brand, even in subtle details of the H1926 movement, like horse-shaped hammers for the repeater. Customised for Hermès, the calibre has an intricate, dense construction but is recognisable as being produced by a specialist. Initial thoughts The Duc Attelé demonstrates the strength of the Hermès house style. On the front, it looks elegant despite the size, while the movement feels appropriate even though it is third party. The watch does sit big on the wrist, though the titanium version is a little lighter in weight and visually smaller due to its dark colours. But the Arceau case has tiny lugs, so it doesn’t feel clunky. And although the case is almost 20 mm high, a good part of that is due to the highly domed crystal that accommodates the tourbillon’s height. All of the design elements, however, give it an elegant feel. These include the Breguet numerals on the domed chapter ring and the “Lift” motif tourbillon cage modelled on the elevator in the brand’s flagship store in Paris. But more than anything else, this is a watch characterise...
Quill & Pad
Breguet needs your love. Despite excellent products, a rich history, significant investment, and financial stability, the company bearing this most illustrious name often ranks among the most anonymous in the space. Tim Mosso thinks that needs to change.
SJX Watches
To celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, Breguet has done something adventurous with its typically formal dress watch. Created to mark the upcoming Year of the Snake, the Classique 7145 “Snake” is still ultra-thin and time-only, but features a solid gold dial bearing a stylised serpent motif realised with a combination of guilloché and engraving, with translucent green lacquer for colour. Initial thoughts The new Classique has been masterfully reworked to give it an entirely different look that departs entirely from the traditional silvered engine-turning that is a Breguet signature. For fans of Breguet’s old-school aesthetic, this is probably too far from tradition, but for someone seeking something different, this might strike a chord. Aesthetics aside, the guilloché and engraving entail a higher level of craftsmanship than ordinary engine-turned dials. In fact, the snake dial is arguably more complex and refined in technique than the dial on last year’s Dragon edition. The dial complexity is reflected in the price of US$74,600, which is substantially more than the basic time-only Classique, but on par with prevailing retail prices for metiers d’art dials. Exquisite dial work The Classique “Snake” is all about the dial, which highlights the art of engraving, guilloche, and miniature painting. The engraving employs a bas-relief technique that gives the snake a sculptural form. The motif is first sketched and then sculpted by a skilled artisan using chisels...
Monochrome
Unlike the Western tradition of celebrating New Year on a fixed date, the Chinese celebrate it on the second new Moon after the winter solstice. In 2025, Chinese New Year falls on the 29th of January and welcomes the Year of the Snake. Seizing the opportunity to show off the brand’s more creative aptitudes, Breguet […]
Worn & Wound
Well folks, January is here, and that can really only mean one thing when it comes to new watch releases: we are about to be bombarded with Lunar New Year limited editions. They started to trickle out just before things began to shut down for the holidays, and by the time I dared to sign into my work email for the first time in 2025, press releases from brands of all kinds were waiting for me, heralding the launch of new watches to celebrate the Year of the Snake. This has been a tradition for as long as I’ve paid attention to watch media, and probably a whole lot longer. In some ways, I think we all have to admit, it’s quite cynical. It’s an easy way for brands to (hopefully) cash in as the growing Chinese luxury watch market looks for ways to mark a major point on their calendar. But the watches themselves, quite often, are really quite good, often living near the higher end of a brand’s catalog, serving as an example of particular craft techniques. That’s certainly the case with this year’s entry from Breguet, Breguet Classique 7145 Lunar New Year 2025, a watch that showcases the brand’s signature guilloche work, as well engraving and miniature painting techniques. The Classique 7145 Lunar New Year 2025 starts with a simple, 40mm rose gold case, with fluting along the case walls, another signature Breguet design characteristic. While 40mm is on the large side for a modern dress watch, it makes sense in a watch like this as a way to properly showcase the ...
