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Fanny Zafraka-Themelidis
To celebrate the 225th anniversary of the Tourbillon patent, Breguet could easily have unveiled a spectacular limited-edition anniversary watch. Instead, the Manufacture chose a far more compelling path. It introduced four entirely different timepieces, each highlighting a distinct facet of its historic complication. The result feels less like a conventional anniversary collection and more like a comprehensive study of the Tourbillon itself.
From the direct descendant of the historic 1989 model to the first flying Tourbillon in the Manufacture’s history, the Tradition Tourbillon 7047 with its fusée-and-chain transmission and the Marine Tourbillon Equation Marchante 5887, Breguet demonstrates how an idea born in 1801 continues to evolve and inspire fine watchmaking.
The four new creations resemble four chapters of the same story. The first honours history. The second turns its gaze towards astronomy. The third combines two of Abraham-Louis Breguet’s greatest inventions in the pursuit of chronometric precision. The fourth unites the Tourbillon with the equation of time and a perpetual calendar, proving that this historic complication continues to evolve 225 years after its birth. Let’s take a closer look.
If one had to choose a single watch among the four new releases to explain what “classic Breguet” truly means, it would undoubtedly be the Classique Tourbillon 7357. This is not a contemporary design merely borrowing elements from the past. It is the direct descendant of the historic Ref. 3350, the first modern Breguet Tourbillon wristwatch, introduced in 1989 at a time when very few could have imagined that this centuries-old complication would once again enjoy such a remarkable revival. That watch marked a turning point not only for the House itself but also for contemporary fine watchmaking as a whole. Nearly four decades later, Breguet presents its natural evolution.
The 35 mm case follows the new design language introduced with the Manufacture’s 250th anniversary creations in 2025. The redesigned curved lugs provide a more comfortable fit on the wrist, while the signature hand-guilloché fluted caseband remains entirely faithful to the House’s traditional craftsmanship.
The dial is a tribute to Breguet’s decorative arts. At its centre lies the iconic Clous de Paris guilloché pattern, surrounded by the equally recognisable Barleycorn motif—two of the Manufacture’s most emblematic decorative signatures for more than two centuries. The Arabic numerals and Breguet hands create a timeless display that feels elegant rather than nostalgic.
Naturally, the eye is immediately drawn to the Tourbillon at six o’clock. Positioned slightly below the dial surface, it creates a remarkable sense of depth. The newly designed Tourbillon bridge, with its polished double-arched profile, replaces the previous straight bridge and gives the regulating organ a lighter, more contemporary appearance. Even the seconds hand follows the curve of the aperture, illustrating the extraordinary attention devoted to every detail.
Inside beats the brand-new hand-wound Calibre 187B, the natural successor to the historic Calibre 558/588. Breguet deliberately retained the frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour (2.5 Hz), exactly the same frequency used by Abraham-Louis Breguet in his original Tourbillons and later by the Ref. 3350. This decision is as symbolic as it is technical, creating a direct bridge between two centuries of watchmaking. At the same time, however, the movement incorporates thoroughly modern solutions, including a Nivachron® balance spring, a silicon escape wheel and an increased 60-hour power reserve, successfully combining historical heritage with contemporary performance.
The 7357 is available in either platinum or the new 18K Breguet Gold, both bearing the Manufacture’s hallmark and featuring a newly developed guilloché pattern on the caseback inspired by the Dent de Vaulion, the iconic peak overlooking the Vallée de Joux, where Breguet is based today. Price: €169,300 (Breguet Gold) and €186,300 (platinum)
If the 7357 embodies history, the Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 expresses imagination. The name Sidéral is anything but accidental. Abraham-Louis Breguet possessed an extensive knowledge of astronomy and built scientific instruments alongside his watches. Long before becoming exclusively associated with watchmaking, the word Tourbillon itself was already used during the eighteenth century to describe the movement of celestial bodies. As Breguet CEO Gregory Kissling explains, the new model seeks to reconnect these two worlds: the science of timekeeping and the observation of the universe.
The first element to capture the eye is the magnificent black aventurine enamel dial. Thousands of sparkling inclusions evoke a star-filled night sky, providing the perfect setting for a Tourbillon that appears to float in space. Because it actually does.
The Sidéral 7255 is the first flying Tourbillon in Breguet’s history. Unlike Abraham-Louis Breguet’s traditional Tourbillon, where the cage is supported by bridges above and below, here it is held exclusively from beneath. The upper bridge disappears entirely, leaving the mechanism free from above and creating the illusion that it is suspended in mid-air. The visual effect is mesmerising, yet the construction is considerably more demanding, as the entire weight of the mechanism is supported from a single point.
