Urwerk UR-112 Aggregat

Having been teased on Instagram as a movement under construction during Geneva Watch Days, the unveiling of the UR-112 Aggregat was well received by those who are fans of independent watchmaking. Constantly devising new ways of telling time, Felix Baumgartner and Martin Frei of Urwerk outdid themselves with the new UR-112 Aggregat with its three dimensional construction. A result of the Special Projects collection, the watch features a few novel construction methods, with the inclusion of a drive shaft-like component called the “Cardan shaft”. Incorporating gears with conical teeth, this enables the power to be transmitted from a horizontal plane to a vertical plane – this in turn powers the time display that is formed out of triangular prisms that are reminiscent of old classroom clocks. Incredibly futuristic in its appearance, the UR-112 Aggregat features its time display in cylindrical sapphire crystal pieces – combined with its titanium case, this brings a sci-fi look to the entire watch in a way that has not been accomplished before by the brand. Fans of watchmaking, take note – Urwerk has never left the building, and is bringing its unique interpretation of time-telling for us to enjoy. 

Breguet Queen of Naples Heart Ref. 9825

Released in time for Valentine’s Day 2021, the Breguet Queen of Naples Heart Ref. 9825 is a gem-set wonder with a novel time display. Breguet’s oval-shaped Queen of Naples case has been the brand’s signature ladies watch that was modeled after the watch made for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples. The Queen of Naples Heart provides this model with its unique time display through a mechanism of oval shaped cams and gears that allows the two-piece minute hand to follow the shape of the case, and form heart shapes as it travels around the dial. This method of time indication is protected by four patents, made even more beautiful with the addition of 128 diamonds on the case and chapter ring, and its sapphire crystal dial with white lacquer giving it a translucent effect. The watch is delivered on a vermilion alligator leather strap with a rose gold deployant buckle set with 0.98 carats of diamonds. Its beauty is undisputed – fit for a queen, however, with only 28 pieces available to the public, only the lucky few will be able to make this a permanent treasure to their collections.

Tudor Pelagos FXD

Earlier 2021, Tudor teased a partnership with the Marine Nationale – a storied partnership between the famed watch company, and the French Navy. With their last issued watch coming from the 80s, this renewed partnership sheds light on the history of these institutions, whilst modernising the military timepiece for the 21st Century. Based on the existing Pelagos model, the Marine Nationale provided Tudor with strict criteria that led to the Pelagos FXD, with its most distinct feature being the fixed bars that add strength to the watch – hence the suffix “FXD”. Also modified from the original watch is the bezel – made more pronounced for added grip, as well as a bi-directional countdown bezel made of ceramic with SuperLuminova inlays. The watch keeps its tool watch roots, with its case made from titanium, and coming in at 42mm. Delivered on a fabric strap with “self-gripping fastening system”, as well as an additional thread-through rubber strap, the Tudor Pelagos FXD provides incredible historical value with its connection to the Marine Nationale, as well as housing great utilitarian watchmaking able to withstand the most punishing of conditions – do a quick search of Instagram and you can find the model that is issued to the navy personnel of today. If that is not enough to convince you of its chops, nothing will.

Petermann Bedat 1967 Second Series

There has not been a time when independent watchmakers have had as many eyes on them as now, and the rise of Petermann Bedat is a testament to that. The duo of Gael Petermann and Florian Bedat have come up with a watch that is essentially a love letter to the independent watchmakers of Switzerland, drawing on talent from Kari Voutilainen’s Comblemine dial factory, and the legendary Dominique Renaud’s movement development expertise. The watch itself is crafted in grade 5 titanium, and is modestly sized at 39mm – a great size for all watch lovers. The dial crafted by Comblemine features a sapphire panel that enables viewing of the German silver baseplate below, bringing contrast to the blue tones with its warmth. Flipping the watch over, we see a massive synthetic ruby jewel, as well as a steel bridge spanning close to the entire diameter of the movement. This steel bridge houses the deadbeat seconds system of the watch, a complex mechanism called the Gafner system that utilises pallets and shaped gears to release the power at one second intervals. Overall, the Petermann Bedat 1967 Second Series shows great promise from these two millennial watchmakers, and we cannot wait to see what the future has in store for them.

