Watches | Breguet
Breguet pays - tribute to the emblematic Year of the Dragon
| 2024-02-19 |     |
with the unveiling of two new watches created in highest standards by its in-house
A symbol of power, courage, nobility, tenacity and success, the dragon is regarded in Chinese culture as a supernatural creature with many talents... In its honour, the Manufacture has dedicated all of its skills into creating two exceptional timepieces.
Classique Double Tourbillon Dragon - 5345 - Special edition
Technical skills meet savoir faire: To counter the effects of gravity on the watch movements’ regularity, Abraham-Louis Breguet launched the tourbillon on 26 June 1801 and this horological invention has been a ceaseless source of fascination ever since. Over time, different variations have appeared in the brand's collections, culminating in the unveiling of the first double tourbillon in 2006: a unique interpretation in which two tourbillons connected to a differential form, an integral part of the time display. The rotating central plate on which the two tourbillons are mounted sets into rotation the hours hand which serves as the upper bridge for one of the tourbillons and its extension as a bridge for the second. Coupled by means of differential gears determining the mean rate and driving the rotation of the entire mechanism, the two tourbillons are nevertheless independent of each other, each making one turn per minute via its own gear train and barrel.
This fascinating mechanism is brought to life by 749-component Calibre 588N1, a hand-wound movement with a 60-hour power reserve and a 2.5 Hz frequency. The full scope of Breguet's expertise can also be admired through the sapphire crystal caseback. The allegorical decoration featuring a blend of guilloché and engraving required great dexterity on the part of the Manufacture's artisans. These two centuries-old arts are perpetuated at the Manufacture Horlogère nestling in the heart of the Vallée de Joux. The guilloché workshop is equipped with more than 30 guilloché lathes, some of which date back several hundred years. These are the machines that work the magic, deftly guided by the expert touch of the craftspeople who create different types of motifs by hand. Drawing on their many years of experience, the engravers working nearby use a variety of techniques to create the varied motifs found on these timepieces. With the exception of binocular microscopes, the tools and techniques are the same as they were centuries ago.
A timepiece with many details
Today, the brand is highlighting a version in which a dragon twirls between the two tourbillons. The entirely hand-engraved gold dragon secured to the two barrel bridges is depicted clutching a pearl made of mother-of-pearl in its talons. Legend has it that this pearl possesses the sacred essence that gives the dragon its power. It is also said to represent sagacity. The creature symbolises the emperor as being one who rules his empire with wisdom. The rhodium-plated gold rotating plate is hand-guilloché with a fan motif. The gold bridge below the mainplate features an anthracite galvanic treatment and guilloché-work with a Clous de Paris hobnail motif. Luxury lies in the details: the Roman numerals and minutes track on the sapphire hour-circle are first laser-engraved and then coated with black varnish. The flange is engraved with 12 Roman numeral hour-markers, which are then filled with black varnish and represent the shadow of the numerals on the chapter ring. Moreover, Breguet offers each client a one-of-a-kind timepiece, as the dragon's shape and colour can be personalised as desired. The colour of the Roman numerals, the hands and the strap can also be chosen from a range of Breguet designs.
Classique Dragon - 7145 - Eight-piece numbered limited edition
Dial adorned with artistic crafts: The full range of skills cultivated by Breguet's craftspeople is visible in this new creation. Firstly, the crimson red dial featuring different shades between the chapter ring and the centre is produced using a technique rarely exercised today: Grand Feu enamelling. This age-old skill requires great virtuosity to master the vast palette of colours and create subtle and elegant nuances. To obtain this texture, the artisan applies a mixture of silica and oxides to the watch face. The dial is then fired several times in a very high-temperature kiln, where the enamel ignites and melts in contact with the heat. This is a very delicate operation, during which the dial could break at any time.
The dragon standing proudly on the dial is an entirely hand-engraved rose gold applique. The fantasy creature with its majestic posture keeps a constantly watchful eye on its pearl, made of natural white mother-of-pearl. The Roman numerals, minutes track and clouds are in a golden powder-pink hue. The chapter ring is punctuated by 12 discreet round gold hour-markers. Finally, the time is indicated by Breguet's signature open-tipped hands.
A highly refined mechanism
Calibre 502.3 beats inside a 40 mm-diameter rose gold case which is one of Breguet’s thinnest at just 2.40 mm thick. The 162 components of this self-winding movement endow the timepiece with a 45- hour power reserve. It is equipped with a balance-spring and pallet-lever in silicon. The latter material has many properties: in addition to being resistant to corrosion and wear, it is insensitive to the influence of magnetic fields and enhances the precision of the timepiece. The gold oscillating weight that is hand- guilloché with a circular barleycorn motif can be admired through the sapphire crystal caseback.
