Breguet “Classic Tourbillon Sideral 7255”

Breguet “Classic Tourbillon Sideral 7255” ​
Swatch Group Japan Ltd. Breguet Division Press release: June 27, 2025 Breguet “Classic Tourbillon Sideral 7255” As the fourth 250th anniversary model, the “Classique Tourbillon Sideral 7255” was announced on June 26th, in a worldwide limited edition of 50 pieces, to celebrate June 26th, 1801, the day that founder Breguet obtained a patent for the tourbillon. https://img.youtube.com/vi/J27BXqe_ZJs/sddefault.jpg
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/89724/35/89724-35-e238ec1f1af6be148741ad70dbc6f816-3900×3029.jpg The tourbillon at the heart of the movement and its history
Manufacture Breguet has a unique and exclusive expertise and knowledge of the tourbillon. It is the heir to the legacy of Abraham-Louis Breguet, who patented the tourbillon on 7 Messidor Year IX, or June 26, 1801. The Maison has been constantly exploring countless variations, but this is the first time it presents a “Flying Tourbillon”. This variation is also linked to the concept of the “Mystery” watch mechanism, which Breguet has been using for almost 20 years. This new work not only pays homage to the complication, but also to the origin of the name “Tourbillon” itself. The choice of the term “Sideral” is not accidental; it is linked to the world of the stars, the precision of celestial motion, and the measurement of time based on the fixed positions of the stars rather than the sun. This suggests a more rigorous concept of time, linked to the universe and its laws. The fact that the tourbillon was installed in a model that recalls Breguet’s astronomical developments also fits with the historical background. In fact, the modern meaning of “tourbillon” is “something that moves in a circular motion at high speed,” which is very close to its etymology. However, in the 17th and 18th centuries, it had a different meaning. At that time, mathematician Blaise Pascal expanded the meaning of “tourbillon” to “a material system with rotating motion” (1647, Descartes, Principles of Philosophy). Since then, the concept of the tourbillon has been applied to planetary systems and is directly linked to astronomy. Breguet was in the academic tradition of his time, but his invention was far ahead of its time. Even now, 224 years later, the tourbillon has undergone countless evolutions, but its principles have never been surpassed in essence. Tourbillon Variations Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823) invented the tourbillon, but he also took care to solidify the surroundings of its defining technology. This tireless inventor, who always wanted to bring scientific progress to watchmaking, was always looking to create new principles, not to follow established methods. Breguet himself experimented with many different forms of the tourbillon, ranging from different structures, frequencies and rotation speeds. The House of Breguet, which began to use the sign “Breguet et fils” in the early 1800s, also worked on it for more than 30 years. Between 1796 and 1829, the House created 40 tourbillons. The Breguet Manufacture has now retraced the steps of the great watchmaker in the development of the first flying tourbillon. The Maison has gone back to the roots of the tourbillon to realize two different elements: flying and mystery. The flying tourbillon is a variation of the traditional tourbillon, but its primary function remains the same: to compensate for the effects of gravity on the balance by rotating the cage that houses the balance. However, it was introduced much later, and was first realized in the early 20th century. The flying tourbillon differs from the traditional tourbillon in that it does not have an upper bridge, but only supports the carriage with a lower bridge. This gives the impression that the tourbillon is suspended in the air, as supported from below, hence the name flying. However, the structure is more complex, as the axis of the tourbillon cage is supported only at its bottom, rather than at the top and bottom. This demands robustness, ever more delicate adjustments and the finest balance: robustness and precision were the goals Abraham-Louis Breguet pursued in 1801, and they are still the goals of the Manufacture Breguet in 2025. The Mystery Concept The House of Breguet has created the Mystery structure to further highlight the flying tourbillon mechanism supported by the lower bridge. Mystery complications are mechanisms that allow a part to move without any visible connection to the rest of the movement. They are usually used for the hands of watches and clocks, but they can be applied to any part that rotates, even a tourbillon, as seen in the Classique Tourbillon Sideral 7255. Mystery complications, developed by Breguet’s watchmakers, are a surprise to the viewer. The bridges of the carriage and the parts that support the axles at the base, which are usually delicately decorated, are made of anti-reflective sapphire. So they are not visible. The contacts connecting the gear train to the carriage are also not visible, because the contacts located outside the tourbillon opening are hidden by the dial.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/89724/35/89724-35-8ccbf396a047a5d32edcbff5eecd4d33-3900×2925.jpg “Mystery” and “Flying” The “Classic Tourbillon Sideral 7255” incorporates both a “mystery” and a “flying” tourbillon. This is achieved by combining a regulator with an invisible drive mechanism that extends to the top of the movement. This construction creates the effect of the mechanism floating in the air, further enhancing the visibility of the tourbillon. In praise of astronomy Abraham-Louis Breguet was born on January 10, 1747 in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. He established his own business in Paris in 1775, and when he moved there he set up shop on the Quai de l’Horloge on the Île de la Cité. In the world-renowned French capital, the young Breguet studied at Collège Mazarin under the tutelage of Father Marie, a distinguished
