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Breguet Classique Chronometrie 10Hz Watch Hands-On

admin — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 07:24:51 +0000

I consider this cool new Breguet watch as one of the neatest new pieces in their 2012 collection. It is all based on a marriage of the brand's iconic classic look and their highly sophisticated, high frequency mechanical movement. It isn't for everyone, but enough hardcore watch lovers like me will no doubt get excited by a piece like this.

The full name of the watch is the Breguet Classique Chronometrie 10Hz Reference 7727. While the reference number is 7727, that is not the number you'll find on the dial of the watch. Next to the Breguet logo on the dial is a number that must be matched by a similar number on the movement. If the numbers don't match then according to Breguet, the watch is not authentic. That is something I didn't know about their watches before.

The watch case is 41mm wide and relatively thin. This model is in 18k rose gold with fluted sides and that classic Breguet Classique look. The dial of the watch is 18k silvered gold that has been machine guilloche engraved. The asymmetrical yet balanced look is a signature style of Breguet ever since the beginning. The face is completed with blued steel hands - and one silicon hand.

That's right, the small 1/10 of a second hand that overlaps the subsidiary seconds hand is in silicon. It rapidly spins around the dial letting you know something special is going on here. The exposed part of the movement is likely connected to the balance wheel assembly. Also on the dial is the time and a power reserve indicator.

Inside the watch is a new movement based on Breguet's high frequency research. The 10 hertz movement was debuted in the Breguet Type XXII chronograph watch here. For 2012 the concept is displayed in this non-chronograph caliber 574 DR manually wound movement. It has 60 hours of power reserve and a silicon balance spring and escapement. According to Breguet, there is some magnetic system used to maintain the very fast operation of the balance wheel. Because the hairspring and escapement are in silicon, they are not affected by any magnetic fields.

Through the rear of the case you can see the exposed movement through the sapphire crystal caseback. The balance wheel is smaller given how fast it moves. It is quite impressive to see it in action. 10 Hz is more than twice as fast as a standard 4 Hz mechanical movement, and twice as fast as a 5 Hz Zenith El Primero movement. How does all that relate to accuracy? To be honest I am not sure. Theoretically it should improve accuracy. By how much it is hard to say. Breguet doesn't publish those details, but I have a feeling that the 7727 should be at least appreciably more accurate than lower frequency movements. In the end, you aren't gonna get a watch like this for perfect timing, but rather for the technology and visuals.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Breguet Type XXI 3810 Titanium Watch Hands-On

admin — Thu, 26 May 2011 07:05:28 +0000

Among many other things I like about this Breguet watch are the applied hour indicators. These are most certainly ranked among the best hour markers I have ever seen. They are done in a brushed metal (likely titanium to match the case) and are applied to the dial. The finish on them is very smooth and they appear luxurious as well as being very clear to the eye. What exactly makes them look so good? The trick is that the surface isn't flat. Each numeral is rounded, just a bit. Trust me, they look better in person than in pictures. It also helps that they are designed in that typical, beautiful, Breguet Transatlantique style. I love this font.

The hour numerals aren't the only new thing here, either. For 2011 Breguet releases a titanium version of their Type XXI 3810 aviator watch (also a better designed and working version of the XXII!). Breguet has a wonderful eye for detail and when they make a mistake with something, they quickly fix it. The grade 5 titanium used for the case is well machined, offering the style of the steel model with the lightness and grayer color of titanium. The titanium Type XXI comes on either a leather strap or a titanium bracelet. Both look quite stunning. Leave it to Breguet to make a masculine watch that you can freely call "pretty."

The original Type XXI watch came with a brown dial. Nice, but I wanted a black one. I loved the Type XX in gold with a black dial. That was the first watch I had seen in black and gold and said, "Now that is a good color combo." With my taste today the Type XX is too small, and at 42.5mm wide, the Type XXI feels much better. Maybe there will be a gold and black Type XXI in the future. I don't think Breguet has done that yet.

