Breguet - Tradition Tourbillon 7047 Blue Dial

To mark the anniversary of the tourbillon, Breguet unveils the Tradition 7047 Tourbillon with Blue dial. Ref. 7047PT/1Y/9ZU. Price: €196,900.

It was the 26th of June 1801 when the tourbillon was patented by Abraham-Louis Breguet. In his application for the patent, he wrote: "By means of this invention, I have successfully compensated for the anomalies arising from the different positions of the centers of gravity caused by the regulator movement. I have also succeeded in distributing the friction over all areas of the circumference of the pivots of this regulator and the holes in which these pivots move".

To mark the anniversary of this mechanical feat, one of the most appreciated by devotees of fine watchmaking, Breguet is unveiling today its latest model from the Tradition collection: the Tradition 7047 Tourbillon with blue dial and platinum case, a timepiece that plays with blue and slate grey contrasts, in line with the aesthetics of the Tradition Quantième Rétrograde 7597 launched last May.

As typical of the Tradition models, all the movement's organs are arranged on the dial side. The fusée-chain tourbillon mechanism appears sprinkled with touches of blue. Various treatments have been used on all the components in order to achieve visual uniformity: the tourbillon carriage and the dial are covered with blue coatings, while the chain links are thermally blued. 

The fusée-chain tourbillon transmission of the new Tourbillon 7047 serves to optimise the regularity of the watch's operation by guaranteeing its constant torque, whatever its winding level is.

When the barrel is fully wound, it delivers its maximum force. The chain then acts on the top of the fusée and therefore on its smallest circumference. As the chain unwinds, its torque decreases yet acts in parallel on the widest part of the fusée – its base – thus ensuring the constant force of the energy is delivered.

Many distinctive elements of the signature Breguet style can be found in the dial: the "Clous de Paris" guilloché pattern on its off-centre gold dial, the traditional Roman numerals and the open-tipped hands. Like the watches that inspired it, its dial is secured by three screws.

Housed in a 41 mm x 16 mm platinum case, the Manufacture Calibre 569, a rhodium-plated hand-wound movement comprised of 542 components, slowly beats at the frequency of 2.5 Hz (18,000 vibrations per hour) with an autonomy of 50 hours. 

It is equipped with an inverted in-line lever escapement featuring horns made of silicon, as too is the Breguet balance-spring. Thanks to its properties, this material makes the watch more resistant to the influence of magnetic fields while also improving precision. 

The inscription "Brevet Du 7 Messidor An 9" refers to the date when the French Interior Minister granted Breguet the tourbillon patent based on the Republican calendar in force in France at the time and corresponding to June 26, 1801.

Matched to a midnight blue alligator leather strap secured by a triple-blade platinum folding clasp and water resistant up to a pressure of 3 bar, the new Breguet Tradition Tourbillon ref. 7047PT/1Y/9ZU with blue dial has a price of Euro 196,900. breguet.com

     

Suggested reading:

- The history of the Tourbillon

- The style of Breguet

- The history of Breguet