Blancpain Air Command

The Air Command from Blancpain is as enigmatic as it is an attractive pilots chronograph – much of its history has been lost to time, but what has been unearthed is an amazing watch with a speculated history of originally being a US Air Force project (Source: Phillips Watches). Regardless of this unknown background, the watch remains as a tribute to a bygone era when watches were essential tools in the cockpit. Coming in either a red gold or an unusual Grade 23 Titanium case (the same type used in the medical industry), the watch is a flyback chronograph utilising the Blancpain F388B. A high-frequency chronograph movement, combined with vintage aesthetics is paired with a blue dial and bezel, creating the perfect mix of old and new for this enigmatic model.

2021 has shown us that the watch world still has ingenuity within it – regardless of the hype surrounding certain pieces. While there may never have been as many eyes on the industry as there have been this year, we can rest assured that the watch world will continue to innovate and proceed on its path to improve its mechanisms as well as capture the hearts and minds of those who love great stories and vintage aesthetics.

Breguet’s Type XX was first used by the French Aeronavale and the French Air Force in 1950, equipping pilots with a retour-en-vol (flyback) chronograph that could be used for navigation with cardinal directions and timing. The dependability of the Type XX chronograph meant that it was used until the early 1980s, whereupon these watches were decommissioned, and are highly sought after by military watch collectors. 

The latest release of the Type XXI Ref. 3815 certainly cleans up the look of the modern version of this watch, now featuring a bi-compax (two subdial) design, with a date at 6 o’clock. It’s matte black dial and black lacquered bezel with numerals in relief (a throwback to more modern versions of the military Type XX chronographs) reiterate the utilitarian nature of this watch, whilst hinting at further fine craftsmanship. The 42mm case and bezel is executed in titanium and the caseband features the signature fluting of a Breguet wristwatch. Equipped with a screw-in crown, the watch is 100m water resistant – perfect to accompany the adventurer in all of us.

The watch is offered in a limited edition of 250 pieces in two series – green and orange colours for the numerals and hands. 

The green version is more reminiscent of a military watch that has seen service – often, military watches would return to base for repairs, and the quartermasters would then have these repaired by any means necessary – this meant replacing or repairing components and bringing them back to satisfactory functionality. Often, we see military watches with their numerals repainted, or dials replaced to comply with regulations, and this green tone certainly is a reminder of the use case of these watches.

The orange version is of a hue that is more long the lines of a “tropically” aged watch, however, the colour is a lot more even. Even so, this watch looks like a true survivor, one that has gone through its service with minimal repair required. It is certainly the warmer of the two, with its hue almost verging on a pumpkin-like colour. 

Housed within the Type XXI Ref. 3815 is the Breguet Calibre 584Q/A, featuring the Breguet accoutrements of a silicon escapement and balance spring. The chronograph layout is also unusual in that it is a central minute, central second chronograph, with a 24-hour counter at 3 o’clock. Architecturally, it is a horizontal-clutch, cam-controlled chronograph, one that is finely finished, exhibiting Cotes de Geneve on its bridges, as well as straight graining of the steel levers of the chronograph. Automatically wound, the rotor is executed in gold with a finish specific to this edition of the Type XXI. All of this can be admired through the sapphire crystal caseback.

The Breguet Type XXI Ref. 3815 is certainly a head turner for this collection, with its bright colourways – a sure-fire way to ensure the success of this limited edition. The Type XX line from Breguet is most definitely in need of more attention by watch collectors, with its service history in the French Aeronavale, and its distinctive feature of the flyback chronograph. With this new design, Breguet has given this collection a subtle, yet distinctive breath of fresh air, and we hope this bodes well for the future of this storied pilots chronograph.

There can be no doubt that Breguet’s genius has permeated the watchmaking world, having come up with many key innovations we see in watches today such as the gong spring that encircles minute repeating watches in 1783, the Breguet balance spring – a method of shaping the balance spring to ensure concentric breathing, and thus accurate timekeeping in 1795, and the first wristwatch for the Queen of Naples in 1810. However, it is almost universally agreed upon by connoisseurs and enthusiasts that Breguet’s most significant contribution to horology was the Tourbillon (French for “Whirlwind)  in 1801 – the prevailing thought that gravity affected the escapement of pocket watches of the time, and so Breguet mounted these components in a cage and had it rotate over a set period of time to average out the rate in the vertical position. 

