Breguet is celebrating Tourbillon Day, patented exactly 220 years ago, by inviting enthusiasts and collectors to discover this fascinating complication in its boutiques. Since June 26th 1801, Abraham-Louis Breguet's engineering masterpiece has never ceased to evolve, thanks to generations of watchmakers and engineers who have given birth to numerous timepieces equipped with a tourbillon mechanism and for which major investments have been made, both in ultra-modern control machinery and in R&D. Below are seven unmistakable Breguet Tourbillons made from 2007 to the present day.
2007
CLASSIQUE TOURBILLON MESSIDOR 5335
The Tourbillon appears to float in space, with no visible connection to the rest of the movement. To make this possible, the Tourbillon is mounted between two sapphire glass plates and its cage is connected to a third plate, a novel, patented solution.
2008
HÉRITAGE TOURBILLON 5497
This model offers its barrel shape to a Tourbillon driven by a hand-wound movement. The contours of the calibre correspond to those of the case. A unique element, the Tourbillon bar takes the place of the index at 6 o'clock on the dial.
2010
TRADITION TOURBILLON FUSÉE 7047
The Tourbillon cage of this watch takes its geometry directly from the early sketches of A.-L. Breguet. A patented device ensures protection against shocks. The balance spring with its famous terminal curve known as the "Breguet curve" is made of silicon, a material insensitive to magnetic fields, according to a patented process.
2017
MARINE TOURBILLON ÉQUATION MARCHANTE 5887
At the heart of its movement, supplemented by a perpetual calendar and an equation of time, is a cam located above a sapphire crystal disc. This makes one revolution per year and faithfully reproduces the cycle of the equation of time. Through the patented transparent disc, which indicates the twelve months of the year peripherally, one glimpses the Tourbillon located below. The indication of the equation of time is provided by a feeler that follows the track of the cam.
2018
CLASSIQUE TOURBILLON EXTRA-PLAT AUTOMATIQUE 5367
Modern technologies have played a primary role in the design of this extra-flat tourbillon with a movement just 3 mm thick, thanks to its titanium cage, balance spring and silicon escapement wheel. As the construction of the movement has been rethought, the rotation of the cage is driven by a peripheral gear wheel.
2019
CLASSIQUE TOURBILLON EXTRA-PLAT SQUELETTE 5395
The extra-flat calibre that animates this timepiece has an oscillating balance with a high frequency of 4 Hz, while maintaining a comfortable power reserve of 80 hours. This special feature is made possible by the 'high energy' barrel, the design of which is patented. The calibre is entirely skeletonised. The gold plate and bridges are hand-decorated.
2020
CLASSIQUE DOUBLE TOURBILLON 5345 QUAI DE L'HORLOGE
The construction of this movement has made it the subject of several patents. Its two mechanical hearts beat independently of each other, each powered by its own barrel. The whole movement rotates on itself at the rate of one revolution every 12 hours. The various adjustments are made manually, as is the balancing of the Tourbillon cage.
