As most of you may already know, Breguet celebrated its 250th anniversary this year. And this all-important brand, whose founder was instrumental in the development of modern watchmaking, has been releasing some pretty incredible models throughout the year. It started with a deceptively simple Souscription model that won the GPHG 2025, followed by a pair of compact, vintage-inspired Type XX chronographs, a redefined version of the 10 Hz magnetic pivot watch and, last but not least, the Experimental 1 with its unprecedented magnetic escapement, high-frequency tourbillon and constant force device. And it might surprise you, but my favorite release of the year isn't one of them. This watch is not the most innovative or complex. What the Breguet Classique 7235 does have, however, is a simply stunning design that pays tribute to the fundamentals of Breguet style.
A tribute to the Breguet style
What is the Breguet style? Well, that's what we talked about in detail in this article and video: the so-called unmistakable signs that define what a Breguet was and still is. As you know, the Breguet brand was named after its founder Abraham-Louis Breguet, one of the most important (if not the most important) watchmakers of his time. Back in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Abraham-Louis Breguet revolutionized watchmaking with innovations such as the tourbillon, the anti-shock device, the gong and, even more surprisingly, the Souscription model, something that can be considered the first implementation of a proper business model and brand in watchmaking.
Abraham Louis Breguet
In order to establish his atelier as a brand, fight counterfeits and make his watches instantly recognizable, AL Breguet created his own style, several design trademarks that become classics of the brand. Nevertheless, there is a historical irony that must be understood: the style invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet was far from “classic” at the time, but deeply disruptive and innovative. When he moved to Paris in 1775, the dials of clocks and pocket watches were dense, cluttered, and full of Baroque ornamentation that was not necessarily unsightly but lacked both coherence and identity. The Renaissance style was still clearly visible. English and French styles were different, while Swiss watchmaking had not yet taken hold.
The Breguet 1176 tourbillon, with its striking display and guilloche pattern sectors (this model inspired the Classique 7225)
And this is where the genius of AL Breguet comes into play. ALB wasn't just a great watchmaker. He was a businessman with a vision for his studio. He developed a distinctive style for his watches that was characterized by finesse, elegance, discretion and legibility. This was particularly clear on the dial side of his pocket watches, which combined technical requirements with stylistic considerations, eliminated everything superfluous and emphasized legibility. He took a sector-by-sector approach and played at different levels, emphasized by the use of guilloche, a technique that was not necessarily widespread in watchmaking at the time. The use of multiple guilloche patterns allows the displays to be separated and gives unprecedented clarity to the complex displays of many of his watches. He maintained strict discipline and great consistency throughout his nearly 50-year career. Other striking elements were the famous Breguet hands, the Breguet numerals or the secret signature engraved on its dials as a security measure to combat counterfeiting.
The Breguet No. 5 Perpetual pocket watch, the inspiration for the exhibition of the Breguet Classique 7235
This Breguet style is perfectly embodied in the No. 5 watch, delivered on March 14, 1794. It was an outstanding timepiece and was sold at the time to François Jourgnac Saint-Méard, a literary scholar and contemporary of Breguet known for his excellent writings. This pocket watch features a dial with small seconds, moon phase and power reserve, all clearly separated by guilloche and sectors. This exact watch was the source of inspiration for the Breguet Classique 7235.
The Breguet Classique 7235
This watch, part of the 250th anniversary collection, somehow stayed a little under the radar. Since it was released alongside the Classique 7225 and is part of a collection that includes highly technical watches, it seems a bit understated and understated compared to the others. There is neither an innovative escapement nor major complications here. What this watch is, however, is a tribute to what makes a Breguet visually unique. And at least for me, this side of the brand is just as important as its technical developments.
Therefore, the Classique 7235 is not, strictly speaking, a reproduction of pocket watch No. 5. Obviously it is now a wristwatch and if you look closely at the display you can see some small differences. In some ways it initially felt like an evolution of the Classique 7137 Moon & Power Reserve. In a way, that's not entirely wrong. Both watches have the same inspiration, the basic architecture of the movement is the same and the display feels similar… At least at first glance.
