Breguet - Classique 7637 Répétition Minutes

The minute repeater is one of the most remarkable complications. Breguet pays tribute to it with the Classique 7637 Répétition Minutes. Price/specs

The minute repeater is one of the most remarkable complications in watchmaking history. The father of modern watchmaking, Abraham-Louis Breguet, created his first repeating watches in 1783. Instead of using a bell-type gong, he invented a solution for striking a spring blade in order to improve the mechanism. 

Maison Breguet pays tribute to minute repeaters with a new timepiece, the Classique 7637 Répétition Minutes.

Creating a minute repeater is an art that Breguet has been perpetuating for nearly 250 years at its Manufacture in the Vallée de Joux.

In addition to the expertise of a watchmaker specialising in high complications, an acoustician, constantly on the lookout for perfect sound, is essential to the development of the timepiece. Once the movement has been assembled, the work of tuning the gong is carried out in two phases: harmonic and melodic. 

Inside an anechoic chamber specially dedicated to this horological complication, the specialist will first determine the resonant frequency of each gong. Once this note has been determined, further work is carried out to find the melody most closely resembling Breguet’s signature sound. As each timepiece is hand-crafted, the acoustics differ subtly from one watch to another, making this complication even more unique.

Furthermore, all the components must be small enough to fit into a modestly sized case! Available in rose gold or white gold, the Classique 7637 Répétition Minutes measures 42 mm in diameter and is 12.25 mm thick.

Black or blue, the minimalist dial of the 7637 requires a particular craft that few artisans still practise today: the grand feu enamelling technique. 

Comprising a mixture of silica and ground oxides, the coloured powders dissolve in water before being applied to the dial using various methods.

Throughout the firing process, each layer and colour applied requires additional firing at a set temperature of over 800 degrees Celsius and for a carefully programmed duration. When in contact with this heat, the enamel ignites and melts to create each layer. The process can take weeks for a single dial. 

In these models, the Breguet Arabic numerals, the minutes track and the Breguet logo are highlighted in a powdered silver colour. The hours and minutes are displayed by open-tipped gold Breguet hands. Lastly, the minute repeater is activated by means of the dedicated slide at 9 o’clock.

Visible through the transparent sapphire crystal case back, the hand-wound Calibre 567.2 operates at a frequency of 2.5 Hz and offers a power reserve of 40 hours.

Struck by hammers made of polished steel, the gongs are fixed to the case middle instead of the plate. As a result, they vibrate directly and transmit sound more effectively. Additionally, the gongs are crafted from gold to produce a harmonious sound quality. This choice offers another advantage. Since the case is also made of gold, the components share the same acoustic impedance, resulting in enhanced sound transmission and performance – a feature patented by Breguet.

The black or blue alligator leather strap fastens to the wrist with a gold triple-blade folding clasp.

 

The price of the Breguet Classique 7637 Répétition Minutes is Euro 268,600 in rose gold (ref. 7637BR/2N/9ZU) or Euro 269,700 in white gold (ref. 7637BB/2Y/9ZU). breguet.com

Suggested reading:

- The style of Breguet

- The history of Breguet