mathematics professor. The two men maintained a friendship that would last for decades, and would eventually lead the future watchmaker to study astronomy. His studies at Collège Mazarin made him a pioneering engineer and a scientifically well-educated man. He later became a member of the Academie des Sciences (founded on the Collège Mazarin estate) as well as a member of the Committee of Longitude, which was concerned with the whole range of astronomy. Throughout his life, he was close friends with astronomers Lalande, Biot, Nicolet, Cassini, and François Arago. Breguet met the young astronomer Arago at the Academy of Sciences and provided him with an astronomical measuring instrument that could be attached to the eyepiece of a telescope to measure time. Classic Tourbillon Sideral 7255 “Classic Tourbillon Sideral The 7255 is linked to this background, and for the first time at Breguet Manufacture, the new dial is decorated with aventurine enamel laid over a gold base. The deep blue color, a tribute to astronomy and stargazing, is dotted with copper flakes reminiscent of stars shining in the sky. The technique of aventurine enamel dates back to the early 17th century. Since then, this technique, in which the glass, to which the copper flakes are added, gives the impression of a starry sky, has been constantly refined. For this watch, Breguet opted for a process similar to grand feu enamel, which means grinding the glass into powder. The final composition requires a delicate selection of sizes. To achieve perfect results, the aventurine powder must have slightly larger particles than traditional enamel powder. They are then put together in an oven at over 800 degrees Celsius and the dial is fired at least five times in succession. Each firing is extremely delicate; firing for too long or at too high a temperature will not produce a satisfactory result at all. The dial of the Classic Tourbillon Sideral 7255 combines two wonderful worlds: the deep monochromatic blue of the enamel glass and the shimmering sparkle of the copper flakes in the shape of stars. Each of the aventurine enamel dials is handcrafted, so each of the 50 Classic Tourbillon Sideral 7255 pieces is truly unique.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/89724/35/89724-35-a3e946cbc5dcef294c2b7581f87352f3-3900×2925.jpg Invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet and patented in 1801, the tourbillon remains one of the most complex complications in watchmaking. Its extraordinary mechanism embodies the techniques that Breguet has faithfully preserved for more than two centuries. CEO Gregory Kisling Tourbillon technical description The Breguet Manufacture has paid special attention to the tourbillon in the Classique Tourbillon Sideral 7255. It has beautifully evolved the traditional tourbillon to suit modern design and technology. The tourbillon is elevated to accentuate the sense of depth of the mechanism, making it appear suspended in space. This gives the impression of a celestial body floating in the vastness of space. The tourbillon is elevated 2.2mm above the base plate and 0.9mm above the aventurine enamel dial. A remarkable elevation indeed. The total thickness of the movement, including the tourbillon, is 7mm. In other words, it is the tourbillon that determines the overall height of the movement and therefore the thickness of the case (10.2 mm). In the Classique Tourbillon Sideral 7255, the tourbillon is the star of the show, the entire movement is designed around it and its size determines the proportions of the watch. To achieve this magnificent effect, new approaches had to be developed in the design and manufacture of the dial. The dial is made up of several elements, including a gold base with a three-dimensional edge and a ring that surrounds a gold tourbillon. This design actually has a hidden technical function: these elements form a raised metal wall that closes the edge of the dial. This structure allows the aventurine enamel to be applied in a careful layer-by-layer manner. The dial is not only visually pleasing, but also plays an important role in the “mystery complication” with the warm glow of Breguet gold on the hour circle, the applied “Breguet” and “Tourbillon” logos, and the applied Breguet numerals indicating the hours. Behind it lies the mechanism that drives the tourbillon cage, which from the outside appears to be suspended in mid-air, giving the impression of being visually unconnected to the rest of the movement. Tourbillon Sideral decoration The Classique Tourbillon Sideral 7255 is crafted in Breguet gold. This 18K gold alloy, exclusive to Breguet, was unveiled in the first model celebrating the company’s 250th anniversary. The warm rose color is inspired by the gold used by 18th century watchmakers, including Breguet. Breguet gold is 75% gold with silver, copper and palladium, which is not only beautiful in shine, but also resistant to tarnishing and has stable properties over time. The decoration of the movement, visible from the caseback, is a new guilloching technique that was unveiled for the first time this year. Named “Quai de l’Horloge”, this motif was inspired by the curved lines that border the Île de la Cité and the slender, beautiful contours of the Île Saint-Louis. This newly created Quai de l’Horloge guilloching pattern is applied not only in the traditional circular pattern but also as a linear pattern on the entire plate of the movement. This beautiful decoration can be admired through the sapphire crystal on the caseback. It also features all the traditional design codes, such as the fluted caseband, the straight soldered lugs, and the “hollowed apple” Breguet hands, and the dial features the Maison’s secret signature. The caseback is also individually numbered in a limited edition ranging from 1/50 to 50/50.