With this new launch at Baselworld 2015, Breguet is celebrating two centuries of “subscription” watches – the first pre-ordered timepieces from the brilliant company founder – as well as a decade of the Tradition collection. When the brand unveiled in 2005 the very first wristwatch in which part of the dial was replaced by the baseplate supporting the movement organs, devotees of avant-garde design were delighted and sceptics made no secret of their reserves. 10 years later, the Tradition line has achieved iconic status and well-informed observers note the sporadic appearance of models betraying similar inspiration and rolled out by brands not too concerned with authenticity. Yet inspiration and execution are not always equally matched, since the indispensable mastery and the incomparable experience needed to achieve such uniform finishing on the finely shotpeened bridges and plates leave no doubt as to the expertise required.

This daring stage-setting also pays tribute to the intrinsic qualities of the beautifully enhanced mechanical elements: barrel, escapement, bridges, wheels and other parts appear to be levitating above the baseplate. As too does the pare-chute at 4 o’clock, a device invented by Breguet to protect the balance staff from shocks and that would later give rise to the incabloc system. This mechanical ballet thus attractively highlighted is not the only sight to be enjoyed by the wearer of the Tradition Automatic Retrograde Seconds 7097 and his entourage, since the show continues on the upper part of the dial with harmoniously arranged timekeeping indications. Sweeping around the engine-turned and numbered dial, hollow-tipped Breguet in blued steel catch the eye, as does the offset retrograde seconds sweeping across the circular-brushed flat semi-circle at 10 o’clock. Also visible through the sapphire crystal of this must-have collector’s piece, the silicon Breguet balance spring and the inverted in-line lever escapement with silicon horns symbolise the technical innovation also characterizing this great name in the domain of haute horlogerie, whose aesthetic expertise is paired with high precision and technological excellence.