Breguet Classique 5177 Grand Feu Blue Enamel (Hands-On)

When you think about Breguet watches, you usually have in mind (superb) silvered guilloché dials, blued hands and an overall luxurious, refined style. This would, however, be simplistic as the brand also has great expertise with enamelled dials. With the Classique 5177 Grand Feu Blue Enamel, Breguet presents an automatic dress watch with pure Breguet style. Its elegant simplicity is understated, refined but comes with a twist conveyed by the blue grand feu enamel dial – something rare for the brand.

The brand’s timepieces are often presented with a white or silver dial with contrasting blued hands. Here, with this new take on the Classique 5177, the signature Breguet blue is transposed onto the dial. Its dark, deep blue colour echoes that obtained during the bluing of Breguet hands, which required extensive research for the development of the enamel pigment.

Made the traditional way, the enamel dials are fired in a kiln at over 800° Celsius. The enamel powder fuses on the plate on which it is dusted. Several layers are applied to obtain a deep, intense, unalterable blue. To ensure perfect readability, the Breguet numerals and other inscriptions on the dial are silvered. The powdered tracing creates an elegant relief. The same process is used for the date. The brand’s secret signature discreetly appears at 6 o’clock, only becoming visible upon close inspection. This remarkable piece of craftsmanship is completed with rhodium-plated steel Breguet hands with the classic hollowed-out circular tip.

In 2017, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of its Ginza Boutique, Breguet released a 10-piece limited edition of the Classique 5175, with a blue enamel dial and no date. And while we won’t rekindle or solve the ‘date/no date’ debate here, the trapezoidal opening of the date window and the different size for the silver powdered tens and units are superbly executed.

The balance of the white gold case of this Breguet Classique 5177 Grand Feu Blue Enamel is magnificent. At first glance, the thin bezel makes it look a tad bigger than the 38mm diameter would suggest. On the wrist, it is extremely comfortable and perfectly sized to be worn with a suit and tie. The flanks are finely fluted and the thin, straight lugs welded. The exhibition caseback displays the automatic movement and is engraved with the watch’s individual number. The watch is almost ultra-thin, with a svelte 8.8mm profile.

Inside is the movement 777Q, an automatic calibre operating at 4Hz and offering 55 hours of power reserve. The balance features 4 regulating screws. The hairspring, the escape wheel and the lever are fashioned out of silicon for enhanced performance. It displays hours, minutes, seconds and the date. The stop seconds function allows you to set the time to the precise second. The finishing is first class: the bridges and plates are adorned with Geneva stripes and circular graining. The rotor is embellished by a hand-worked rose engine-turned guilloché pattern.

The Breguet Classique 5177 Grand Feu Blue Enamel is worn on a dark blue alligator leather strap secured with screw pins. The ardillon buckle is in 18k white gold.

Designing a fine dress watch is not an easy task. Perfection is in the details and the Classique 5177 is a superb example of the uncompromising Breguet ethos. It retains the refined, distinctive style of the brand and displays remarkable craftsmanship. The dark blue colour of the dial brings an interesting, modern twist to its classic style. Price is set at CHF 23,100 – same price as the white enamel dial models. For more information, please visit www.breguet.com.