In the 20th and 21st Centuries, the Tourbillon is surrounded by notions of duality around its purpose. It both serves as an archaic device giving an insight into the thought processes of horology in the 1700s and 1800s, as well as a mechanical wonder, capable of incredible chronometric performance in addition to being a beautiful machine when crafted with a combination of modern and traditional techniques. The Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon Quai de l’Horloge manages this duality by looking resolutely modern, yet incorporating the signature crafts that constitute a watch from Breguet.

The Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon Quai de l’Horloge 5345PT (henceforth referred to as the 5345PT) is undoubtedly a tribute to height of the tourbillon as a timekeeping device, whilst being a display of micromechanics and traditional craft that the modern Breguet marque is capable of achieving.

The movement housed within the 46mm 950 Platinum case rotates on its axis once every 12 hours, capable of displaying the hours of the watch. The two tourbillons perform this rotation whilst they themselves rotate at the rate of one revolution per minute, driven by their own barrel that is easily identified with their steel “Breguet ‘B’” shaped barrel bridges.

The tourbillon cages are both independent, however, they are linked by another set of wheels and a central differential that is not only capable of determining the average rate of the tourbillons, but provides the ability for the movement to rotate on its axis. This gives not only an instantaneous visual impact to the watch with its two tourbillons, but also a watch that evolves throughout the course of its power reserve – evolving its appearance with every passing hour. 

Originally unveiled in 2006, the Double Tourbillon movement in the 5345PT version is now liberated from a dial covering its mechanics, uncovering the fine craftsmanship that has gone into the watch itself. The tourbillon cages are amongst the only ones in the Breguet collection to be black polished, and all the components exhibit high levels of hand-finishing – from straight graining, satin brushing and chamfering. A master of guilloche, Breguet have also made the 5345PT a grand display of the craft, exhibiting it on the dial side of the watch where the movement components are located, as well as a Clous de Paris pattern just underneath the sapphire chapter ring that indicates the hours and minutes.

With the absence of a dial, the interior of the caseband is also revealed – this is where Breguet have hand-engraved Roman numerals to match the sapphire chapter ring.

Turning the watch over reveals another masterpiece of hand-engraving – a scene of Abraham-Louis Breguet’s workshop at 39 Quai de l’Horloge in Paris – one that is completely engraved into the plates and bridges of the movement. 

Our Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Adi Soon spent an afternoon with this watch, and he is relieved to see that the brand has taken the covers off of the Double Tourbillon movement – a design choice he thinks that is more in line with modern tastes whilst keeping the traditional Breguet design cues such as the hands and guilloche-work. This is echoed with the choice of a stone/slate coloured strap, further emphasising the modernity of this piece. To him, it is a breath of fresh air for Breguet, and he hopes that these modern design cues continue into the future.

The dual-personalities of the Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon Quai de l’Horloge truly exhibit themselves in a way that is refreshing for this movement. Up until this point, the brand was almost demure in the presentation around this watch in its original release in 2006 – whilst taking the dial off the watch may seem like a simple thought, to present the watch in this fashion required a lot of additional work in finishing and decoration. The watch then, is a distillation of Breguet’s commitment to the Art of Watchmaking, exhibiting all of the crafts that make a watch functional, and beautiful.

If you ever get the opportunity to hold this watch in your hands, look closely – we guarantee that you will find new details the more you run your eye over it. Breguet’s adherence to tradition and craftsmanship manifests itself in this one reference. The 5345PT tells watch enthusiasts and connoisseurs all over the world that Breguet remains as the original innovator and the original creator of classic aesthetics in watchmaking, whilst bringing these qualities into the modern era.

For those of you new to my presence here at ISOCHRONO, I am Martin Goh, and I have had 10 years of experience in the watch industry. Starting from November 2009, I began my journey as a humble door person at a prestigious jeweller at Chadstone Shopping Centre in the South-Eastern suburbs of Victoria, Australia, and my last role as an active member of the watch industry was as a Marketing and Communications Manager for one of the big four retailers in Melbourne. Throughout my time in the industry, the only large brands I didn’t work with in Australia were A Lange & Sohne, Audemars Piguet and Panerai. I had a hand in launching NOMOS Glashutte in Melbourne, as well as helping to bring more prominence to brands like Blancpain, Breguet, Greubel Forsey, Glashutte Original and HYT – brands that truly need more explanation for people to really get it. I saw incredible highs and depressing lows, but what drove me was my passion for watches and watchmaking, and I don’t believe that anything will strip me of my love for horology.