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/89724/35/89724-35-7a47b423180b42ced5202c9d3fee1899-3900×3063.jpg Comments from CEO Gregory Kisling Why did you decide to create a tourbillon that combines mystery and flying mechanisms? Breguet already has many tourbillons in its collections and has already launched sophisticated models with mystery tourbillon mechanisms. What is new, however, is this flying carriage that brings the tourbillon to the forefront. Why is it special? Because we are presenting the first ever flying tourbillon in the history of Breguet. What a fitting way to celebrate our 250th anniversary! And the tourbillon model we have chosen is no ordinary one either. Its origins lie in the movement used in Breguet’s first tourbillon wristwatch (Ref. 3350), introduced in 1990. The Classique Tourbillon Sideral 7255 pays tribute to this iconic timepiece and this great invention. What’s more, this new model is such a homage to the tourbillon that even the time display feels secondary. Can you explain aventurine? When people see this material, they usually exclaim, “wow!” The name comes from the Italian “a ventura,” which literally means “by chance.” It was created by chance. In the 17th century, a glassmaker on the island of Murano accidentally dropped a piece of copper into molten glass. When the glass cooled, the metal piece solidified like a crystal inside the glass, creating a beautiful, sparkling glass that had never been seen before. The blue color is achieved by using cobalt crystals. Why did you choose aventurine for this model? Each of our anniversary models tells a story. With this new model, we wanted to tell the story of the tourbillon. The name of the new model contains the word “Sideral,” which is related to the stars. In the time of the first Breguet, the word “tourbillon” meant a celestial body that rotates on a specific axis. The connection is clear. Look up at the clear night sky and see countless stars shining. That’s why the use of aventurine makes a lot of sense. The copper flakes inside are reminiscent of the stars twinkling in the sky. Will aventurine enamel become a permanent part of Breguet’s collections? Yes. There are many other interesting materials, but aventurine is a good possibility. However, aventurine has the fascination that we were looking for for this model, whose complications are particularly related to the heavens. It is no coincidence that many Haute Horlogerie brands use aventurine in their collections. What is the importance of incorporating new materials into Breguet’s collections? Just like Abraham-Louis Breguet did, we want to experiment, test and incorporate new materials. Watchmaking is a place of endless experimentation and we never stop innovating. In addition, we have material specialists within the Maison who are always trying to go one step further. It is a project that brings together various departments. Comments from Emmanuel Breguet, Vice President and Head of Patrimony How many tourbillons were made during the Abrahen-Louis Breguet era? In the archives, a thorough examination of the manufacturing ledgers at the time, showed that the total number was 35, but there are five watches that should not be overlooked. This is a sympathetic clock from the famous watch enthusiast Somaliva (consisting of a table clock with a tourbillon and a pocket watch placed on a rotating platform), a marine chronometer, a large demonstration model, and a travel clock. These different works are nothing but proof of Breguet’s great ambition for his own invention. Therefore, the total number is 40, but this does not include the other nine points that were not completed, and these were written in the ledger as “write-off”, “scrap”, and “lost”, which shows that the loss rate was also quite large. Has Abrahen-Louis Breguet already sold tourbillons before obtaining the patent? Of course, yes. Inventor Breguet wanted people to know as quickly as possible about his intuition and calculations, and before 1801 he sold three-piece tourbillons. In the Abrahen-Louis Breguet era, how long did it take on average to make a precision watch with a tourbillon? It’s been over 6 years. This is twice the time required for a “regular” Breguet watch. What took a long time was the delicate process of actual production, and it was difficult for even among the people surrounding the masters to find a qualified craftsman. Can you talk about who you sold Breguet’s former tourbillon? Only 10 tourbillons were sold by the Maison in 1811, 10 years after its patent acquisition. It is unsurprising that the buyers include King George III of England, later King George IV of Spain, and King Ferdinand VII of Spain. It also includes Russian aristocrats and famous people from all over Europe. Up until this point, this corresponds to an early quarter of the 40 points, but there is no doubt that these were intended for use in “voyages.” This means that it was purchased by ship owners and crews and used it for longitude measurements on voyages. After sailing around the world’s oceans for about 50 years, Thomas Brisbane returned to Australia using his watch and navigational equipment. These uses have inspired Breguet, and have been enthusiastic about the mission of a naval watchmaker, and have been focused on supplying watches that are always highly accurate in all situations. What happened to all the tourbillons that the Maison produced back then? There are over 10 items in the museum. Three are also included in the Breguet Museum collection, while four are preserved at the British Museum and other organizations in the UK. Others can be seen in museums in Milan, Italy, Jerusalem, Israel, and New York, USA, with about 15 more items available to individuals. View details ​ Breguet Boutique Ginza ☎03-6254-7211 Breguet Boutique Isetan Shinjuku Branch ☎03-3352-1111 Main Representative Breguet Boutique Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store ☎03-6665-0143 Breguet Boutique Hankyu Umeda Main Store ☎06-6313-7863 https://www.breguet.com/jp Details about this release *This email was sent automatically, so please do not reply.