The New Breguet Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7035 for the Brand’s 250th Anniversary

As you might know now, after our initial article, Breguet is celebrating its 250th anniversary, and we’ll be seeing a fleet of new models released throughout the year, all made of 18k Breguet gold and paying tribute to some of the most important inventions of its founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet. Initiated by the launch of the Classique Souscription 2025, paying tribute to the Souscription Pocket Watches, the celebratory collection now welcomes a new member of the Tradition family, watches that are also inspired by the movement’s architecture of the Souscription and Tact watches. And not only is the new Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7035 presented in a handsome combination of gold and blue, but it also marks the return of a compact case for men. 

The Tradition collection was created under the guidance of the late Nicolas G. Hayek, as a tribute to Souscription and Tact watches once made by Abraham-Louis Breguet in the late 1790s. First presented in 2005 as the reference 7027, measuring 37mm in diameter, it featured and still features a movement that is directly modelled after the hand-wound calibres of these antique pocket watches, only inverted to be visible on the dial side. Over the past 20 years, the Tradition collection has evolved to incorporate new styles and different complications. For example, the classic power reserve model evolved to become the reference 7057, with a 40mm diameter, which became the standard size for men’s watches in this lineup. Along this classic model, Breguet released an automatic edition, with retrograde seconds, the reference 7097, as well as a chronograph, a retrograde date and the splendid Tourbillon with Fusée and Chain transmission.

More importantly, Breguet also once had in its collection a 38mm automatic version, the Seconde Rétrograde reference 7037, which is now discontinued (replaced by the 7097 in 40mm). The model somehow continued to exist as the automatic Tradition Seconde Rétrograde reference 7035, with a 38mm case, intended for a feminine audience. And today, the brand brings back a discontinued reference and applies the 250th anniversary treatment, making the most compact Tradition watch we’ve seen in years, housed in a 38mm case. And that’s something I can only applaud, as it (almost) goes back to the original size of 2005.

While there are some notable visual differences to report, this 250th anniversary version of the Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7035 is as classic as you’d expect, bringing back everything there was to love about the old reference 7037. This means a 38mm diameter and 12.6mm thickness, a classic Breguet case with a fluted caseband and welded lugs with screw bars. Of course, the case is here made of the collection’s special alloy, 18k Breguet gold – a warmer tone of yellow gold meant to recall antique alloys, using copper, silver and palladium, with strong resistance to fading. Sapphire crystals are found on both sides, and the watch is water-resistant to 30m.

The other specificity of this Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7035 is its dial. As always with the Tradition collection, we’re talking about a small off-centred dial positioned at 12 o’clock, above the movement. Here, it displays guilloché and enamel finishes, two traditional techniques dear to A.L. Breguet. The 18k Breguet gold base is finely engine-turned with the dedicated 250th anniversary ” Quai de l’Horloge” motif (inspired by the lines of the river Seine in Paris, as it flows around the Île de la Cité, where A.L. Breguet’s workshop once stood). This textured base is then coated in tinted, translucent, blue Grand Feu enamel. Finally, the Breguet Arabic numerals, the minutes track, with its stylised fleurs-de-lys, are in contrasting silver. A pair of Breguet open-tipped hands in 18K Breguet gold indicate the hours and minutes, while the retrograde seconds sits on the left of this sub-dial and is indicated by a blued steel baton hand.

At the heart of the 250th anniversary Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7035, and visible on both sides of the watch, is a rather fantastic movement, with a unique architecture inspired by the calibres of the souscription pocket watches. The calibre 505SR retains its exposed stepped bridges, gears and central barrel, with the regulating organ on the front side, equipped with an anti-shock system that mimics the old “pare-chute” device invented by Breguet. Matching the case, the movement is gilded in Breguet gold with shot-blasted and straight brushed surfaces, constrasting with the polished bevels and the blued screws.

The back of the movement is equally appealing, with a central rotor that again mimics the style of Breguet’s antique “perpétuelle” watches. The central crescent moon-shaped rotor rotates classically on 360 degrees, but, specific to this edition, it is made of vertically brushed platinum, contrasting with the shot-blasted main plate and straight-brushed bridges. The rest of the movement is familiar, with a single central barrel delivering 50h of power reserve, and a regulating organ beating at 3Hz, with a Nivachron balance spring.

This Breguet Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7035 edition 250th Anniversary comes on a navy blue alligator leather strap, and is delivered in the 250th anniversary red leather case. A limited edition of 250 pieces, it will be priced at CHF 43,000 (incl. taxes) or EUR 50,400 (incl. taxes). For more details, please visit Breguet.com.