In addition to being offered in titanium, the watch also has a new dial design and bezel. The thin rotating bezel is engraved with applied black for a much more retro look than the others. I feel that it fits the "timeless aviator" theme rather well. Around the periphery of the dial is a thick, white minute ring which is complimented with a similar design around the sub seconds dial. These little touches really add to the attractive quality of the dial - which remains highly legible.

Inside the watch is the same automatic movement which has the time, date, 12 hour chronograph, and a 24 hour hand (AM/PM indicator. The chronograph is one of those neat ones that uses the central dial for the chronograph seconds and minutes, vastly improving your ability to read the chronograph counters. Not too sure about other details in the watch. This really is one of the most elegant military style pilot watches out there. You just can't go wrong with it. Price is from 12,500 - 15,000 Swiss Francs (strap or bracelet price).

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Breguet Classique 5717 Hora Mundi Watch Hands-On

admin — Tue, 03 May 2011 07:03:06 +0000

One of the most useful mechanical complications I saw at Baselworld 2011 was the time switching mechanism on the new Breguet Classique 5717 Hora Mundi watch. Aside from having a very clever feature for travelers, the Hora Mundi mixes contemporary looks with Breguet classicism. That sounds like a bit of a irony, but they seemed to pull it off.

The watch is large for Breguet Classique pieces at 44mm wide and over 13mm thick. The Classique style case looks nice in the size, but I think the design may have benefited from curved lugs in these dimensions. Of course the coined edge is always nice. The case is available in either 18k red gold or 950 platinum. There are also two dial versions. See the map on this dial? It is of Asia and the surrounding area. The two other dials have either North America or Europe. The ocean is done with a sweetly textured lapis lazuli, and the polished land region is cut with very high precision. Around the dial is a typical Breguet Roman numeral hour indicator ring, with two large pomme blued-steel style hands.

Complications on the watch include the time, date, moon phase indicator, and the dual time mechanism. The date uses one of those expanded date windows that are good for dial balance, but bad for legibility. So Breguet did something to improve on the date window (that is located under 12 o'clock). There is circle-shaped hand in the open window that goes over the correct date. This should help things a lot, see what I mean?

The moon phase complication is self-explanatory, but the dual time function requires a bit of explanation. When it is set up properly, it is very hands. What you do is press the pusher at 8 o'clock and the time switches instantly between two time zones. The reference city for that time zone is displayed in the open area over 6 o'clock. The watch doesn't just change the time, but also keeps track of AM/PM and changes the date when appropriate - pretty nifty right?

Essentially what the watch is doing is keeping track of two times as one. There is a switch in the movement that changes which one is being displayed. Adjusting the times isn't too hard, and the ability to juxtapose a local and reference time on the fly is really handy. It cleans up the dial and makes the Hora Muni a travel watch when you want it to be, and a daily wearer when you don't. I don't know too many watches that can claim that.

Inside the ref. 5717 Hora Mundi is the brand new Breguet caliber 77F0 automatic movement. It has a silicon hairspring and escapement, and is based on the Breguet caliber 777. The 77F0 has about 55 hours of power reserve. I like how the automatic movement has guilloche machine engraving on it for decoration. The piece is overall very pretty, and comes in a total of six versions. With the useful features, attractive design, and Breuget pedigree the ref 5717 Hora Mundi is one of best new Breguet watches for 2011 - and will be a desired piece by collectors and newbies to the brand for a few years to come.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Breguet Marine Royale Alarm 5847 Watch Hands-On

admin — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 08:14:58 +0000

While pretty awesome to behold (especially in size) and pretty in design, the Breguet Marine Royale Ref. 5847 watch for 2010 is an ergonomic mistake. It looks cool on the wrist - making you feel like some sort of well-to-do space pirate captain, but the legibility and use of the watch are pretty whacked. I've never much bought into the whole Breguet Marine line. Is it supposed to be a true diver? Just dive style? Dive anything? I mean it is called the "Marine," and does have an available rubber strap, 300 meters of water resistance, and rotating diver's bezel. Then again, it does have the "Royale" name. So maybe this is just a watch meant for yachting. Regardless of the style or actual theme of the watch, it does have a sort of handsome grace. Confused maybe, but still handsome. You have to like the design of the rotating bezel and the out minute marker chapter ring.

