A New Rose Gold Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon “Quai de l’Horloge”

Abraham-Louis Breguet is often regarded as one of the founding fathers of modern watchmaking. Through numerous inventions and the so-called unmistakable signs, he firmly imprinted his mark on the industry. On this date, June 26th, 1801, A.L. Breguet patented what would become his most famous invention, the tourbillon regulator. As a tribute to the genius inventor, today Breguet is presenting a new edition of its most complex tourbillon watch, the Classique Double Tourbillon “Quai de l’Horloge” 5345, now in rose gold with a highly decorated dial. And a modern twist…

With such a rich heritage, Breguet has explored the complex tourbillon mechanism in various models – such as the extra-thin 5367 or the highly complicated 3797. Yet, the one watch that best demonstrates the brand’s mechanical virtuosity is its signature double tourbillon watch, which sets the whole plate in motion through a central differential to indicate the hours.

Technical reminder: 

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The tourbillon is a complex device invented and patented by Abraham-Louis Breguet on 26 June 1801, or rather on 7 Messidor, year IX (according to the French revolutionary calendar). This device, which consisted of placing the regulating organ (balance, hairspring, lever and escape wheel) in a rotating cage making a complete revolution on itself (usually once per minute), was created to solve the issue of gravity and its effects on the regularity of horological movements, in that it provokes variations in timing adjustment with each change of position of a watch when worn. Thanks to this mobile carriage all the flaws resulting from gravity are regularly repeated and consequently engaged in a process of mutual compensation.

Presented in 2006, the Classique Double Tourbillon (back then reference 5347) is the brand’s most advanced take on the anti-gravity regulator. It features two tourbillons that feed a differential to generate the time display. The plate on which the tourbillons are mounted rotates with the hour hand. The hour hand serves as the upper bridge for one of the tourbillons; its extension, in a different colour, serves as the bridge for the second tourbillon. This single bridge is affixed to a centre plate completing a rotation over 12 hours. Both tourbillons are independent and rotate once per minute. Each of them has its own gear train leading from its own barrel. They are connected to a differential that averages the rates of the two separate tourbillons through a third gear train that transmits its rotation to the combination turning with the mainplate.

In 2020, Breguet unveiled the platinum Classique Double Tourbillon “Quai de l’Horloge” 5345, which revealed most of the technical elements of this fascinating watch on the dial. The caseback, on the other hand, remains relatively closed but was used as an artistic canvas with hand engravings depicting the brand’s birthplace on the Quai de l’Horloge in Paris. We now have a new rose gold edition of the Classique Double Tourbillon “Quai de l’Horloge” 5345, with a new visual expression of the brand’s expertise in artistic crafts.

Once again, this new edition is housed in a large case to accommodate the complex movement inside. At 46mm in diameter and 16.8mm in thickness (most of it due to the tall box-shaped sapphire crystal), this watch won’t fly under the radar. But this isn’t the objective of this flagship model. This year, it replaces platinum with rose gold, and Breguet has given it a surprisingly modern twist, as it is worn on a blue rubber strap with embossed Breguet logos. Personally, I’m not sure about this choice; I’d replace it with something more classic. To each his own.

Besides the different case material, this new expression of the Classique Double Tourbillon also flaunts renewed artistic crafts on all surfaces. The sapphire frame around the dial features laser-engraved Roman numerals and minute markers covered in blue lacquer. The hands, including the minutes hand and the upper bridge that serves as an hour hand, are blued steel to contrast with the rest of the dial. While the platinum edition featured a silver-toned lower dial with Clou de Paris and fan patterns, this new rose gold model has a mobile bridge in rose gold and a lower rhodium-plated mainplate. Both are decorated with a flinqué rayonnant hand-guilloché pattern. The two barrel bridges, shaped like openworked B letters, are made of steel and plated with rose gold.

This openworked version of the Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon is also a perfect canvas for understanding mechanics. All the elements of the movement are exposed in full sight, including the two tourbillon regulators performing their ballets, rotating at their own pace. The differential mechanism is located in the centre, underneath the axis of the hands. In turn, it makes the whole assembly rotate once every 12 hours. The decoration of all the parts is impeccable, with hand-chamfered and polished bevels, rounded-off polished surfaces (poli-berçé), satin-brushed flanks, straight graining and more.

The back reveals the calibre 588N2 (with a 2.5Hz frequency, 740 components, double tourbillon with differential, and 50-hour power reserve). This in-house movement is, in principle, more attractive on the front, exposing all the technical elements. Just like the platinum version, the bridges of this model have been used to display yet another series of crafts from the brand. The engraving differs from the past model, with an aerial view of Abraham-Louis Breguet’s workshop at 39 Quai de l’Horloge, Paris. Various techniques were used to create perspective on a gold plate, notably bas-relief engraving that involves hollowing out the material. A tracing tip was used to create fine lines on the asphalt, while grey contrasts were made using black and white rhodium.

Released as part of the permanent collection but likely to be produced in very small quantities, the new rose gold Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon Quai de l’Horloge 5345 retails for CHF 680,000. For more details, please visit www.breguet.com.