The Tradition, which has now become an icon of Breguet, was launched in 2005. It was the first watch to feature a movement with a regulating mechanism mounted on the main plate, making it visible from the front. This exposed mechanical feel is sure to catch the eye, and now, for the first time, a blue dial has been added to the Tradition collection. This gives the Breguet Boutique Limited Edition Tradition Automatic Retrograde Second 7097 a youthful impression.
The movement housed in the 40mm case is the caliber 505SR1, which features an escapement with a silicon pallet and a Breguet balance spring with a curved outer end, also made of silicon, to ensure extremely stable rate accuracy.
Automatic (cal. 505SR1). 38 jewels. 21,600 vph. 18KWG (diameter 40 mm, thickness 11.8 mm). Power reserve approximately 50 hours. Water resistant to 30m. 391 million yen (excluding tax). Exclusive to Breguet boutiques.
The origin of Tradition is "Sousse cryption"
Like other models in the collection, this model was developed with inspiration from Breguet's early pocket watch, the "Sousscription" watch, from 1796. The "Sousscription" is characterized by a centrally placed barrel and a balance wheel and second wheel, both of which are symmetrically positioned on either side of it.
The surfaces of the baseplate and bridges are decorated with a technique called "grénaille" (sandblasting).
The retrograde small seconds, located at 10 o'clock, displays the seconds alongside the hour and minute hands, which are fitted with rhodium-plated Breguet hands. To optimise readability and highlight the small seconds, a semicircular circular-grained seconds track is superimposed on the dial. A parachute shock absorber is integrated into the balance, located at 4 o'clock on the symmetrically arranged dial. This balance-wheel shock protection device, invented by Breguet, is an instantly recognisable feature of the Tradition collection. It is also the very origin of the shock-resistant mechanisms used in modern watches, including Incabloc.
Blued gold dial with "Clou de Paris" decoration
The Tradition 7097 also pays tribute to the Subscription and Montre à Tact mechanisms by revealing the bridges, gears, escapement, barrel, and other movement components normally hidden beneath the mainplate. The beautiful balance created by the symmetrical arrangement of bridges is further accentuated by the simple finish. The surfaces of the mainplate and bridges are decorated with a technique known as "grénéille" (sandblasting). Achieving this finish evenly and without unevenness requires specialized skills, leaving no room for error. The gold rotor is in keeping with the style used in the original movements, and the blued gold dial offset at 12 o'clock features a traditional hand-guilloched "Clous de Paris" pattern.
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