BREGUET | Breguet Unveils New Timepieces in Geneva Ahead of Baselworld

BREGUET

Breguet Unveils New Models in Geneva Ahead of Baselworld

Text by OPENERS

On January 20th, held in Geneva, Switzerland,Breguetunveiled its new models for the year at its pre-Baselworld event. The new arrival is the "TraditionTourbillonFusee". This model is newly equipped with a silicon Breguet balance spring.

The "Breguet overcoil (Breguet balance spring)" was invented in 1795 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, the founder of Breguet. This balance spring, with the tip of its outer end curved inwards, was devised to achieve superior isochronism and is still used in many watches today.

Normally, balance springs are made of metal, which can cause distortion due to vibrations, magnetism, or gravity. Breguet has spent a long time exploring this key component of the movement. This research has included gold balance springs to prevent oxidation and cylindrical balance springs for improved isochronism used in Breguet's "Marie Antoinette".

The Pursuit of Silicon Balance Springs

In 2006, Breguet unveiled a wristwatch equipped with a silicon balance spring and escapement, and currently, silicon parts are incorporated into four of Breguet's movements. Silicon, which is unaffected by magnetism, can be directly etched from silicon wafers into various shapes for different watches, unlike metal balance springs. It is also lightweight, making it less susceptible to deformation from gravity, and is characterized by its resistance to shock and corrosion. Leveraging these properties, Breguet has moved from developing flat silicon balance springs to creating silicon Breguet balance springs with curved tips. While silicon balance springs produced from flat wafers can achieve uniform thinness, they lack the malleability of metal. Therefore, creating a Breguet balance spring with an inwardly curved tip has been considered extremely difficult. However, Breguet has achieved this development through a new manufacturing process that allows only the tip of the balance spring to be lifted.

The new "Tradition Tourbillon Fusee", which adopts the new silicon Breguet balance spring, was unveiled this time. The design of this model, which incorporates a tourbillon mechanism, fusee, and chain transmission, is inspired by the first pocket watch Breguet created with a tourbillon mechanism. Currently, patent applications are pending for three technologies related to the titanium balance wheel and silicon balance spring. This is a model that truly embodies the "spirit of invention" inherited from its founder.

Tradition Fusee Tourbillon with silicon balance spring
Tradition Tourbillon Fusee Silicon

A model featuring a silicon Breguet balance spring with the tourbillon positioned at 1 o'clock. The gold dial is adorned with guilloché, and the platinum case features coin-edge decoration. Manual winding, platinum case x crocodile strap, price and availability TBC.

Breguet Boutique Ginza Tel. 03-6254-7211