Breguet has launched the Classique Tourbillon 7357, a compact 35 mm timepiece available in platinum and proprietary Breguet gold. The model serves as a modern evolution of the historic Ref. 3350 introduced in 1989, featuring a refined Cal. 187B movement and an open-worked tourbillon bridge.
Breguet is undertaking a late-in-life rejuvenation of its historic catalog, turning its attention to a complication that defined modern watchmaking. The brand’s latest release, the Classique Tourbillon 7357, updates a design that has roots stretching back more than three decades.
The new model arrives as a direct descendant of the Ref. 3350, which marked the first Tourbillon wristwatch produced by modern-day Breguet in 1989. That original reference relied on the historical Calibre 558, a movement that established a foundation for contemporary high horology at a time when traditional mechanical craftsmanship appealed to only a handful of collectors worldwide.
Evolution of the Calibre 187B and Movement Architecture
Inside the new 7357 sits an optimised version of that foundational movement, now designated as the Cal. 187B, which traces its architecture back to the Lemania cal. 387 used in the earlier 3350 and 3357 generations. While the underlying mechanical construction preserves its historical lineage, the updated calibre incorporates several modern technical enhancements.
The upgraded movement boasts a longer power reserve and a non-magnetic hairspring.
Case Dimensions and Mid-Century Aesthetic Choices
The 7357 is housed in a compact case measuring 35 mm wide and just 9.2 mm tall. This profile gives the watch a vintage feel, drawing on a mid-20th century aesthetic style that Breguet recently revived with its one-handed Souscription.
The case features the manufacturer’s trademark fluting on the band alongside a domed bezel and back. However, the narrow, straight lugs that traditionally defined Breguet wristwatches have been replaced by curved, integrated lugs that are still soldered to the case by hand.
Because of the compact case dimensions, the dial and movement fill the interior exactly. This tight fit gives the guilloche dial a stronger visual presence, particularly in the proprietary gold iteration.
Design Details: Platinum Versus Breguet Gold
Breguet offers the new release in two distinct metal variations. The platinum version utilizes a grey and blue color palette that leans toward a modern aesthetic, matching the movement color to the case material.
The second option employs Breguet gold, the brand’s proprietary yellow gold alloy. The solid gold dial features intricate engine-turning composed of multiple parts to create depth, utilizing a mix of engine-turned patterns that require both rose and straight-line engines.
Breaking from standard catalog norms that favor Roman numerals, the 7357 adopts Arabic numeral instead of Romans, rendered in the characteristic Breguet style.
Marking 225 Years of the Tourbillon Regulator
The debut of the 7357 coincides with a major historical milestone for the brand’s signature complication. A.-L. Breguet patented the Tourbillon regulator device on 26 June 1801, following a period of intense creative development sparked by the French Revolution.
The regulator was designed to counteract the adverse effects of gravity on the balance and balance-spring by enclosing the escapement and regulating mechanisms within a rotating cage. The system mixes up vertical positions to achieve higher average accuracy.
Nearly 225 years after that initial patent, the manufacturer continues to refine the mechanism through modern processes, balancing historical reverence with ongoing technical development.