New for 2010 is the Breguet Marine Royale AlarmÂ Ref. 5847 (5847BB/12/BZ0). Not the first alarm for the line, but perhaps more "alarming." The watch is big too. Almost massive for Breguet standards at 45mm wide. This with the thickness of the case make it feel like a big chuck or metal on your wrist. Heavy is good, but the watch really does have a particular "chunky" quality to it. Case material is 18k white gold (or 18k rose gold), and available with two dial colors.

There are a few peculiar pushers and levers on the side of the case. It looks intimidating are first glance. One of the things (near the crown) is a lever that locks the bezel into place to prevent it from moving. An odd looking wave pusher on the other side of the case is used for cycling through the alarm functions (on or off mainly). I do quite like the "wave" style engrave automatic rotor in the rear of the watch. That is part of the entire Marine collection, and I enjoy it. The more you look at the case style and the dial of course, you tend to feel that the watch is "imperial" in theme. Sure Breguet is popular in countries that have had some degree of "empire" in their history (or present), but the watch does feel a welcome accessory to your political war machine.

Breguet gives the watch an 18k silvered gold dial (or in rhodium black) that is deeply engraved with a number of guilloche patterns. The light blue elements for the alarm ring are a nice touch, and most of the elements on the dial are applied. Without having to read the dial, it looks really pleasant. And now starts the confusion. I've mentioned that watch is an alarm. Mechanical it works well enough. Use one of the crowns on the right side of the case to set the blue tipped alarm hand, and then use the "wave" pusher to make sure the alarm is on or off. The sound is about as good as you can get from a mechanical alarm in a case of this size and design. Meaning it is not very loud - though most aren't really. The dial has a separate power reserve indicator for the alarm (though none for the rest of the functions). So you can be sure it has enough power. That indicator is not exactly a breeze to read. In bad light, forget about seeing the little hand in it. Worse is the tiny window for the alarm function indicator. The actual disc is so deep into the movement it is like looking into a pin hole. Without the right light or angle, you have basically no way of knowing whether the alarm is on or off. I doubt that many people who have this watch are going to use the alarm much. On the dark dialed version of the watch all these legibility and ergonomic problems are compounded.

I would love to say that reading the time is any better. Traditional Breguet Pomme hands are nice, but they are too thin here and blend in with the dial. Trust me, in the wrong light, you may as well check your phone or ask someone else for the time. There is lume on the 18k gold hands, but just a little dot for the minute hand, and a super small sliver on the hour hand. This is all form over function, and I never expected that from Breguet. I am sure that the lume on the dial is better. Overall I wish that Breguet would have planned out the dial better, it really destroys what otherwise could have been a kick-ass watch.

Movement wise the Marine Royale Alarm has an automatic Breguet Caliber 519R. Nice 18k white gold rotor that I discussed above, and a 45 hour power reserve. In addition to the time and alarm, it has a date complication as well. The finishing and decoration on the movement is nicely done - though that is to be expect from Breguet. So in the end, as a Breguet "looking" watch the 2010 Marine Royale Alarm doesn't disappoint, nor does it as a luxury watch. But as a tool that is actually meant to be useful (at least to tell the time), it is lacking. And in Breguet's defense, it is by no means the only luxury watch that makes these mistakes. Maybe next year Breguet will do better.

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Breguet Classique 5157 Charity Watch Auction On eBay

admin — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 18:08:07 +0000

How much over retail do you think this Breguet Ref. 5157 watch will go for, for charity? With a retail price of $16,200 the 18k gold Breguet watch is currently on eBay awaiting January 9th, 2011, when the auction will end. The proceeds are said to go to the New York Philharmonic's School Partnership Program. When the money is eventually delivered, the children who attend schools that benefit from charity will no doubt be shocked to have received money from a man that died almost 200 years ago.

