DOUBLE DOWN

Breguet’s 2017 novelties showcase different aspects of the manufacture’s technical prowess

Breguet shows off talent for both men's and women's watches

Among its diverse range of novelties presented at Baselworld this year, Breguet has two highlights—one for each gender— that showcase its watchmaking capabilities.

For the men, there is the Marine Équation Marchante 5887. This is the forerunner to the new Marine collection, which Breguet is revamping with updated aesthetics: New central lugs and a slimmer case that retains its stepped bezel and fluted case middle.

As the technical flagship among the novelties, the Marine Équation Marchante 5887 houses several complications. Kicking things off is the perpetual calendar, which uses a somewhat unusual format of two apertures and a retrograde hand to display all its information. A simple power reserve indicator at eight o’clock provides contrast to this. Of course, the manufacture has included the tourbillon regulator—the quintessential Breguet device—in this watch. It is visible through the large aperture at five o’clock.

Like the perpetual calendar, Breguet’s execution of the equation of time complication is atypical. Normally, the equation of time display is a sector that indicates (in minutes) the difference between apparent solar time and civil time. (In the past, this allowed people to reconcile the difference between the time indicated by a sundial and an accurate clock.) On the Marine Équation Marchante 5887, however, the blue central hand displays the apparent solar time immediately.

This year’s feminine counterpoint to the Marine Équation Marchante 5887 is the Tradition Dame 7038 (facing page). Like its other family members, the watch showcases Breguet’s architectural approach to both the movement’s layout and the displays that are integrated into it. The entire setup is anchored by the barrel, which has been decorated with a rosette motif and placed dead centre on the dial. The rest of the displays and components around it, meanwhile, have been finished with various techniques to play with light. This is accentuated by the different depths that the parts are positioned at, with the final result being a complex and three-dimensional dial.

The two watches underline Breguet’s ability and versatility in building technical pieces for both men and women without ladies’ watches looking like gem-set versions of the men’s. And that’s something that horolophiles are grateful for.

From top: Watchmaking is an art at Breguet, whether it’s for men’s or women’s pieces; Marine Équation Marchante 5887.