2009 was a bit of a weird year to start in the watch industry, in the midst of a Global Financial Crisis, and to the jeweller that I started with, it was probably a weird choice for them to issue cabinet keys to a slightly awkward 18 year old university student after my stint as their door person. But it was here that I cut my teeth, eager to learn more about watches (and by extension, jewellery). It was a hard slog during this time, as the product we sold was a cut above the normal shopping centre watch brands, but the brand awareness was not at the same level as the prices asked for them. Mention brands like IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre and even Breitling to customers, and you would have been met with responses along the lines of “What’s that, is that a Swiss brand?!”. This lack of awareness of the watch industry was seen in the following example: instead of the IWC Pilots Mark model being in high demand, it would take a 2 hour consultation to convince the customer of its merits. It was truly a different time, but after two years in Chadstone, I would move to the Airport, and into Duty Free Retail.

Duty Free Watch Retail was a whole other beast. It is a place where you always need to be closing, given the time constraints, and where your earliest start is at 5am, and your latest finish is at 1am. Furthermore, we would be dealing with the travel boom of the mid 2010s, and as such, the lingua franca of Melbourne Airport was Mandarin Chinese. This proved to be a little bit of a problem for me, as Mandarin is my worst language, as I learned when I tried to strike up a conversation with a traveller – I tried to tell him that his Audemars Piguet Royal Oak was beautiful, when in actual fact, I had told him that instead of his watch, that his nether regions were gorgeous.

However, the long hours, and long breaks where there were no scheduled flights enabled me to cultivate a great relationship with one of my managers, who to this day, I remain close friends with. It was this manager who helped me foster my knowledge, and communicate this passion to customers. It was also during this time that the Breitling Challenge took the Watch Retail world by storm, and that the whole world would be competing in their region for an exclusive Chronomat B01 in Stainless Steel, and worldwide for a Rose Gold version of the same model. Although I didn’t make the grade for the regional competition (my colleague seemed to have First-Person Shooter game-like reflexes), I still got to experience the Avalon Air Show with the Breitling Oceania team. After nearly three years at the Airport, and completing my studies at University, I went on to work for a retailer located in Melbourne’s famous (or infamous) Crown Entertainment Complex.

At the next retailer I would work, our main brands were Rolex and Patek Philippe, and it was also where I volunteered for the role of Service and Repairs Coordinator. It was my job to ensure not only that repairs were booked in and dispatched to service centres accordingly, but to also communicate the crucial and sometimes unappreciated work that rhabillage (repair) watchmakers do on a daily basis.

This place valued the perception of luxury that customers had of an establishment like ours, and was able to leverage that to their benefit. Events where the sales associates were crucial to its success was what I experienced, and I was very proud to be part of such a high-achieving retail team. It was here where my watch knowledge was recruited for training programs, and I helped coach our team to have the best results out of our retail network. Alas, this position was short-lived, as another retailer called, and this time, it was in a field that I wanted to be in for so long.

My last active position in the watch industry would be in Marketing, and as the brands they carried were challengers in a market with ultra-strong established players, marketing would play a crucial role in getting more awareness and that important second glance. It would also be the place where I had the longest tenure in the watch industry. Being in this role made me who I am today, thanks to a boss who was not only accommodating and understanding, but also relatable.

It was here that I experienced my first SIHH and Baselworld trade fairs, the latter of which I strangely miss (even the non-alcoholic hungover feelings from late nights and early morning meetings). As a long-time watch aficionado, it was a dream to gain access into the halls of SIHH and Baselworld, and I was able to do so with one of the greatest watch photographers of all time, Kristian Dowling (aka: Leicashot for those Instagram OGs playing the home game) to create unique content for our social media channels.