The charity sets up music education programs at New York City schools. Pretentious men and women (with fine watches) travel to underprivileged social institutions and set up "scared straight" style lectures to youth. "This man never listened to orchestra music and now he is in jail - life with out parole. Do you want that to be you?" On the other hand, this guy over here practiced piano for seven years, became an account, and now owns a Lexus hybrid... And guess which of them knows what a Breguet is!"

"You little sons of bitches, with you MP3 tracks and your iTuners wouldn't know good taste if it slapped you across the face like your mother does each time you talk back in that jive talk so popular among you young people. Trust us, the oboe is your friend, and it WILL get you laid. Unlike those pants you have dragging on the floor. I'm now gonna show you how this violin stick can be used to serenade a lost lover, or make fires in the wild during a survival situation."

I am guessing that that is pretty much how it goes... What amuses me most is how watch brand's love to pick on eBay as the "bastion of gray marketers -" and then use it as a venue for a high-end watch charity auction. Of course eBay is so much more than that - and I personally think that educated buyers should use is all the time. See the auction link below.

Breguet 5157 watch auction on eBay for charity here.

Breguet Classique 5157 18K White Gold Extra Thin Watch
$12,499.00
Time Remaining: 4d 13h 48m
Buy It Now for only: $12,499.00
Buy It Now

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Breguet Réveil du Tsar Enamel Dial Watch

admin — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 21:16:00 +0000

I love it when enamel dials turn out this nice. Breguet offers up a new version of the several year old Reveil du Tsar alarm watch with this enamel dial that is available only in the boutiques. Expect more and more "boutique specials" in stores to attract customers in there instead of other dealers or the Internet. $36,400.

Read my full article on the Breguet Reveil du Tsar Enamel Dial watch here at Haute Living.

See Breguet watches on eBay here.

See Breguet watches on Amazon here.

VINTAGE NOS 21X15 MM BREGUET DARK BROWN CROCODILE STRAP BAND
$149.99
Time Remaining: 1h 34m
Buy It Now for only: $149.99
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VINTAGE NOS 18X14 MM BREGUET BLACK LIZARD STRAP BAND
$149.99
Time Remaining: 1h 43m
Buy It Now for only: $149.99
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VINTAGE NOS 19X14 MM BREGUET BLACK CROCODILE STRAP BAND
$149.99
Time Remaining: 1h 44m
Buy It Now for only: $149.99
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Breguet Classique Ref3910 18K Yellow Gold Mechanical Watch
$8,500.00
Time Remaining: 7h 17m
Buy It Now for only: $8,500.00
Buy It Now

BREGUET MARINE Ref 5817 BIG DATE AUTOMATIC MENS WATCH MINT CONDITION
$11,000.00
Time Remaining: 9h 29m
Buy It Now for only: $11,000.00
Buy It Now

Breguet Heritage 594 Ref 5480
$11,195.00
Time Remaining: 10h 4m
Buy It Now for only: $11,195.00
Buy It Now

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Breguet Reveil Musical Watch

admin — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 22:45:20 +0000

Breguet here offers a music box style watch with a disc and pins, versus the only cylinder approach. What is neat about the Reveil Musical Watch is that you can have the music box play as an alarm. But don't for get to wind this baby up - the 20-25 second long tune is a mainspring torque eater. 18k rose gold case with musical notes and staff placed on the side of it. The watch comes with this fancy wooden case and stand. What does that do? It is a system that is meant to amplify the sounds of the music box in the watch when activated on the wood stand. Priced at about $64,000.

Read my full article on the Breguet Reveil Musical watch here at Haute Living.