Time+Tide
Abraham-Louis Breguet lent his name to many things related to watchmaking, including an elegant numeral set. These watches use them best.The post 6 of the best Breguet numeral watches, honouring the master’s name appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
One perk of being a writer in this industry is the opportunity to wear some nice and sometimes exquisite watches. They don’t always have to be expensive watches to make an impact. For example, I remember trying the new Swatch What If Break Free collection a few months ago. Despite it being so far from […] Visit Long-Term Review: One Month With The Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2067 In Steel to read the full article.
Time+Tide
With Christmas nearly here there seems to be no respite from brands releasing new watches, with Year of the Snake releases starting already.The post New releases from Simon Brette, Richard Mille, Breguet and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823) embraced all facets of horology, from his gravity-defying tourbillon regulator to his neoclassical design language and legible displays. While the Reine de Naples is the go-to collection for women, last year, Breguet dipped into its Classique collection and confected two dazzling jewellery models: the Classique Tourbillon 3358. The latest interpretation in white […]
Worn & Wound
Editor’s Note: Today, the final installment of The Greatest Horological Inventions of All Time. Here, Andrew Canter examines the story behind the co-axial escapement, invented by George Daniels, industrialized by Omega, and now considered one of the great watchmaking innovations of all time. You can find more of Andrew’s work at the Mr. Watchmaster website here. George Daniels (1926 – 2011) was raised in London in poverty. Aged five, he pried open his family’s alarm clock and realised that it was a metaphor for his life – always moving inexorably onwards, but without outside assistance. He was determined to learn horology, despite his parents’ opposition. He was conscripted into military service in 1944 which unleashed his innate mechanical skills, and following the end of the war, he studied horology, while repairing watches in North London. He gained access to the work of the greatest watchmakers, particularly Abraham-Louis Breguet, through a meeting with a collector, and when it seemed that quartz technology would overwhelm traditional watchmaking, Daniels ensured this would not come to fruition. He made a series of increasingly ingenious mechanical watches, heavily influenced by Breguet, teaching himself to make every part, now referred to as the ‘Daniels Method’. Essentially, he devised a virtually oil-free escapement – the now iconic co-axial escapement – which was later mass-produced by Omega. It was anything but an easy journey, but George D...
Fratello
Breguet introduced the Tradition Chronographe Indépendant 7077 back in 2015. The watch displayed awe-inspiring watchmaking inventiveness. How about two balance wheels, two gear trains, an arc-shaped minute totalizer, a power reserve indicator, and a mesmerizing open-worked look on both the front and back? What more could you ask for? Well, if I put on my […] Visit Introducing: A New Blue Outfit For The Awe-Inspiring Breguet Tradition Chronographe Indépendant 7077 to read the full article.
Monochrome
Dress watches are typically slim, elegant, and minimalistic, designed to complement formal attire seamlessly. While their refined details and artistry are anything but boring, they are seldom described as playful. Now, the platinum Breguet Classique 7787 with its black Grand Feu enamel dial-a piece that is, say, different. Alongside its classic beauty, it exudes a […]
SJX Watches
Breguet gently revamps its flagship chronograph, the Tradition Chronographe Indépendant 7077, with the addition of “Breguet Blue” dial matched with a movement finished in dark grey. Originally only available with a classic silvered guilloche dial, the Tradition chronograph now gains a more modern look with a deep blue and grey palette, while retaining the same innovative chronograph movement. Initial thoughts The Tradition collection is one of the modern-day Breguet’s triumphs. Launched in 2005, the collection draws heavily from the watchmaker’s historic souscription and montre à tact pocket watches, which were created by A.-L. Breguet himself. Tradition models adopt the highly original movement construction of the pocket watches, transforming them into wristwatch format. The going train layout, frosted bridges, and pare-chute shock-absorbers, for instance, all are faithful to the historic pieces. Unique in itself for its chronograph construction, the Chronographe Indépendant 7077 is among the most complicated models in the Tradition collection. The original look of a silver guilloché dial worked well, but the deep blue colour of the new model works even better in complementing the exposed mechanics. The chronograph, reinvented The Tradition chronograph exists somewhat outside of the established norms of a chronograph movement, namely the vertical clutch and horizontal coupling. It features a chronograph architecture that is unique in the industry. The cal....
