Swiss watchmakers Breguet have a heritage so rich that the Classique is not just an icon of the brand, but an icon of horology as a whole.
The timeless aesthetic of this timepiece is inspired by the decorative codes applied in the early days of horology. Watch decoration, in the past, was motivated by functional concerns, and served to both prevent premature tarnishing and strengthen the inherently fragile nature of clear or polished surfaces.
To honour these traditions the Classique 7147, an extremely refined new model, features an entirely engine-turned silvered gold dial, and epitomises this pairing of functionality and styling. As a result, by making a point of reproducing these decorative techniques, especially in the engine-turning on dials, there is a historical legitimacy to this watch rarely seen in modern horology.
Available in 18-carat rose or white gold, the Classique 7147 houses an ultra-thin mechanical self-winding movement with an off-centred oscillating weight. Its 40 mm-diameter case is fitted with a sapphire crystal caseback providing an opportunity to observe the distinctive technical characteristics of the model, including a Breguet balance-spring and a silicon escapement.
Hours and minutes are read off blued steel Breguet hands which sweep over a chapter ring bearing Roman numerals. Additionally, the dial motif is ‘clou de Pari’ hobnailing, and the offset small seconds sundial at 5 o’clock is enhanced by a cross weave pattern.
With a leather strap and delicately slated caseband, the timepiece is also water resistant to 30 – showing that while Breguet are dedicated to preserving the past, they are not afraid to adapt for the future.
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