Breguet

With so much focus on buying wristwatches today it is understandable that brands too focus on producing and selling them. It is a rarity, and may surprise some, to see a brand, especially one as significant and prestigious as the Maison Breguet, to offer a highly complicated pocket watch to the market by special request only, and carrying a price tag of one million dollars.

That being said of course Breguets history is a ludicrously rich one and , arguably, the most important pieces in their repertoire are pocket watches. The Classique 1907 then is a hark back to Abraham Louis Breguet himself, a means of keeping the very heart and soul of Breguet alive and a task which they certainly achieve in full force. 

The dial is quintessential Breguet, wonderfully yet simply engine turned, with brushed chapter rings. The time is indicated in regulator format, that being the minutes are indicated separately, around outer the most track, from the hours which are displayed on a subsidiary dial with roman numerals. Through the dial also is a small glimpse of the complexity of this piece. At 5 o'clock an aperture reveals a one minute tourbillon carriage and between seven and nine we see windows displaying two polished hammers which chime the hours, quarter hours and minutes, on demand, and through grand and petite sonnerie striking.

The hunting case too has Breguet’s hallmark style, both the front and back covers are engine turned with a coin edged band housing the hand setting, repeating slide and sonnerie settings. Opening the case back reveals a sapphire crystal display showcasing the superbly finished and fascinatingly complex movement. Comprised of 525 individual pieces and 43 jewels the keyless winding movement will run for 56 hours on a full barrel. 

Of course as a pocket watch it is, potentially, less useful than a wristwatch - though it is exactly this that makes the Classique 1908 truly marvellous. It is a demonstration of skill and artistry for the sake of skill and artistry. It is a tribute to the brand's illustrious heritage and a superb opportunity for a collector to obtain a rare and complex piece that embodies the vision of Abraham Louis Breguet and all that he achieved.