Felix Scholz
Last year's slim Breguet?Classique 7147 had a spectacular dial, with a central section in detailed engine-turned guilloche and a subdial in a delicate crosshatch pattern. It was, not to overstate things, the star of the show. It's a very difficult art to master, but there's no doubt that Breguet has the technique down pat. So, imagine our surprise when we were presented this year's update of the 7147 and there was not a hobnail or brushed finish to be seen.In its place is a single piece of lustrous grand feu enamel – an equally tricky technique to master – and this single change creates a completely new look for this dressy design. Thanks to the multiple firings the white enamel is of a brightness and lightness, and has an undulating sensuality, that's hard to capture?in photos (and even harder in words). It also has delicately hand-painted Breguet numerals (of course) and a delightful minute track (the non-cardinal markers are stylised fleur de lys) . The best bit though is the delicate dip that constitutes the small seconds subdial. The hands are pure Breguet, and made of hand-blued steel.Looking beyond the dial, everything is as it was with guilloche dialled 7147, the same slender 40mm case, with fluted middle section in red or white gold, the same ultra-slim (2.4mm) Cal.502.3SD ticking quietly away, with silicon pallets and powered by an unusual off-centre winding mass, that's smaller than a regular oscillating weight but that isn't quite a micro-rotor.This new enamel dialled 7147 really lives up to it's name it's hard to imagine a more classic Breguet.Breguet Classique 7147 enamel dial Australian pricingBreguet Classique 7147, in white gold with enamel dial, $27,700.
03.04.17