The new blue dial and finish of the Classique 7337, a testament to Breguet's maturity

Breguet's "Eccentric" is one of the company's most iconic watches. Its design is based on a pocket watch from the early 19th century that Breguet produced. Since the introduction of a wristwatch based on that design in 1986, it's no surprise that the "Eccentric," featuring a moon phase display at 12 o'clock, has captivated many watch enthusiasts. The latest model is the new "Classique 7337," released in 2020. While it looks similar to existing models, it has evolved even further as a watch.

The impression created by the intricate guilloched finish that extends throughout the watch

　Breguet also draws its design motifs from pocket watches of the past. The company's iconic "Eccentric" watch was modeled after the quarter repeater No. 3833, sold in 1823, and the complicated watch No. 4691, released in 1831. The eccentric design, with the time display offset toward 6 o'clock, the moon phase at 12 o'clock on the dial, the day of the week on the left, and the date on the right, has remained completely timeless nearly two centuries after its debut.

　The latest in the Eccentric line is the new Classique 7337, released in 2020. This is the latest version of the 7337, which was released in 09. While there are no major differences from the previous model, some of the guilloché patterns and moon phase have been changed, and a new blue dial has been added. So, is this simply a minor change? But that's not all, and that's what makes Breguet Breguet.

　Breguet, which favors delicate guilloched dials, has always tried to preserve their nuances as much as possible. In fact, Breguet's "Classique" series is said to have an extremely thin protective lacquer applied to the dial surface. There's no way the company would use a painted colored dial, which would obscure the guilloched pattern. While plating allows for a light color to be applied to the dial, it is difficult to achieve a consistent color, especially with complex guilloched dials with their uneven surfaces. This is why Breguet's Classique models have distanced themselves from colored dials.

　However, Breguet has used its plating technique to give the new 7337 a blue hue. The shallow finish that does not impair the nuances of the guilloché is unique to plating, and even when comparing multiple watches, there is no color variation that is common with plated dials. What's more, the blue runs right up to the very edge of the border. This is a dial that seems easy to imitate, but is completely impossible to replicate. The moon disc has also been changed. The base is lacquered, with alumina and silica powder added to represent the stars. The moon is made of the same 18K gold as before, but the engraving adds a three-dimensional effect.

　The same subtle modifications are made to the movement. It's powered by the thin automatic caliber 502 with an eccentric rotor. It's a classic among classics, with a basic design that dates back to Frederic Piguet's ultra-thin 70/71 movement. Since coming under the umbrella of the Swatch Group, Breguet has increased the frequency from 18,000 vph to 21,600 vph, and later changed the regulator to a free-sprung one. Furthermore, the escapement and balance spring have been replaced with anti-magnetic silicon. As a result, the current caliber 502 boasts such precision and practicality that it's practically a completely different beast from the previous 3330 and 3337.

　The finishing has also evolved. The Caliber 502, which powered the 7337 in 2009, had a high-quality but conventional finish. The latest Caliber 502, on the other hand, looks almost identical, but the finish has been further improved. For example, the mainplate, visible from the outer periphery of the rotor. Previously, it was fully circular-grained, but has since been changed to a combination of circular-grained and serrated. While the finish itself remains unchanged, the very shallow serrations on the mainplate now produce a rainbow-like glow depending on the angle of the light. Serrated finishes would never achieve this effect without high-precision machining. Additionally, some of the bridges now have more pronounced edges, giving them a more luxurious feel. It's immediately obvious when compared to previous models; Breguet intentionally made the edges sharper. While these differences are subtle, they add up to a further improvement in the appearance of the Caliber 502.

　The new Classic 7337 extends the impression of intricate guilloching to the entire watch. Even those who have distanced themselves from Breguet should try this watch. The overwhelming sense of unity of this watch is a pinnacle that Breguet has achieved over a long period of time.