Here's the thing. When most watch folks think of the best and brightest in high-end watchmaking today, we most often mention names like Patek Philippe, A. Lange & Söhne, F.P. Journe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin. For some strange reason, the name Breguet doesn't usually make an appearance. Why? It's hard to say, because Breguet, at least the historical brand, is absolutely the most important in all of watchmaking. But is Breguet of today the rightful heir to the brand that Abraham-Louis built, or is it simply another name chosen by a group of savvy investors from the headstone of a Swiss graveyard? This watch, the Breguet Classique Chronométrie 7727 answers this question – and resolutely. Breguet is here to play, and produce absolutely fascinating watches today. Let's get into what I mean. Before I do that, I encourage you to go ahead and press play on the video review above.
The Most Historically Important Brand, Today
Approximately two years ago, I was invited to visit the Breguet manufacture in Switzerland. To be perfectly frank, I wasn't sure what to expect. Breguet is sometimes difficult to understand, even from my position as both a collector and professional journalist covering this space. They are, for better or worse, an incredibly private company. Very little communication is done with the outside world on what they are working on – it has been this way since Swatch acquired Breguet in 1999. Why? I think some of it has to do with the fact that Swatch views Breguet as the jewel within the group of brands and they are fearful of over-exposure. I understand that, but at the same time, what I saw within the halls of the Breguet manufacture was simply outstanding, and completely changed my perception of this brand. I had believed, in total honesty, that Breguet was resting on its laurels and its name to sell watches to those who simply didn't know better. Instead I found a company that is innovative, creative, and thoughtful – a company that can produce a watch that does this:
Breguet has filed for and received over 100 different patents in the last decade. One hundred. That is a lot, people. They have produced so many truly innovative watches over the past three years or so – think extra flat, automatic tourbillon and chronograph independent – but to me the watch that best represents Breguet of today is the Classique Chronométrie 7727, the watch that we have here for review.
Why The 7727 Matters
The Classique Chronométrie is a piece that I have been familiar with since 2013 when it was launched. In 2014, my fellow GPHG jury members and I presented it with the highest award in all of watchmaking, and to be clear, there was not a close second that year. The watch, when you take the time to read about it, is clearly an innovative timepiece, and one that appeals to those who have a serious interest in advancing mechanical watchmaking. Now here's the thing – there haven't been that many serious advances in watchmaking, but the 7727 offers more than a few. In fact, it holds six patents itself. Let's get into two aspects of the watch that make it so special.
The balance spring, pallet lever, and escape wheel are made of silicon, which allows the 7727 to beat at 10 hertz.
The first think you'll notice about the 7727 when you see it is that crazy spinning little hand up towards 1 o'clock. This hand takes two seconds for one full rotation, and what that translates to is a beat rate of 10 hertz. Ten hertz is exactly double what the famously high-beat El Primero, for example, operates at. The high frequency nature of the watch allows for, in theory, far more precise operation. The 10 hertz concept was first used in the Type XXII chronograph some years ago, and the results showed that this chronograph experienced dramatically improved time keeping performance on the balance and spring.
How is this possible? Silicon, of course! The pallet lever, escape wheel, and even double balance wheel are made of silicon. This makes them lighter, more flexible and in turn causes less friction. Without silicon, this watch can't beat as fast as does, and without that, we don't hit mega-chronometer status with an average rate of -1/+3. Also, without silicon, you don't get to see that balance wheel going nuts on the rear of the watch and that cool spinning hand on the front.
Magnetic pivots allow the balance staff to float in artificial gravity.
While the 10 hertz beat rate has been seen before in another Breguet, what we'll discuss here is totally revolutionary. In fact it is perhaps one of the coolest things about this watch, and elevates the 7727 to something more than just a watch, but almost a concept watch. The 7727 features magnetic pivots. What this means is that instead of the balance staff – which holds the balance wheel in place – being held physically, it is actually suspended, almost in mid air, by high power magnets.
