Breguet’s latest creation, the Tradition Automatique Seconde Rétrograde 7097 pays tribute to the Souscription and Tact watches made by Abraham-Louis Breguet in the late 18th century. Like them, its mechanism reveals the bridges, wheels, escapement, barrel and various other parts that are normally placed beneath the plate.

The small offset dial at 12 o’clock – another characteristic of the great master’s legendary ‘à tact’ watches – on the new Tradition 7097 model is overlapped by a retrograde seconds segment promoting optimal readability. The iconic ‘pare-chute’ system of the Tradition collection positioned at 4 o’clock adds a perfectly symmetrical touch.

This Breguet invention serving to protect the balance-staff from shocks was the forerunner of the ‘Incabloc’ and other anti-shock systems.
Exalting the brilliant, visionary spirit of Abraham-Louis Breguet, this exceptional creation not only honours the past but also looks firmly to the future with particularly innovative technical characteristics.
Witness the inverted straight-line lever escapement with silicon horns and the silicon Breguet overcoil balancespring – both serving to guarantee exceptional rating precision.

Mechanical automatic 505SR1 calibre, 38 jewels, 3 Hz, inverted straight-line lever escapement with silicon horns, silicon Breguet overcoil balance-spring, 50-hour power reserve. 18K white or pink gold, 40 mm case.

Source: Europa Star March 2015 Magazine Issue