Classique Dame 8068 acquires a touch of colour in an avant garde move  

Breguet

They say there are two kinds of people in the world. Do you also change your watch depending on your outfit, or are you the one who needs to have the same watch no matter what? Doesn’t matter which of the two you are, Classique Dame 8068’s new Classique collection now caters to both kinds of people. With their new interchangeable straps as part of a boxed set, it will now be possible to match your watch with your outfit, as easily as one slips into a pair of shoes. This is a first for the Swiss watchmaker, known for their otherwise neutral dials, to introduce pops of colour in time with the festive season. While the burst of colours is a new direction that the Swiss watchmaker has taken, if you go by their history, the watchmaker has always been unafraid of introducing new styles and giving their nod to a change in the air. For instance, when the company was founded by Abraham Louis Breguet in 1775, the baroque style of watchmaking was still the dominant trend. Breguet introduced neoclassical aesthetics into the industry. Centuries later, the Classique collection by the auteur is an enduring design, proving its timelessness. And yet, the brand is ready to switch things up and modernise, in keeping with a younger generation.    

A closer look  

With a new rapid interchange system, that has been designed to allow easy and independent switching between the different straps, changing the look of the watch is a matter of a minute. It involves pressing the push button under the strap, to lift up, remove and replace with any of the other two straps in the set, each with a gold buckle of its own. The slot needs to be positioned on the far end of the strap level in line with the lugs, tilted to a 45-60 degree position before clicking it into place to fasten the strap. If you were going to a festive event at night after a day of work, simply switch from the black satin fabric strap to a colourful alligator leather strap in teal blue or Byzantium purple for the white gold dial, or a peacock blue and raspberry pink for the rose gold iteration. The styling possibilities are endless with the ease of access to a completely different watch in a matter of seconds. The fun colours are meant to appeal to a younger generation of watch patrons while offering something new to a generation that has always been loyal to the Classique Collection

A modern dial  

It’s not just the straps – even the new watch dial has been fitted with a new touch of modernity and refinement. The crown, initially fitted with a blue sapphire, is now fitted with a cabochon-cut diamond. The 30 mm case features a bezel and lugs set with 64 brilliant-cut diamonds. The dial-in mother-of-pearl features a fine guilloche pattern that is personally handcrafted by the watchmaker’s artisans, apart from having open-tipped pomme hands that are truly unusual, bequeathing a feminine elegance to the watch. Breguet’s signature Arabic numerals now compose the chapter ring. An oval cartouche is set at 12 o’clock, bearing the brand’s logo. 

The movement 

Driven by Calibre 537/3 with its 191 components, the platinum oscillating weight is hand-engraved on a rose engine in a circular barleycorn pattern. The balance oscillates at a frequency of 3.5 Hz. The self-winding movement is rhodium plated and can work for 45 hours straight before needing a recharge. Equipped with an in-line Swiss-lever escapement and a silicon balance spring, it is resistant to corrosion and wear. Thanks to silicon, it is also insensitive to the influence of magnetic fields, having an impact on the precision of the chronograph. The case is water-resistant up to 3 bar, or 30 m. Its sapphire back showcases Breguet’s skills upfront, with decorations such as champering and the Côtes de Genève motif embellishing the various parts of the watch’s movement. 

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