It was also in this role where we saw the long-awaited Melbourne launch of NOMOS Glashutte, where our cafe pop-ups would go unrivalled even to this day. I am proud to say that I played a part helping to raise the profile of some of the most underrated brands in the region, most notably, when we created and ran Melbourne Watch Week – bringing all of the novelties from Breguet, Blancpain, Glashutte Original and Jaquet Droz together as an Australian exclusive, under one roof and exclusively for our clients. It was this retailer that enabled me to cultivate relationships with people I still work with today, from videographers to decal producers, and even the editor of this fine publication itself. 

I currently still work in Marketing – not in watches, but the product portfolio I deal with still has a degree of luxury to it. My time in the watch industry was one of growth and discovery for me, and for me to be able to foster my passion only made me love it even more. For me, even though I have left the industry behind for now, watches will always remain a large part of my life, as the industry made me who I am today – for that, I will be forever grateful to those who I encountered on my journey. 

In this regard, it’s nice to see Breguet have two members of their Classique collection undergo the blue treatment – the Classique reference 7137 and the Classique reference 7337. And since blue is the brand’s colour, there is no other shade that is suitable, it can only be “Breguet blue” and nothing else.

Both these watches are the embodiment of the typical gentlemen’s watch, being similar in most ways, including the 39mm case width, the round case and the silicon hairspring and escapement but differing in the dial layout and the complications of the dial.

The Classique 7137 has the hour and minute hands centrally mounted, and a date, power-reserve indicator and phases and age of the moon as complications. The Classique 7377 has the hour and minute hands in its own large sub-dial that is centralised but biased towards the lower portion of the dial. It also carries the date and the day in small apertures and the phases and age of the moon at 12 o’clock. Another nice difference, the Classique 7137 has no small seconds, while the 7377 has it in a small sub-dial within the main time subdial. It’s nice to see the formula of the classic dress watch at play here with either small seconds that are removed or made very small.

It’s also interesting to note that both these dial designs are based on old pocket watch designs from Breguet. The Classique 7137 for example, was inspired by the Perpetuelle No.5 pocket watch, while the Classique 7377 was inspired by the Quarter-repeating watch, No.3833 that was sold in 1823 and currently being exhibited at the Breguet Museum in Paris.

Both references have existed with white dials before in the Classique collection, both coming in a number of case metal variations.

Now with the addition of Breguet blue as an option, the various finishings that are applied to the dials of both watches are able to show their aesthetic qualities differently. With the Classique 7137, the blue parts of the dial include a panier maillé basket weave pattern for the power reserve display, a damier checkerboard pattern for the date display and a clous de Paris hobnailing pattern for the main part of the dial. With the dial of the Classique 7337, the blue is in the circular grain d’orge barley grain for the edges of the hours chapter, damier checkerboard for the small seconds and Clous de Paris hobnailing in the center.

We’ll bring you live pictures of both watches when we see them later in the year, in the meantime, look out for more information at Breguet’s website.

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The result is a new Marine that comes across as not only more refined, but more designed, with a louder and more declarative voice that knows what it is and also where it is going. Case in point, the larger Roman numeral appliqués that have a graphic quality to them and the hands that are a playful twist to the traditional Breguet-style, or pomme, hands.

This new design saw an interesting technical addition last year in 2019 that I wasn’t able to see in person until today, that got me very excited.

Let’s just say it, two words: titanium bracelet.

This was a big deal when it was announced. Why, it’s the first use of titanium in the Marine collection, and thank goodness for Breguet, for they went all the way, giving us not just the new Marine cases in titanium, but matching bracelets as well.

If you know me, you know I’m a fan of bracelets on watches. I am also a fan of titanium as a material as it brings so many advantages to watches, chief of which is that it makes the biggest watches feel light and immensely wearable, especially when on a bracelet.

Some big watches for example in stainless steel or gold on a bracelet can feel overwhelming, and titanium avoids that by its lightness.

It is a material that also makes sense for a sea oriented watch and for a sports watch in general, since it is corrosion resistant and has the highest strength-to-density ratio of any metallic element. Additionally it is also paramagnetic and displays fairly low electrical and thermal conductivity.

