A face as black as night, resplendent under the glow of Grand Feu enamel is encased in a sheath of platinum. The Classique de Breguet is dressed in black and silver to show the essential passage of time on reference 5177, complemented by the moon-phase and power-reserve indicator on reference 7787 powered by two automatic movements: the Manufacture calibres 777 Q and 591 DRL
Nicknamed “the metal of kings”, the noble material platinum crowns exceptional timepieces such as the Classique 5177 and Classique 7787. Its alluring brilliant grey colour is sometimes mistaken for white gold or silver. However, many of its qualities distinguish it from other natural minerals and iron alloys, such as its weight, malleability and above all its high resistance to magnetism and corrosion, making it a symbol of eternity. It is also hypoallergenic, and its weight gives it a strong presence on the wrist.
Faithfully continuing the physical characteristics of the collection, the cases – including the slim bezel, knurled crown, slender lugs, and fluted case band – of these two new models are manufactured for the first time in platinum, 38mm in diameter and 8.8mm high for the Classique 5177, and 39mm in diameter and 10.3mm high for the Classique 7787.
Like platinum, Grand Feu enamel is reserved for haute horology pieces and exclusive models and has an eternal value. Initially, it was used in watchmaking to protect the discs of dials, which were often victims of ageing due to natural light, dust particles, and oxidation, as watches were by no means watertight before the middle of the 20th century.
This decorative technique – using a powder made from a host of minerals and metal oxides for colour, amalgamated with a binder, applied to the dial base, and then vitrified at a high temperature (between 800 and 1200°C) – requires meticulous craftsmanship. Like a flame, it can be capricious, unpredictable, and untameable. In fact, several firings in a dedicated oven are necessary depending on the number of coats in order to fuse the elements and pigments, add depth, and obtain that unalterable shine; each firing presents a risk.
Coated with intense black Grand Feu enamel – one of the most difficult colours to work with – the smooth, uniform faces of these new Classiques are adorned with a set of Breguet Arabic numerals and a discreet timer in powdered silver to create a slight contrast. The rhodium-plated “moon” tip Breguet hands indicating the hours, minutes, and seconds enhances the contrast. Following the habits of 18th century watchmakers to guarantee the authenticity of a timepiece, these Grand Feu enamel dials reveal Breguet’s secret signature to the right of the centre for the 7787 and between the centre and 6 o’clock for the 5177.
The Classique 5177 is undoubtedly the closest pure expression of A.-L. Breguet’s stylistic philosophy, displaying the essentials of time accompanied by a “tone-on-tone” date window visible at 3 o’clock, while the Classique 7787 offers more comprehensive displays to suit individual needs.
An open downward fan, a comforting smile, or the friendly profile of a crescent moon: the cut-out window showing the phases of the Earth’s natural satellite on Classique 7787 opens the door to romantic imagination. The night star, embodied by a hammered gold disc, appears against a starry blue sky, delivering its moods on a graduated scale over 29.5 days. It overlooks a power-reserve indicator hand in the lower part of the dial.
Heir to the technical expertise initiated by its founder, A.-L. Breguet, in Paris almost 250 years ago, the Maison Breguet continues to equip its watches with innovative, precise, and reliable movements developed at its manufacture in the Vallée de Joux in the Swiss Jura. The proof is in the self-winding mechanical duo that powers the Classique 5177 and Classique 7787, visible through the sapphire crystal casebacks.
Vibrating at the standard frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, The 777 Q calibre movement – assembled from 237 components – incorporates a flat balance-spring made from silicon, a material resistant to wear, corrosion and magnetism adopted by Montres Breguet in 2006. Its rhodium-plated 18-carat gold oscillating weight is decorated with a hand-engraved “starry mosaic” motif and an exclusive design that echoes the words “Breguet special edition” engraved on the weight. It powers a unique barrel that provides up to 55 hours of power reserve when the watch is fully wound.
The 591 DRL calibre movement, clocked at 4 Hz and comprising 221 components, delivers 38 hours of power reserve once wound by its rhodium-plated 22-carat gold rotor adorned with hand-made “barley grain” guilloché. The addition of a pinion on the moon-phase disc enables it to offer a realistic display of the cycle, i.e. 29.5303498 days instead of the 29.5 days generally offered by this type of complication, and therefore closer to the 29.53058888 days of the actual lunar revolution. The difference is therefore limited to one day after 348.7 years.
