To celebrate the brand’s 250th anniversary, Breguet has grandly unveiled the Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 watch, marking the fourth chapter of its anniversary collection. This new timepiece will officially debut on June 26, 2025, coinciding with the anniversary of Abraham-Louis Breguet receiving the patent for the tourbillon in 1801. Limited to just 50 pieces, this watch carries forward over two centuries of the brand’s commitment to precision and innovation, ingeniously blending the flying tourbillon with a mysterious mechanical structure for the first time, creating a new realm in contemporary horological artistry where technology and aesthetics intertwine.
The watch is powered by the 187M1 manual winding movement that operates at a frequency of 2.5 Hertz, boasting a 50-hour power reserve, consisting of 183 components, and featuring Breguet’s patented Nivachron™ blue balance spring. The flying tourbillon structure abandons traditional bridge designs, supported only by the frame at the base, creating a mesmerizing visual effect as if suspended in mid-air. Its mysterious design further conceals the driving points, crafting a mechanical illusion above the movement. The tourbillon rotates once per minute, serving as a dual focal point of both visual appeal and mechanical artistry. Its frame is elevated 2.2 millimeters above the main plate, elegantly floating above the aventurine enamel dial, akin to celestial bodies orbiting in the cosmos.
The dial features a sand gold stone enamel first seen in the Breguet collection, showcasing a deep night sky blue. The tiny metallic copper particles within twinkle like countless stars, echoing the name of Sidereal, representing the connection between celestial time and astronomical aesthetics. Each layer of sand gold stone must be repeatedly fired at a high temperature of 800°C at least five times, a complex and risky process that results in uniquely distinct dials; each of the 50 watches is truly one-of-a-kind.
The watch case is crafted from Breguet gold, an alloy that contains 75% gold, blended with silver, copper, and palladium, resulting in a warm pink hue. It boasts exceptional stability and fade resistance. With a diameter of 38mm and a thickness of 10.2mm, it features the iconic coin-patterned side and anti-reflective sapphire crystal glass, while the case back is engraved with BREGUET 250 YEARS. The back showcases a newly designed motif inspired by the Quai de l’Horloge, echoing the silhouette of Paris’s Île de la Cité, symbolizing the brand’s rich history.
In terms of details, the eccentric hour circle is positioned at 12 o’clock, crafted from Breguet gold and coated with blue PVD, paired with Arabic numeral hour markers and skeletonized hour and minute hands. The dial also features the inscriptions Breguet and Tourbillon, with all designs representing the brand’s unique signature. The strap is made of deep blue crocodile leather, complemented by an 18K Breguet gold triple folding clasp. Each timepiece comes with an individual number from 1/50 to 50/50 and is packaged in a box inspired by antique red Moroccan leather.
Beyond its technical and design breakthroughs, the Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 symbolizes Breguet’s profound respect for astronomy and cultural history. The term ‘tourbillon’ originally stems from 17th-century observations of rotating celestial bodies, which scholars like Pascal and Descartes regarded as a powerful symbol of astronomical systems. When Abraham-Louis Breguet developed the tourbillon device, he aimed for astronomical precision, and this new creation is a modern interpretation of that vision.
In the process of creation, Breguet delved deeply into historical archives, selecting the movement from the brand’s first tourbillon watch introduced in 1990 as the foundation, breathing new life into it. CEO Gregory Kissling noted that this creation is not just a timepiece; it is a tribute to the tourbillon itself. The incorporation of aventurine goes beyond mere visual appeal; it serves as a tangible embodiment of the metaphorical night sky.
Every detail, every engraving pays tribute to Breguet’s two-century-old watchmaking tradition, while also declaring a commitment to the exploration of innovative materials and precision mechanics in the future. The Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 is not just a limited edition watch; it is a masterpiece that embodies the brand’s interpretation of time, science, and art.