The disadvantage of titanium is that it is costly and laborious to extract from its various ores, and then to process and machine, which is why it probably not as commonly used as stainless steel for watch cases. In the Breguet Marine Chronographe 5527, the front facing links of the titanium bracelet satin-brushed, with the edges in between polished. It’s a look that matches well with the case, since brushed and polished finishes are alternated to highlight and contrast with each other.The wave guilloché that was on the dials of the relaunched in 2018 collection of the Marine are replaced, in these titanium iterations, with a sunburst brushed surface that is slate-grey in colour. It helps to tone down the ornate styling of the previous versions, a move that matches the more technically oriented material of the case and bracelet. On the wrist, the watch is immensely comfortable to wear, which is to be expected. Breguet has created a generally refined and sporty titanium bracelet here that makes the watch feel more useful for everyday life. Matched with the titanium case Marine Chronographe 5527, the combination makes a relatively large 42.3mm wide case feel comfortable to wear, yet sacrifices none of the wrist presence.

It’s macho and refined, what’s there not to like?

Just a word on these new titanium Marine watches, aside from the Marine Chronographe 5527 featured in this article, there are two others, the three handed Marine 5517 and the Marine Alarme Musicale 5547 that are also available, also on bracelet, that share the honour of being the first usage of titanium in the Marine collection.

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It’s a new version of the Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra – Plat 5367 that was launched in 2018 with a white enamel dial. The new version launched today now comes with a Breguet blue enamel dial.It’s all in the movement

Out of all the watches that carry the calibre 581 in its various forms, the Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra – Plat 5367 is perhaps the purest rendition, utilizing the fine and rare art of Grand Feu Enamel for its dial.

We covered its more extravagant sibling recently, the Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra – Plat Squelette 5395, which was all about the art of skeletonization, an art that makes sense for the automatic winding calibre 581 given its peripheral mounted rotor that does not obstruct the view of the movement.

Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette 5395

The calibre 581 is perhaps Breguet’s most attractive movement, not only is it the brand’s thinnest tourbillon movement at 3 mm thick, it comes with a silicon hairspring that beats at a relatively high (for a tourbillon) 4 Hertz, and an 80 hour power reserve.

Housed in a 41mm wide case that is 7.45 mm thick, it comfortably settles into the ultra thin category of watches, slipping under the tightest of shirt cuffs yet having enough wrist presence to be enjoyed.The new version of the Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra – Plat 5367 with blue dial is a nice addition to the family that currently has three references in with two case metal variants each. This new one comes only in platinum for the moment, which is nice, since the blue sets itself nicely against the white metal for an elegant look.Available exclusively at Breguet boutiques, this new release in platinum features a blue alligator leather strap.

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Out of all the watches with a tourbillon, the variants carrying the calibre 581 have to be the purest expression of the “complication” from Breguet. Sized just right and ultra thin as well, it is the dress watch par excellence.

Perhaps the most extroverted variation of the three that are now available, is the one that was introduced last year for “A Time to Move” in 2019, the Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette 5395, a watch that departs from the earlier variations of those carrying the same movement, by utilising skeletonization, a the traditional art that exposes the intricacies of the mechanism for all to see.

We’ve seen the earlier ones before of course, the decidedly traditional looking 5377 – with a silvered gold dial adorned with four different engine-turned patterns executed by hand : clou de Paris hobnail, barleycorn, straight chevrons and cross hatching, looking every bit like a mini masterclass in guilloché, a Breguet signature.

Then there was the 5367, which had a dial in “Grand Feu” enamel, a watch which turned down the volume of the symphony of the former and instead resonated one note of purity.The newest variation, the Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette 5395, essentially takes the good parts of the previous two, the 41mm wide and 7.7mm ultra thin case, along with the Calibre 581, with 80 hour power reserve, a 0.290 gram tourbillon carriage, a balance spring and escape wheel in silicon, and gives it the skeletonized treatment to showcase every part of the movement.It is a contemporary style of skeletonisation that has been done to the calibre, with its bridges and plates in gold. It definitely feels modern and architectural, with an hour track with Roman numerals printed on sapphire help legibility, since it is easy to get lost in the visual splendour of what has been done to the movement.

One final thing to note about this watch that is not particularly obvious as well can be seen from the picture above. You see, this watch and the other variations before it have the same automatic movement. But then you say – but I can see everything from the case-back! Well then, it’s the peripheral winding rotor that is the reason. As it sits on the edge of the movement, it doesn’t block the view at all.

Now think about it – as this wasn’t a fact that was as obvious before in the previous watches with this movement – the fact that it had this feature is precisely the reason why the Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette 5395 could be skeletonized like this, and lose none of its transparency and beauty!