VINTAGE NOS 21X15 MM BREGUET DARK BROWN CROCODILE STRAP BAND
$149.99
Time Remaining: 1h 34m
Buy It Now for only: $149.99
Buy It Now

VINTAGE NOS 18X14 MM BREGUET BLACK LIZARD STRAP BAND
$149.99
Time Remaining: 1h 43m
Buy It Now for only: $149.99
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VINTAGE NOS 19X14 MM BREGUET BLACK CROCODILE STRAP BAND
$149.99
Time Remaining: 1h 44m
Buy It Now for only: $149.99
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Breguet Classique Ref3910 18K Yellow Gold Mechanical Watch
$8,500.00
Time Remaining: 7h 17m
Buy It Now for only: $8,500.00
Buy It Now

BREGUET MARINE Ref 5817 BIG DATE AUTOMATIC MENS WATCH MINT CONDITION
$11,000.00
Time Remaining: 9h 29m
Buy It Now for only: $11,000.00
Buy It Now

Breguet Heritage 594 Ref 5480
$11,195.00
Time Remaining: 10h 4m
Buy It Now for only: $11,195.00
Buy It Now

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Breguet Type XXII Flyback Chronograph GMT Watch Hands-On

admin — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 08:15:10 +0000

On the list of watches that I would brutally and without remorse murder for is the Breguet Transatlantique Type XX and possibly the Type XXI (in the right color scheme). Representing a less brutally expensive Breguet, the Type XX and XXI are wonderful sport watches with a beauty that is deserving of the Breguet name. For 2010 Breguet has released the Type XXII watch into the mix. Known more directly as the Type XXII Flyback Chronograph GMT 3880 ST, the watch is also meant as a 50th anniversary piece for the first of these model which were originally made for the French naval air force (see the limited edition collection that stemmed from that anniversary here). A beautiful watch by most angles, is gets so complex and hard to understand, the passion for me is lost. It isn't that I am a moron and need only "simple" watches, it is rather that I don't like to look at a dial and immediately get confused. Even while having Breguet show me the watch, we were unclear as to how to operate it. Which then inspires that dependable catch-all phrase "this is just a semi-functional sample piece." Sure... In a nutshell, I think that what they are trying to do with the watch is great, but it comes across as being confusing. Not just in operation, but as in "why even do that?" Sort of like the answer to a question no one asked.

The Type XXII watch has some very cool things about it, both visually and technically. Of interest is the very high beat movement that operates at 72,000 vph (vibrations per hour). This is very, very fast. Most nice movements operated at about 28,000, and the Zenith El Primero goes at about 36,000. So up to 72,000 (10 hertz) is a major step up. This means that the chronograph for example can be used to measure very small fractions of a second. It is so fast, that the chronograph seconds hand rotates the entire dial in just 30 seconds. Breguet says this allows the watch to measure time with "twice the precision." Which is another discussion unto itself, but you can measure up to 1/20 of a second precision with this baby. Though really, if you want that much precision when timing with a watch, get yourself a quartz Casio.

OK, so before I talk about the prettiness of the piece, let's talk functionality. Inside the watch is an automatic Breguet 589F movement with a silicon escapement, silicon balance-spring, and 45 hours of power reserve. These latter two silicon parts are a major part of the high beat ability of the movement. Functions include the time, date, a 60 minute chronograph, and a GMT hand that comes with a synchronized 24 hour hand. Let's talk about the GMT hand first. The lower subdial at 6 o'clock has a large 12 hour hand which is the GMT hand for a second timezone. It has a synchronized 24 hour hand at 3 o'clock so that you can know whether it is AM or PM in that second timezone. If the AM/PM indication was so important, wouldn't it just make sense to have the second timezone hand in 24 hour format? So much of the dial is taken up but this redundancy. Sure, "no one else has done this before." Maybe for good reason. I don't know why the lauded Breguet had to "innovate" in this department. I can see the Seiko engineers laughing about stuff like this.

