Breguet continues to celebrate its 250th anniversary with a timepiece that transforms watchmaking's sworn enemy into its greatest ally. When Abraham-Louis Breguet undertook the construction of five exceptional timepieces in 1802—each featuring a tourbillon associated with natural escapement—he represented the pinnacle of chronometric achievement for his era. The new Classique 7225 continues this tradition with an audacious innovation: a magnetic-pivot balance paired with a high-frequency escapement beating at 10 Hz. Where watchmakers have spent centuries eliminating every last microtesla from movements, Breguet now harnesses magnetism within the very heart of the calibre.
The Magnetic-Pivot Balance
The principle is particularly daring. Two micro-magnets, positioned on either side of the balance-staff, create an intense magnetic flux that maintains a stable pivot, freeing the action from the effects of gravity. This represents the first fundamental advance in balance-staff design in more than two centuries of watchmaking research and development. The result earned immediate recognition: the Classique Chronométrie 7727—the first implementation of this technology—received the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève's 2014 "Aiguille d'Or."
Inspiration: The Breguet No. 1176
The Classique 7225 takes inspiration from a remarkable historical piece: the Breguet No. 1176, built between 1802 and 1809. This exceptional creation was one of the first four watches equipped with a four-minute tourbillon and featured a constant-force escapement using a fusee-and-chain mechanism. Delivered to Count Potocki, a member of the distinguished Polish aristocratic family, it now resides in the Breguet Museum in Paris. Its strikingly bold dial featured two small seconds subdials, one of which could be started and stopped on demand—a chronometric demonstration that the Classique 7225 reimagines for the contemporary era.
Things to Know About the Watch
The Classique 7225 arrives bearing the Breguet hallmark, certifying its excellence across three pillars: component quality, performance, and ethics. The manufacture certifies a maximum deviation in rate of +/- 1 second per day—classified as "Scientific" precision. The magnetic pivot proves to be for the wristwatch what the tourbillon was for the pocket watch: a fundamental reimagining of how precision can be achieved.
The dial layout echoes its historical predecessor: central hours and minutes, a fan-shaped power reserve at 6 o'clock—now 60 hours compared to the original's 35—, and two small seconds subdials at 2 o'clock and 10 o'clock. The presence of dual seconds displays serves the same chronometric purpose as the 1809 original, though with a contemporary twist. A traditional small seconds hand at 2 o'clock rotates continuously throughout the watch's power reserve, while the 10 o'clock subdial features an "observation" small seconds hand with a flyback function activated by pressing the pusher at 8 o'clock. This return-to-zero system enables the counter to be reset while continuing to count instantly—perfect for measuring intermediate times or the duration of simultaneous events.
The new watch measures 41 mm in diameter and 10.7 mm in height, and is housed in 18K Breguet gold, with the hand-guilloché "Quai de l'Horloge" pattern adorning the caseband. The dial, also crafted in 18K Breguet gold, features the same intricate guilloché work—a testament to the skilled artisans who execute these signature touches entirely by hand. Roman numerals mark the chapter ring, while Breguet's iconic blue gold hollow-tipped hands sweep across the face with unmistakable elegance.
The Movement
At the heart of this timepiece beats the manual-winding Caliber 74SC, composed of 361 parts and 54 jewels. The 10 Hz frequency translates to 72,000 vibrations per hour—a rapid oscillation that enables greater accuracy and swift recovery from rating anomalies. Through the sapphire caseback, the magnetic pivot is clearly visible, as is an innovative phenakistoscope-type kinematic animation. The rotation of the escape-wheel displays 20 images per second, creating a smooth morphing effect that alternates between "1775" and "2025"—a first for Breguet and a fitting celebration of the manufacture's quarter-millennium.
Summary
The watch is presented on a navy blue, large-scaled, alligator leather strap with an 18K Breguet gold pin buckle, housed in an individually numbered red leather 250th anniversary special edition box inspired by the historical red Moroccan leather Breguet presentation boxes. Each piece is backed by a five-year international warranty and the guarantee of lifetime repairability—a commitment befitting a manufacture that values its heritage as much as its innovation.
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