Extra bonus – in this version, you get to see the way that the peripheral winding rotor connects to the mainspring – (see picture above). Now that’s wonderful!

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His motivation was simple- to improve the accuracy of his pocket watches by compensating against the effects of gravity on the hairspring. Given that pocket watches spent most of the time in an upright position in their owner’s pocket, the goal of the tourbillon was to eliminate rate errors by having the hairspring turn on itself continually, cancelling out the effects of gravity.  

THE THEORY OF THE TOURBILLON

“By means of this invention, I have succeeded in cancelling out by compensation the anomalies due to the different positions of the centres of gravity of the Regulator movement”

• A.-L. Breguet

This was done by fixing the fourth wheel of the gear train, then using the power from the mainspring to drive a cage containing the hairspring around this fixed fourth wheel. The invention was named “tourbillon” or French for “whirlwind”, a name that perfectly suits the visual effect of the mechanism as it is seen working.

That of course begs the question that we have today, and is something that you might be curious about if you’ve spent time with Breguet Tourbillon watches. It is a detail that is often seen but rarely thought about, and usually glossed over in the appreciation of the visual splendour of a Tourbillon that is the highlight of the watch that it is seen on.

Look at the pictures of various Breguet Tourbillon watches below, and spot the words  “Brevet Du 7 Messidor An 9” on the movements shown.

What do the words “Brevet Du 7 Messidor An 9” on the movements shown above mean? Oftentimes it appears on or near the tourbillon bridge, and sometimes on other parts of the movement. It is obvious that while some knowledge of French might help matters to understand it, some additional knowledge of French history is needed to solve the question completely.

“Brevet” is a word that some might recognise in the context of horological history,  appearing under the Rolex logo of early crowns of Rolex Oyster watches. The word means “Patent” in English and refers to the Tourbillon patent granted to Abraham Louis Breguet.

But what about the rest of it – “7 Messidor An 9”?

Well, this is looks most obviously to be a date, but none that anyone can recognise unless one is familiar with the time period around when the tourbillon was invented. The French Revolution had occurred in 1789, and the republic was established on 1792, only nine years prior to when Breguet had received this Tourbillon patent in 1801.  As part of a wider range of reforms, a new calendar was created with one of the aims being for the new revolutionary government to distance itself from the previous royalist regime.

It was called the French Republican calendar, and because it was based on a decimal system, each day was divided into ten hours, each hour into 100 decimal minutes, and each minute into 100 seconds. Also, each month was 30 days, divided into three ten-day weeks. The remaining five days of the year (six in leap years) were treated as national holidays.

Going that bit further, this new calendar was given new names for the 12 months, which were devised by the poet and playwright Fabre d’Églantine. Starting in the autumn, the new months were:

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From this list, we see that “Messidor” is the 10th month after the start, under the Gregorian calendar, in September, or the day that the autumnal equinox occurred in Paris, which works out neatly to be June. Next “An 9”, means “Year 9” or the ninth year after 1793, which we see, neatly works out to be 1801. 

In summary then, the date “7 Messidor An 9” works out to be the 26th June 1801, which is precisely when the patent or “Brevet” was granted to Breguet for the invention of the Tourbillon.

Want to be sure? You can check it here at this website which converts dates from the Gregorian to the Republic Calendar.  Here is the result for the 26th of June 1801, the date of the patent for Breguet’s Tourbillon, which works out to 7 Messidor IX.  

The French Republican calendar was abolished in 1806 a year after Napoleon I came to power, which is why we no longer see this in use today. As a quirk of history, it is fascinating that it existed. Equally, considering how confusing it was, it is also easy to see why it was abolished after such a short time. See here for a fascinating list of criticisms and shortcomings of the French Republican Calendar.

Today we see it on Breguet Tourbillon watches, as a remembrance of this fact, and also in acknowledging that government records, like patents, were recorded with this calendar. 

In any case, whether the words“Brevet Du 7 Messidor An 9”  appear on the tourbillon bridge, on the movement, or not at all (see below), it is a nice reminder of a specific detail in the time of the tourbillon’s invention, and one that also recognises the true originator of a complication that we enjoy today. Remember, Breguet invented the Tourbillon and he got a patent to prove it! – Now you know.