Then you have the chronograph, a poor overly complex 60 minute chronograph. So the main dial has two hands. The red chronograph seconds hand, and the white hand with the red arrow tip. The flyback chronograph seconds hand moves around the dial once each 30 seconds. In order to know whether it is on its first or second pass for that minute, you can look at the linear-style dial sitting under 12 o'clock (which goes from 0-60). Leave it to Breguet to make using a chronograph too quirky to be fun. I am sure the device is fun to watch, but hard to feasibly use for any serious purposes. You read the elapsed minutes via the white centrally mounted hand with the red tip - which uses the main dial for this function. The subdial at 9 o'clock is for the seconds for the main time.

So basically what Breguet did is force people who buy this watch to rethink what certain dials are used for. Nothing on the watch feels intuitive. You see certain scales, and placements of dials on the watch and want it to do one thing, when in reality is does another. I see two thin hands on the main dial, and I think rattrapante. I see a linear scale style dial and I think power reserve indicator. I see a synchronized 24 hour hands and I think it is for the main time, not the second time zone. There is just so much to remember with the Type 22 (XXII) watch. I do further fear that the movement is too complex. I could be totally wrong, but I think that it will take Breguet a while to work the kinks out of this complex little mechanical dancing number.

Visually the dial looks great. Cool looking, and easy to read (for the time that is). The multi-level dial is easy on the eyes, and the hands and numerals are easy to read. The 44mm steel case is beautiful and complex (water resistant to 100 meters), building on theÂ classic complexity of the Type XX and XXI designs. Case has a rotating diver's style bezel and a very handsome look. Check out the two-tone crossed stitching on the leather strap. Is that fancy looking or what?

I just want the dial and functions of the watch to be more straight forward. I am all about complexity and complications, but make it matter! Here, I just feel like they wanted to do something different. The complex, high beat movement inside could be emphasized better, and the functionality needs to be seriously streamlined. This watch just didn't feel thought-out enough. The sporty line from Breguet deserves better, something more inspired to be worn and used, rather than to have mere bragging rights on paper. I'd gladly wear the Breguet Type XXII Flyback Chronograph GMT watch because it looks good. But I would abstain from using its functions out of protest!Â Price is in the $18,200 range.

See Breguet watches on eBay here.

See Breguet watches on Amazon here.

VINTAGE NOS 21X15 MM BREGUET DARK BROWN CROCODILE STRAP BAND
$149.99
Time Remaining: 1h 34m
Buy It Now for only: $149.99
Buy It Now

VINTAGE NOS 18X14 MM BREGUET BLACK LIZARD STRAP BAND
$149.99
Time Remaining: 1h 43m
Buy It Now for only: $149.99
Buy It Now

VINTAGE NOS 19X14 MM BREGUET BLACK CROCODILE STRAP BAND
$149.99
Time Remaining: 1h 44m
Buy It Now for only: $149.99
Buy It Now

Breguet Classique Ref3910 18K Yellow Gold Mechanical Watch
$8,500.00
Time Remaining: 7h 17m
Buy It Now for only: $8,500.00
Buy It Now

BREGUET MARINE Ref 5817 BIG DATE AUTOMATIC MENS WATCH MINT CONDITION
$11,000.00
Time Remaining: 9h 29m
Buy It Now for only: $11,000.00
Buy It Now

Breguet Heritage 594 Ref 5480
$11,195.00
Time Remaining: 10h 4m
Buy It Now for only: $11,195.00
Buy It Now

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Breguet Type XX Aéronavale Limited Edition Watch For 2010

admin — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 07:01:17 +0000

Breguet's famous Type XX watches are among the first high-end timepieces that I fell in love with back in college. I couldn't afford one then, and I still don't have one today, but the dream of owning one of the Breguet "Type" aviator style watches remains strong. They come in a few varieties, such as the Type XX, Type XXI, and the newer (and sort of silly) Type XXII.