As if that were not enough, Breguet also employs its mysterious construction technique. This ingenious architecture creates the illusion that the mechanism moves without any visible mechanical connection, reinforcing the impression that the Tourbillon is floating within the dial. Rarely seen in contemporary watchmaking, this remarkable solution returns to the Manufacture after an absence of almost two decades. Price: €269,700
If the Classique Tourbillon 7357 represents the purest expression of Breguet’s heritage and the Sidéral 7255 reveals the poetic side of the invention, the Tradition Tourbillon 7047 pays tribute to Abraham-Louis Breguet’s mechanical genius. The Tradition collection was created to revive the architecture of Breguet’s historic Souscription watches and the earliest movements produced by the great watchmaker. Here, nothing is concealed beneath the dial. Bridges, wheels, gears and the Tourbillon itself remain fully visible, allowing the wearer to observe the movement in action almost as if standing at a watchmaker’s bench.
The true distinction of the Tradition Tourbillon 7047, however, lies elsewhere. It is one of the very few contemporary watches to combine a Tourbillon with a fusée-and-chain transmission, another historic invention designed to deliver constant torque to the escapement as the mainspring unwinds. By compensating for the gradual loss of torque throughout the power reserve, the system improves the movement’s chronometric stability.
In other words, while the Tourbillon seeks to minimise the effects of gravity, the fusée-and-chain ensures that the energy delivered to it remains as constant as possible. Two different solutions serving the very same purpose: achieving the highest possible level of precision.
The hand-wound Calibre 569, comprising 499 components, combines these two iconic technical solutions with a silicon balance spring and a 50-hour power reserve, displayed at 10 o’clock. The 41 mm platinum case is paired with a Grand Feu blue enamel time display, creating a striking contrast between the elegance of traditional craftsmanship and the industrial beauty of the exposed movement.
Among the four anniversary creations, the Tradition Tourbillon 7047 perhaps captures Abraham-Louis Breguet’s spirit more completely than any other. Not simply because it features a Tourbillon, but because it brings together two of his greatest inventions within a single movement that openly reveals how precision is achieved. Price: €297,900
Of the four anniversary models presented by Breguet, the Marine Tourbillon Equation Marchante 5887 is unquestionably the most sophisticated. Not because it is simply equipped with a Tourbillon, but because it is a true Grande Complication, where mechanical precision meets astronomical timekeeping.
The Tourbillon dominates the dial at five o’clock. Surrounding it is an extraordinarily complex mechanism combining a perpetual calendar with the equation of time, displaying the difference between mean solar time and true solar time. On the Marine 5887, true solar time is indicated directly by a dedicated hand tipped with a golden sun.
The front of the watch is composed of two distinct layers. At its centre sits a sapphire dial featuring a hand-painted miniature executed in blue gradient Grand Feu enamel. Above it appears, also entirely hand-crafted and enhanced with luminescent enamel, the night sky showing the constellations and the Moon exactly as they appeared over Paris on 26 June 1801, the day Abraham-Louis Breguet was granted the Tourbillon patent.
Powering the watch is the self-winding Calibre 581DPE, a movement comprising 563 components, beating at 4 Hz and offering an 80-hour power reserve. The one-minute Tourbillon features a titanium cage and a Breguet silicon balance spring, while the 43.9 mm platinum case is water-resistant to 10 bar.
Perhaps the most touching feature is that each of the 25 pieces can be personalised to display the sky above a location and date of special significance to its future owner. In this way, the Marine Tourbillon Equation Marchante 5887 becomes far more than a demonstration of technical mastery. It transforms the Tourbillon into a personal astronomical calendar, linking the historic date of 26 June 1801 with a deeply personal moment in the life of its wearer. Price: €353,500 (strap) and €448,300 (bracelet)
The four timepieces presented here demonstrate that, 225 years after the Tourbillon patent was granted, Breguet does not regard its greatest invention as a historical relic, but as a living platform for creativity. Whether through a faithful reinterpretation of its heritage, the poetry of astronomy, the architecture of the movement or the most sophisticated Grand Complications, the House continues to develop an idea born in 1801 while remaining true to its relentless pursuit of precision.
And while these four anniversary Tourbillons celebrate Breguet’s enduring legacy, the Manufacture is already looking towards the future. The best example is the Expérimentale 1, the first 10 Hz Tourbillon equipped with a magnetic constant-force escapement—a research project that marks the beginning of a new era in fine watchmaking and proves that the spirit of Abraham-Louis Breguet continues to be expressed through innovation as much as through tradition.
Note: Prices are official recommended retail prices, including VAT, at the time this article was written.