What we see are two end stones with powerful micro-magnets (about 1.3 teslas) that keep the balance staff centered and even more, allows it to self adjust when the watch takes a shock. On top of that, the watch is completely anti-magnetic due the use of these micro-magnetic pivots, and the magnets don't impact the operations of the watch because all parts that would be effected are made of silicon. Clever, no?
One of the magnets is actually stronger than the other, so one end of the staff touches the end stone while the other "floats" just above the other end stone. So when a shock occurs, the magnets automatically re-center the balance staff. Essentially, this magnetic field is an artificial gravity that ensures the 7727's regulating organ to be working flawlessly in any position. Sound familiar? Maybe a little like a tourbillon? Not at all the same solution, but indeed the very same problem that needs solving, and in my opinion, the magnetic pivot is a far more interesting, thoughtful, and indeed commercially viable solution than the tourbillon. It's also so very much less "ugh, really?" than a tourbillon.
So, the caliber 574DR in the Breguet Classique Chronométrie 7727 features a silicon escapement that allows it to beat at 10 hertz, and never-before-seen magnetic pivots that allow the balance wheel to remain centered and functioning in all positions and against all shocks, big or small. And that is why this watch is so special to the watchmakers in us – but much does it cost and how is it to wear? This is where the 7727 goes from, "Hey, that's pretty cool" to "Wow, I really need to own that."
A Week On The Wrist With The Breguet Classique Chronométrie 7727
The two big technical selling points mentioned above are indeed special. Technically, the 7727 rivals several models that other brands would label "concept watches" but here, we have a commercially available timepiece. And, while I've known all of the above since the day this watch was announced and certainly held the piece in high regard, I have seen (and currently see) dozens of amazingly technically innovative timepieces come out just to find out they are terrible on the wrist. That is not the case here, and in fact this Breguet does everything well. It's not without fault, certainly, but there is a lot to like here even when it comes down to real-life wearability.
Let's take a look at some of the external physical traits of this internally interesting watch. We have a 41 mm case that is water resistant to 30 meters. We have an off-centered dial adorned with six different types of guilloché. We see blue-steel-tipped, open Breguet-style hands, naturally.
We see six different types of hand guilloché on the dial, coupled with traditional silvered rings and two secret signatures. This is Breguet, defined.
The dial is ornate, as we've come to expect from Breguet. To me, it might even be too ornate. Six different hand-turned guilloché patterns on a watch this size is a lot. Add that to the silvered ring, two not-so-secret signatures, and a few superfluous labels (I'm looking at you "10 Hz") and you have a really busy dial. It's an impressive dial, certainly, but a busy one no less.
So you have all these traditional types of dial work and then you have a few things that seem a little callous. The 10 Hz label not only seems unnecessary, but is also a little jarring in that hyper-modern font set just under the Breguet signature. Now I understand the need to label technically interesting watches – the average consumer doesn't read HODINKEE (yet!) and has no idea that this watch offers some cool things on the movement side. It's the same reason JLC's new Geophysic reads "Tru-Beat" on the dial – people need to know there is something special about the watch from three feet away. But the 7727 seems different – it's a watch that takes a lot of explanation to understand, and it's one that to me is clearly geared towards gear heads and connoisseurs.
The other thing that is impossible to ignore once you see them are the two "secret" signatures on the silvered ring. They are there, and perhaps 50% too large to really be considered secret in any way. I think the idea of a secret signature is very neat, and I realize it's an homage to Breguet of yesteryear, but I'd love to see them size appropriately for a secret.
The six different types of finishes, the signatures, the running two-second display, the power reserve (60 hours, for those curious), the visible parachute in the form of a magnetic pivot, and the text heavy dial make the 7727 a lot to process at quick glance. I'm not saying it's too much – as there is a lot going on with this watch – but I do think many high-end collectors would find it to be a little too busy at quick glance.