50 years ago Breguet delivered to the French Naval Airforce 500 Type XX Aéronavale watches made on special order. Actually, they were ordered in 1958, but it took Breguet 2 years to make all the pieces. The French Naval Air force (known as the Aéronavale), wanted easy to ready flight watches with flyback chronograph functions. Still to this day, all Breguet Type XX watches have a flyback chronograph. The watch had a special engraving on the back which read: Breguet Marine Nationale Aeronautique Navale." According to Breguet, the watches were still being used in service by pilots until the early 1980s (and collector's love them today). Breguet has actually been working with the French Navy since 1815 supplying pocket watches.

After that initial run, Breguet continued the tradition of the watches, with the simply named Aeronavale timepieces. They also offered newer Type XX watches (a model name that was in use long before the 1960s). In addition to 50 years of the Aeronavale watch, 2010 also marks the 100th anniversary of the French Aeronavale as a military branch. As such, Breguet, who hasn't made a limited edition watch for any specific purpose in a while, has created this new limited edition of 1000 pieces Type XX Aéronavale Ref. 3803ST watch for 2010.

The piece is a beauty. Lovely in the tradition of the Type XX, it looks both retro and somehow modern at the same time. The case is medium sized at 39mm wide in a high polished steel, win that great iconic style with the coined (fluted) edge. The rotating bezel has raised relief numerals and markers with black lacquer set in the between them. While the case size is smaller than today's modern Type XXI watches (for example), it is a bit larger than the original Ref. 3800 watches from the 1960s.

Inside the watch is a Breuget Caliber 581 automatic flyback chronograph movement. The dial of the watch is super easy to read (and super classy I should add). I love that Arabic numeral font, done in thick applied luminant. Don't miss the traditional looking "fat" hand for the subsidiary seconds dial. Price is actually reasonable given the retail price of other Type XX watches. The each of the 1000 pieces in the limited edition will go for $9,200.

TECH SPECS FROM BREGUET:

TYPE XX — AÃ‰RONAVALE LIMITED SERIES OF 1,000 CHRONOGRAPH DESCRIPTION
REF. 3803ST/92/3W6

-Case round, made of steel, with a fluted middle. Diameter 39 mm.
-Rounded lugs. Bidirectional rotating bezel. Water -resistant to 10 bar (100 metres).
-Solid caseback engraved with the official Naval Aviation centenary emblem.
-Dial matt black. Luminous hands and numerals. Chapter ring with Arabic numerals.
-Movement self-winding chronograph with flyback function.
-Numbered and signed BREGUET Cal. 581. 13 Â¼ lignes. 25 jewels. 48- hour power reserve. Annular balance. Swiss straight -line lever escapement.
-Strap hand-sewn calfskin leather.

See Breguet Type XX and XXI pilot watches on eBay here.

See Breguet watches on Amazon here.

Breguet Type XXI 3810 Steel Chronograph Box Papers
$8,295.00
Time Remaining: 13h 10m
Buy It Now for only: $8,295.00
Buy It Now

Breguet Type XX 3800 Aeronavale Chronograph Steel Automatic Black Dial Watch
$5,500.00
Time Remaining: 17h 31m
Buy It Now for only: $5,500.00
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Breguet Transatlantique Type XXI Flyback 3810 Box Papers One Year Warranty
$8,900.00
Time Remaining: 2d 14h 41m
Buy It Now for only: $8,900.00
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QUALITY ANTIQUE ENGLISH 15K GOLD BREGUET TYPE WATCH KEY CHARM c1820
$195.00
Time Remaining: 3d 5h 40m
Buy It Now for only: $195.00
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ANTIQUE ENGLISH SILVER BREGUET TYPE WATCH KEY CHARM c1830
$85.00
Time Remaining: 3d 5h 40m
Buy It Now for only: $85.00
Buy It Now

Breguet Brown Alligator Strap for Type XXI Short Size
$375.00
Time Remaining: 3d 15h 12m
Buy It Now for only: $375.00
Buy It Now

Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.

