For more than two and a half centuries, Breguet has excelled in blending tradition and innovation in its watches. Guided by the creative spirit and passion of its founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet, the watch manufacturer has imbibed these same values in everything it does. In 2026, it pays tribute to the patenting of the Tourbillon on 26 June 1801.
During his heyday, Abraham-Louis Breguet had a habit of quantum leaping into the future through his works, pioneering horological mechanics that were ahead of their time, one of which is the Tourbillon. The Tourbillon is a regulating system, which helps to lessen the effect of gravity on a watch, particularly on pocket watches during the time it was invented. Abraham-Louis knew he could not defy the laws of gravity, therefore he invented an ingenious system that could circumvent the problem.
Based around a cage in which the escapement and the regulating mechanisms (balance and balance-spring) are enclosed and kept in constant rotation around an axis, in all positions, the system ensures that the balance-and-spring assembly’s centre of gravity is continually realigned with the axis of rotation. This compensates for the adverse effects of the uneven oscillation of a watch held in a static position. Following this breakthrough, the founder then waited six years to have the invention patented. Once it was approved, another six years passed before he was able to sell watches that featured the Tourbillon. Since then, the Manufacture has continued to foster the progress of the great watchmaker’s invention, constantly drawing on its original inspiration, while over the decades introducing valuable technical refinements serving a single purpose: the quest for precision. Celebrating the 225th anniversary of the Tourbillon patent, the brand honours the momentum and evolutions Abraham-Louis set in motion with an array of iridescent timepieces that amalgamate something old and something new.
The Classique Tourbillon 7357 sets the stage for Breguet’s special collection, its platinum or Breguet gold executions laying the groundwork for the cherished anniversary. The two variations capture the grandeur of Ref. 3350 (1989), the first contemporary Breguet Tourbillon wristwatch that went on to amass a devoted following. At the core of its Clous de Paris guilloché dial lie two artistic focal points, one for the dial and another for Cal. 187B. True to its lineage, the hand-wound movement oscillates at 18,000 vph (2.5Hz), much like the original Ref. 3350, yet is now renewed with the Breguet Nivachron® balance spring enhancing magnetic resistance, as well as an optimised 60-hour power reserve. The radiance of both the 950 platinum and 18-carat Breguet gold references are complemented by matching calfskin straps, in beige for the gold and grey for the platinum, which contrast with the deep hues of Breguet’s next act, the Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255.
In form, the Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 shares similarities with Breguet’s opening act, its 38 mm construction layering the central dial above the impressionable core. Unlike the Classique Tourbillon 7357, however, this platinum timepiece is the first Breguet watch to boast a flying Tourbillon. The flying Tourbillon is a variation on the traditional Tourbillon invented by A.-L. Breguet. Its purpose (to counteract the effects of gravity on the balance by rotating the cage enclosing it) remains unchanged. Unlike the traditional Tourbillon, however, the flying Tourbillon has a cage held only by its lower bridge, with no upper bridge. It is therefore supported solely from below, giving the impression that it is floating in mid-air, hence its name.
To accentuate the suspended effect of its flying Tourbillon, Breguet has complemented it with a mysterious construction, a technique dating back to the late 19th century. The mysterious complication involves setting a component into motion without it being visibly connected to the rest of the movement. Incorporating this “mysterious” display that the brand has not used for nearly 20 years, the enigmatic model—a limited edition of 50 pieces—paints a picture of a star-studded sky that honours the founder’s own pull towards astronomy.
The luxury watchmaker transcends imagination with the new Tradition Tourbillon 7047, a showstopper that Gregory Kissling deems “resolutely forward-looking and very different from its predecessors.” Inspired by Abraham-Louis Breguet’s inventions, including the constant-force escapement and the Tourbillon, the Tradition Tourbillon 7047 celebrates the 225th anniversary of the Tourbillon patent. Limited to 25 pieces, the Tradition Tourbillon 7047 now astounds in an entirely blue palette, in a Bleu de France shade adorning the dial and bridges, including not only the Tourbillon bridges, but also the large fusee-and-chain bridge that appears on either side of the time subdial. This unique treatment breathes new life onto both the original and 2007 versions. Like deconstructed clockwork, the intricate Calibre 569 acts as a beguiling backdrop to the Grand Feu Bleu de France enamel dial encased in 41 mm platinum.
In rounding off the watches celebrating the anniversary of the Tourbillon, Breguet once again aligns the stars for the exceptional Marine Tourbillon Équation Marchante 5887. Built around A.-L. Breguet’s endeavours in marine chronometry, the 43.9 mm platinum timepiece powered by Calibre 581DPE debuts a bewitching Grand Feu enamel dial that glimmers like the Parisian night of 26 June 1801, the day A.-L. Breguet secured his Tourbillon patent. Adorned by intricate constellations and the moon, its hour indicators, windows, and hands complete the night sky, whilst the Tourbillon is proudly showcased at the bottom of the dial. The reimagined timepiece is a nod to the 18th century Royal Louis ship and King Louis XVIII, both of which played integral roles in Breguet’s flourishing as a revered brand. Paired with a Bleu de France rubber strap with the Quai de l’Horloge motif, all 25 pieces of the special Marine Tourbillon Équation Marchante 5887 can be personalised with the sky corresponding to a specific date and location of one’s choosing, a unique feature that will make the watch truly one’s own.