In fact, there isn't much in common between the 7137 and the new 7235, apart from some displays and the technical basis of the movement. It starts with a completely different case, of course made of Breguet gold (the special alloy of the 250th anniversary collection) and in the design of the Souscription 2025 watch. With this anniversary collection, Breguet has created a new, more rounded and ergonomic case that dispenses with the straight, soldered lugs and fluted case edge – two stylistic elements that have been central to the brand since its return under the leadership of Daniel Roth in the 1980s.
The case of the Classique 7235 has a diameter of 39 mm and now has tabs that are classically integrated into the middle case. Paired with a more curved design and a lower center of gravity, this really has a positive impact on overall comfort. Surrounded by a polished curved bezel is a new spherical sapphire crystal, which slightly increases the thickness of the watch (measured at 9.9 mm) but gives it a certain charm. Finally, instead of a vertically fluted case part, the Classique 7235 opts for a hand-guilloched middle case with the anniversary motif “Quai de l'Horloge”.
The dial of this watch is undoubtedly the heart. Inspired by the No. 5 pocket watch without completely copying it, it also represents something of an evolution over the Classique 7137, replacing the date subdial with a small seconds dial and repositioning and shaping the power reserve and moon phase indicators to be more elegant. The No.5 pocket watch is one of the most elegant watches of all time and gives the Classique 7235 its two central hands, its power reserve between 10 and 11 o'clock, its moon phase at 2 o'clock and its small seconds, here slightly offset between 5 and 6 o'clock – a reference to many of Breguet's historical timepieces, in which the small seconds was rarely placed at 6 o'clock.
Even though the dial is new in terms of material and design, it couldn't be more typical of Breguet. A non-flat 18k Breguet gold base is used as the 7235 features a beveled dial like that of the No. 5 watch. It is thinner at the edges than in the middle to give the dial a slightly sloping profile at the edge of the chapter ring as well as a slimmer lower bezel. The tone-on-tone style, which is more noticeable than usual on Classique models with silver-plated dials, remains particularly attractive and in harmony with the case. The dial is decorated in the middle with a straight hand-guilloched “Quai de l'Horloge” motif, while the small seconds and power reserve area as well as the edge of the dial feature the same pattern, but in a circular representation. All displays are clearly separated from each other by satin inserts and straight engine-turned sector lines. It's all beautifully unbalanced and full of character, making for a dial full of charm and very Breguet indeed.
New in-house caliber
Inside the case of the Breguet Classique 7235 is a new movement, or at least a deeply updated version of a well-known architecture. The caliber 502.3.DRL is based on the same base as the caliber 502.3 DR.1 of the Classique 7137. This flat automatic movement is characterized by the use of an offset oscillating weight, which creates space for an optimized distribution of the watch's components. However, the movement has been adapted to the new display on the front and is now equipped with a silicon hairspring. It runs at a frequency of 3 Hz and has a power reserve of 45 hours.
The back shows a sophisticated decoration. First, the movement is wound by a new gold oscillating weight in the shape of Breguet's B. Additionally, the bridges were hand-engraved with a view of a so-called “Turgot” map showing the Quai de l'Horloge, where AL Breguet's workshops were located.
Thoughts, Availability & Price
The Breguet Classique 7235 is not the most impressive watch in the 250th anniversary collection. It's not particularly complicated, it doesn't have highly technical features and, unlike the Experimental 1 or even the Classique 7225, it doesn't have unprecedented innovations. On a technical level, this watch is unimpressive. However, I am really fascinated by its design, its elegance and its consistency. It speaks to me in many ways because of its historical relevance and its nod to what made Breguet instantly recognizable. It's a really nice watch. And that is ultimately just as important as the technical implementation of the movement.
The Breguet Classique 7235 is worn on a blue alligator strap and is released as a numbered, limited edition of 250 pieces priced at 65,000 francs (including taxes) or 76,200 euros (including taxes). To be fair, the price is quite high. Now I wonder if we will see more of this watch in the near future, perhaps with a silver plated dial, a different combination of guilloché patterns and a non-engraved movement, as part of the permanent collection. This would be a great addition to the brand’s portfolio. For more information, visit breguet.com.
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