Fergus Nash
Breguet's new Classique Quantieme Perpetuel 7327 is based on their automatic pocket watches from the 1780sThe perpetual calendar display is arranged with strength and balanceIt's a great size at 39mm in diameter and 46mm lug-to-lugThe law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created nor destroyed, so the idea that a watch can run forever with no human intervention is a physical impossibility. However, the concept of a perpetual calendar keeping accurate time for 100 years really relies on the watch being wound at all times, otherwise you'll have to constantly adjust the time like any other watch. Automatic winding was one of the solutions proposed by Abraham-Louis Perrelet in 1777, and in the 1780s it had also been adopted by Breguet. This Breguet Classique Quantieme Perpetuel 7327 is based upon those perpetuel pocket watches of old, gaining one step closer to a mechanical watch that could run forever.Breguet have described the dial of their Classique Quantieme Perpetuel 7327 as understated', and while that may be true in comparison to some of the high-tech industrial designs of other brands, it's still an intricate and impactful dial in its own right. The first thing that comes across is the arrangement of the calendar displays, placed not for symmetry but still for balance. The thinness of the blued Breguet hands give a lot of breathing room for the dial, allowing very little to be obstructed even when the hands are passing whatever you might want to read. The pointer date display is most prominent at 6 o'clock, with a weekday indicator cropping slightly into it on the right and the leap year indicator placed behind it on the left. The retrograde month display at the top of the dial is given a lot of real estate for something that doesn't need to be checked very often, but the way it balances out the negative space is well worth it. Finally, the brand name and moonphase occupy the top right of the dial, with a hand-hammered silver moon on a starry sky giving you a beautiful visual moonphase as well as a numerical indicator of the 29.5 days of the lunar orbit.All of this takes place in a wondrous Breguet guilloche playground, with a brushed outer ring with Roman numerals and a Clous de Paris pattern in the centre. The case in 18k white or rose gold is almost ruthlessly simple from a front view, comprising of just the rounded, polished bezel and the straight, stick-like lugs. The side view reveals one more surprise though, with a delicate coin-edge finishing around the case. It's also a watch that's really designed to be worn, with a tasteful 39mm diameter and 46mm lug-to-lug that's neither overbearing nor diminutive. The movement is Breguet's calibre 502.3.P, extraordinarily well-finished with an off-centre winding rotor that's nearly as gorgeous to stare at as the dial. It has a power reserve of 45 hours while beating at 3Hz, so you'll probably want to be keeping it on a winder if not wearing it every day.The Breguet Classique Quantieme Perpetuel 7327 pricing and availability:The Breguet Classique Quantieme Perpetuel 7327 is now available from Breguet boutiques and retailers. Price: AU$116,800BrandBreguetModelClassique Quantieme Perpetuel 7327Case Dimensions39mm x 46mm x 9.13mmCase Material18k white or rose goldWater Resistance30mCrystal(s)SapphireDialSilver guillocheLug Width20mmStrapLeatherMovementBreguet 502.3.PPower Reserve45 hoursAvailabilityAvailable nowPriceAU$116,800
29.04.23