Having said that, for what Breguet could have done, and frankly what most watch brands would have done with a piece this special, I think they showed some restraint. While I could nitpick a few things, the dial is very Breguet, and very classical in nature, and that's a great thing. And while the dial is a little busy for my taste, it is well balanced.
The watch is very svelte, with the welded lugs holding your wrist nicely. Even though this watch is jam-packed with technology, Breguet has managed to keep the watch in an elegant form, and I sincerely appreciate that.
Okay, on to the movement. The 574DR is, as I've said, truly a spectacularly innovative movement, packed full of silicon with a high speed lever escapement, and a type of shock resistance that could, one day, become an industry standard (if Breguet allows it to be used by others). What the 574DR is not is perfectly finished. I don't want anyone to misinterpret what I'm saying here – I think it's well finished, but there are some tells that Breguet has put the focus much more on the technical innovation than traditional hand-finishing. And you know what? That's fine, and even expected, because that his how A-L Breguet himself built watches.
Still, it's worth pointing out what I mean in greater detail. Have a look at the beveling on this photo of the 574DR's bridges. The angles on the bridges, the Geneva waves are there – but they are not the super deep, rich level of finishing one might expect from a watchmaker of this caliber. Again, many tout Breguet as the ultimate watchmaker, and that includes Breguet themselves, but the level of finishing here is simply not in the realm of the top tier. Compare this watch to something like a Laurent Ferrier Microrotor, or even a Lange 1, and I think you'll see what I mean.
Now let me say this. The 7727 costs $40,000 even as pictured in rose gold. And I genuinely believe that to be one of the best deals in fine watchmaking, as it is right now. Would I love to see this watch finished better? Absolutely, but I think that would cause the price level of this amazing watch to change completely. And remember, Breguet the man was an innovator, not one obsessed with fine finishing, and that mantra is clearly the same with this watch.
Breguet – the man – cared little for fine finishing and much for innovation. One could say the 7727 fits this mantra perfectly.
The one thing I will say is that the engraving seen on the 7727 is probably the most problematic to my eye. We see serious burrs, and a lack of defined edges in most of the engravings both on the caliber and dial side.
Breguet made a choice here – fine hand-finishing or true innovation. Ideally we'd see both, but I'm not sure that's a possibility at $40,000 for a watch this advanced, Now all the complaints I've lodged so far are simply me being me. I see a lot of watches, and as I've spent more time in this world, I've really started to look for super fine hand finishing. Breguet does not offer that here, and frankly, I think that's okay. The reason I say that is because this watch is $40,000 brand new, and no matter the level of finishing, this is a bargain.
The Classique Chronométrie 7727 offers so much for the price – a truly thoughtful, and potentially game-changing movement, a very high-end, hand-engraved dial, and a refined form factor. With all that, it's easy to forget any lapses in fine finishing. Also, I think most people that will be attracted to this watch will know enough about watchmaking to know what the 7727 is and what it isn't.
In the video at the top of this page, I said that I believe the 7727 could be one of the most interesting watches to come out of Switzerland in years, and I really mean that. It is special, and brings us true innovation – not like, say, another tourbillon inclined at a slightly different angle – and it does so in a beautiful, traditional form that a classical watch lover would appreciate.
The price of the 7727 – $40,000 in rose gold, $40,500 in white gold – is simply remarkable. And the fact that Breguet chose to make this watch, the first with magnetic pivots and a 10 hertz beat rate, a non-limited watch that will be made in perpetuity says one thing – they really believe in the technology. It is very often the case that innovative or "concept" watches are released as only halo pieces to be shown at trade shows or as highly priced, very limited editions. Breguet didn't do that here, and for that I am extremely grateful.
With the Classique Chronométrie, Breguet (of today) picks up where Breguet of yesterday left off, and I truly think that this is the watch that will change the mind of so many top collectors in regards to what the pinnacle of Swatch watchmaking looks like. I think it could be a wonderful platform on which Breguet can build fantastic, innovative, collector-oriented timepieces.
For more on the Breguet Classique Chronométrie 7727, click here.
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