As is well-known Breguet’s marine connection goes back more than 200 years. In 1815, King Louis XVIII of France recognized the exceptional qualities of Abraham-Louis Breguet’s marine chronometers, appointing him as the Chronometer-maker to the French Royal Navy. From that point on, the success of the royal expeditions was in part dependent on the reliability of the Breguet naval clocks. In 1840, a Breguet instrument was the first timepiece to reach the Antarctic, with the Jules Dumont d’Urville expedition. The connection between the House of Breguet and the maritime world has thus been a constant theme for two centuries.
Over the years, the Breguet’s tradition and experience in chronometers seamlessly found its way into pocket watches, and then innovative wristwatches. The marine collection is thus a true successor to a hallowed past. The watches in the 2019 Marine collection takes this tradition forward. Marine 5517, Marine Chronographe 5527, and Marine Alarme Musicale 5547 stand out for the use of titanium in the case and bracelet.
Besides giving them a sporty elegance, titanium provides resistance to salty air and corrosion, which is of particular interest to anyone in a marine environment, while ensuring that the watch is both light in weight and robust.
The case is also satin-brushed, while the bezel has been polished, which creates different light effects and subtle contrasts. The satin-brush treatment extends to each of the links of the titanium bracelet. Titanium has been paired with a sunburst slate-grey dial in gold. The sobriety of these shades of grey underlines the contemporary design of the watch.
The nautical world has inspired several details on the dial of these watches. The second-hand counterweight bears the maritime signal flag corresponding to Breguet’s initial. The brilliance of the polished and faceted open-tipped Breguet hands contrasts with the sunburst slate-gray background. For use at night, the open tips of the hands and the five-minute markings above the polished Roman numerals are coated with luminescent material. In this composition of harmonious sobriety, the counter numerals and the Breguet signature take on a shade of white.
BREGUET MARINE CHRONOGRAPHE 5527
MARINE 5517
This watch with an elegant date display beats to the rhythm of the 777A caliber, which provides a power reserve of 55 hours. Comes in a 40mm case with a sapphire crystal case-back.
MARINE ALARME MUSICALE 5547
The self-winding 519F/1 caliber movement powers the musical alarm of this watch. A pushbutton placed at 8 o’clock makes it easy to activate or deactivate the alarm function. When the alarm is enabled, a marine bell appears in an opening at 12 o’clock under the Breguet signature. Both the time of the watch and the alarm function can be set without either interfering with the other. Power reserve of 45 hours. The power-reserve indicator of the alarm function is located on the dial between the numerals IX and XII. The caliber allows the display of a second-time zone and the date, adjustable in both directions, without changing the reference time or the alarm. Comes in a 40 mm case.
