The Origins Story: Breguet Unveils the Classique Double Tourbillon "Quai de l'Horloge" 5345

Celebrating the invention of the groundbreaking tourbillon on June 26, 1801, Breguet has released a new interpretation of the Classique Double Tourbillon. The latest model boasts unparalleled complexity with the Caliber 588N2 and its 740 components. The movement is housed in a rose gold case measuring 46 mm in diameter and 16.8 mm in thickness, showcasing the mastery that was needed to create the piece. 

The dial of the timepiece reveals a delicate dance of the two tourbillons, a truly fascinating sight. The bar of these two tourbillons is attached to a central mainplate rotating every 12 hours. The designers were able to attribute an additional function to this component by transforming it into an hours hand in the brand's characteristic style. 

The two tourbillons independently make one full turn per minute, each equipped with its own gear train powered by its own barrel. Both mechanisms are connected to one central differential that regulates the rate of the watch and drives the rotation of the entire mechanism via a third gear train.

Moreover, the captivating sapphire dial features Roman numerals and an engraved minutes track. These interstices are coated in a blue varnish, creating the impression of the chapter ring being suspended above the mechanism. The vertical flank of the caseband is engraved with 12 Roman numeral hour markers. These are then coated with black varnish, representing the shadow of the chapter ring numerals.The timepiece is presented on a Breguet-embossed midnight blue rubber strap.

The Details

The Manufacture has created a completely new guilloché pattern for this timepiece: radiant flinqué, a motif visually reminiscent of regular sound waves. A rose gold rotating mainplate and a rhodium-plated gold bridge are decorated with this motif. Other decorations on the dial include the mirror polishing on the tourbillon cages, the sunburst pattern on the minutes track, the snailing on the differential bridge, the circular satin-finish on the gears and barrels, and the circular graining on the underside of the rotating mainplate.

The engraving on the back of the movement took more than a hundred hours to create. The meticulously engraved details spotlight the place where the Breguet brand was born; the depiction features an aerial view of Abraham-Louis Breguet's workshop at 39 Quai de l'Horloge. The perspective effects on a gold plate are achieved through various techniques, including bas-relief engraving that involves hollowing out the material. The tracing tip was used to create fine lines on the asphalt, while grey contrasts were created using black and white rhodium. These colours are also found in the galvanic treatment used to coat the bridges.

Each part of the movement, even those that are invisible, is chamfered and polished with expertise. The barrel bridges recalling the Breguet “B” are satin-brushed and feature a rounded-off polish known as poli-berçe. A few of the techniques used by the hand-chamfers have been applied to the various components to give them an exceptional finish. These include polished angles, satin-brushed flanks, straight graining, and poli-berçe, which can be admired on almost the entire movement.

The Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon "Quai de l'Horloge" 5345 offers an impressive power reserve of 60 hours. 

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