Breguet Tradition Ref. 7047 Fusee Tourbillon With Silicon Balance Spring Watch Hands-On

admin — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 10:15:16 +0000

This technical complex and sophisticated Breguet did not impress me as it should have. Of course, as a whole the watch is impressive, but as a higher-end Breguet watch the new design direction taken here is a step in the wrong direction in my opinion. Part of me thinks that the "smoothing over" of the design of the watch and the movement decoration is too modern for this timepiece. What is wrong with the "old way" Breguet? Really I don't want Breguet to be a "youthful" brand anymore than I want octogenarians listening to gangster rap ('heard that!'). While the watch is clearly a Breguet and highly appealing technically, it just looks too much like it borrowed lessons from Maurice Lacroix rather than Abraham-Louis. Two things that the watch has that I like are the tourbillon and a fusee and chain style power transfer from the mainspring to the watch. Then you have the sandpaper black like texture on the brides, the unsophisticated way the domed crystal attaches to the case, and the 'too plain to be showcased' movement that takes center stage next to the watch dial.

The watch is in 950 platinum and sized at 41mm wide - a bit up from the 37mm that the similar Ref. 7027 watch came in. I like the larger size better, but I am hungry for more movement decoration or that "prestige" look. It feels too modern (and wanna be edgy), a quality I respect, but other brands have that covered. Breguet is all about tradition, and I see this is an unwise departure. This is of course just an initial opinion. I only spent a few minutes with the watch, but that was the impression I walked away with after I thought about it for a while. The movement plates that make up the dial are done in gray anthracite coated steel. The design of the bridges and movement is meant to be traditional, it is the finishing thereof that I am not super happy with.

While the case of the 7047 watch is classic Breguet in style with a coined edge on the side and traditional style lugs - that all seems to change on the dial. Save for the actual watch face, we have a lot of modern looks and materials. Even the extra-large tourbillon bridge is done in titanium. The popular metal is finding places in all parts of the watch world, but right here for Breguet? In a platinum watch? I just ask why? One interpretation is that the watch is a statement about Breguet in the modern era. In addition to titanium, you have the high-tech silicon balance spring. The face has this traditional looking small and off centered watch face with the classic case. However, while everything looks all turn of the century, you have this modern looking movement. Like a watch cyborg on the inside if there was such a thing. Though this modern look seems oddly contrasted with the complications of a tourbillon and fusee and chain transmission that are highlight of complications of the old world.

The watch is covered in a chambered sapphire crystal that lifts off the dial a bit. The view into the watch is grand as it looks like the movement is elevated out a bit. Though, there is too much white where the crystal connects with the case. Just not elegant enough for a watch of this stature in my opinion.Â Again, while I like the view in style, I just feel as though I want to see more classic style finishing, polish, and decoration on the movement. It is entirely possible that I am missing the point, but this is my gut reaction. Most of you are already well acquainted with tourbillon escapements so I won't get into that here, but the Breguet caliber 569 movement also has a fusee and chain transmission. This is a tiny bicycle style chain that ensures constant force from the mainspring barrel to the watch. It is super hard to make and really cool looking. This is also the main principle behind the Cabestan "winch style" watch. These two complications are the real "old school" greats that are hard to make, and impressive being invented in the early 18th century.

There is also a power reserve indicator on the dial for the 50 hours of power reserve as well as a silicon over coil spring (just another sign of modern watch making times). A bit hard to notice the power reserve indicator until you see where it is. In a nutshell you have your basic high quality and complex Breguet movement with a "do just the basics" dial. The watch does offer the unusual combination of having a tourbillon as well as a fusee and chain together in the same watch - though I don't think that this is the first time that Breguet has done it. It is a lot of cool machinery at work, I just wishes the dial was more Breguet heritage in fashion. Maybe it is just me getting more mature in my appreciation for watches, but a "naked" style of decoration on a Breguet watch movement seems like a waste. I am betting on a price between $100,000 - $200,000.

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Written by Mr. Ariel Adams - aBlogtoRead.com, trusted independent watch media.