Breguet's "Classic Minute Repeater": A masterpiece that pays homage to the founder's great invention

Breguet unveiled the Classique Minute Repeater, a tribute to the minute repeater invented by the company's founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet, in 1783. As its name suggests, this watch has a minimalist look and is packed with many of Breguet's expert watchmaking techniques, including a minute repeater, a Grand Feu enamel dial, and intricate hand-engraved decorations.

The sound of Breguet resonates from a classic look

　The minute repeater was developed around 1680, before the invention of electricity, as a way to tell time in the dark. Abraham-Louis Breguet focused on improving this function, and in 1738 developed a minute repeater that struck a leaf spring instead of the bell-shaped gongs that had been used up until then. He created a complex mechanism that produced a clear sound while significantly reducing the thickness of the watch itself.

　Now, Breguet has unveiled the Classique Minute Repeater, a tribute to the founder's great development.

　This timepiece, with its 18K rose gold case and minimalist black dial, exudes the classic look of a minute repeater watch. The jet-black dial features Breguet numerals, a minute track, and the Breguet signature, while the striking rose gold Breguet hands indicate the hours and minutes. The case side also features the familiar coin edge, and a lever at 9 o'clock activates the minute repeater.

　This extremely black dial is colored with Grand Feu enamel, a material that is rarely seen today.

　The technique involves dissolving a powder of ground oxides and silica in water and applying it to the dial using various methods. The enamel is then exposed to heat during firing, where it burns and melts, building up each layer. The process is highly complex and can take weeks to achieve the desired color.

　The movement is Cal. 567.2. Featuring classic design elements such as a finger bridge, this caliber is reminiscent of the repeater watches of the past. The see-through case back also allows you to enjoy the meticulous hand-engraving.

Exquisite craftsmanship

　In developing this minute repeater mechanism, Breguet pursued the iconic "Breguet" melody.

　The gongs are tuned in two stages by an acoustician and a watchmaker: harmony and melody. The resonant frequency of each gong is measured in a special anechoic chamber, and then the watchmaker manually fine-tunes the gongs to achieve the characteristic Breguet tone.

　The use of gold for the gongs also contributes to a harmonious sound quality with rich partial tones (overtones). Furthermore, by using the same gold as the case, the gongs and the case share the same acoustic impedance, successfully transmitting equal sound from each other.

　This patented mechanism allows the minute repeater to produce a higher quality, more resonant sound.

　This timepiece, which exudes a refined tone from its antique appearance, can be said to be a timepiece that embodies the utmost respect for the founder, who was passionate about improving minute repeaters.