Time+Tide
Breguet adds a new ‘Breguet Blue’ configuration to its Tradition Chronographe Indépendant 7077 (first launched in 2015).The post The latest Breguet Blue Tradition Chronographe Indépendant 7077 is a reminder the brand is Holy Trinity level appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Last week was packed with big releases, some of them unanimously appreciated by everyone, and others a bit more polarizing...The post New releases from Breguet, Furlan Marri, Czapek and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
All that and more in this week's edition of Hodinkee's What's Selling Where column.
SJX Watches
The fabled Breguet no. 160 “Marie Antoinette” (pictured above, image credit Baruch Coutts) was reputedly made for the last queen of France, but was so complicated that it took decades to complete, by which time the queen was long dead. Stolen in 1983 and then recovered in 2007, the legendary watch started by Abraham-Louis Breguet will be on display for the first time outside of the L.A. Mayer Museum for Islamic Art In Jerusalem since its recovery. From December 12, the Breguet “Marie Antoinette” will be on show at the Science Museum in London (which is also home to important George Daniels creations, including the unfinished watch and the Space Traveller II). The Breguet Marie Antoinette is part of Versailles: Science and Splendour, an exhibition dedicated to the scientific and technology discoveries related to the French royal court in the 17th and 18th centuries. The exhibition explores a 120-year span of scientific progress at Versailles, illustrating the scientific endeavours accomplished during the reigns of Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI. The mythical watch While the exhibition will include over 100 exhibits, watch enthusiasts will know the highlight is Breguet no. 160, the grand complication commissioned in 1783, by Marie Antoinette’s lover according to legend, hence its longstanding nickname. A no-expense-spared commission, watch no. 160 was only completed in 1827, having been delayed by A.-L. Breguet’s exile during the French Revolution. By the t...
Fratello
It has been a while since I bought a new watch. And by that, I mean not a pre-owned or vintage one. Just last weekend, I bought another vintage Constellation at a local auction to satisfy my hunger. One of the reasons I refrain from buying new watches these days is that prices of certain […] Visit The Fratello Watch List: RJ’s Pre-Owned And Vintage Favorites From Breguet, Lange, Grand Seiko, And More to read the full article.
Monochrome
The Breguet Tradition collection is not only a tribute to the brand’s past, with clear historical references and movements that are designed to mimic those of antique pocket watches, but it’s also home to serious complications. And one of them is, without a doubt, the Tradition Chronographe Indépendant 7077. A complex watch built in a […]
SJX Watches
Central to our comprehension of time is the intricate interplay between the celestial dance of heavenly bodies and the pursuit of accuracy. Throughout history, mankind’s perception and quantification of time has evolved with its interaction with the natural environment. From ancient times when the rhythm of the Sun governed daily existence to the modern day of standardised timekeeping ushered in by mechanical innovations, human ingenuity has been instrumental in shaping this odyssey. Unfolding within this tale is the rare horological complication, the equation of time, a captivating chapter in the ongoing saga of humanity’s temporal exploration. The Breguet Marine Tourbillon Equation Marchante 5887 with its kidney-shaped cam that governs the equation of time display. Image – Breguet Dawn of Timekeeping: Celestial Observations and Ancient Innovations The genesis of civilisation ushered in humanity’s bond with the cosmos, as early communities devotedly charted the celestial events that dictated the rhythm of their lives. This connection was not merely academic; the alternation of day and night, the moon’s phases, and the Sun’s shifting journey through the heavens were the foundation upon which the ancients built their methods of marking time. In civilisations like those of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and ancient China, a deep-seated knowledge of the heavens was crucial for survival. The predictable cycles of day and night governed the timing of essential activities such ...
Deployant
DEPLOYANT The Breguet Marine Tourbillon Equation Marchante 5887 collection is updated with a new version in platinum. Our commentary on the novelty..
Revolution
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.