Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon Quai de l’Horloge 5345

Quick specs Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon Quai de l’Horloge 5345
Price: approx. $ 756,000 | approx. € 702.000 | approx. £ 596,000 | CHF 680’000
Size: 46 mm
Reference: 5345BR/1S/5XU

This Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon Quai de l’Horloge 5345 is a tribute to the founder of the brand, Abraham-Louis Breguet. The watch is the pink gold execution of the platinum 5345 that was introduced in September 2020. Of course, the 5345 links to Abraham-Louis’ invention of the tourbillon, which he patented in France on the 26^th of June in 1801.

You might know that the tourbillon was created as a mechanism to counteract the effects of gravity on the accuracy of a watch. Which were pocket watches at the time. By mounting the escapement and balance wheel of a watch in a rotating cage, the tourbillon can average out positional errors. Nowadays movements are so accurate that this mechanism isn’t necessary anymore, however it is a showcase of horological skills. And that’s exactly what this watch is about.

Two tourbillons on a bar that is also the hours hand

Both tourbillons are equipped with their own gear train that is powered by their own barrel. They independently make one full turn per minute, and they are connected to a central differential which regulates the rate of the watch. A third gear train is driving the rotation of the entire mechanism.

The bar of the two tourbillons is attached to a central main plate that rotates every 12 hours. Thus, in theory it could function as an hour hand, and that’s what Breguet did. A part of the bar is transformed into an hour hand. It’s blued, connected to one of the tourbillons, and has a jewel in the tip.

Full view on the movement

Thanks to the open-worked dial of the Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon Quai de l’Horloge 5345 you can admire almost all of its mechanisms. Breguet uses a new guilloché pattern called radiant flinqué, applied to the rotating rose gold main plate and to the rhodium-plated gold bridge below it. This motif is a visually reminiscent of regular sound waves.

Blue varnished Roman numerals and an engraved minutes track kind of float on the border of the sapphire dial. The vertical flank of the case band is engraved with 12 black varnished Roman numeral hour markers giving a shadow of the chapter ring numerals. Furthermore, the level of finish on this side of the watch is extremely high-end.

It has mirror polishing on the tourbillon cages, sunburst pattern on the minutes track and snailing on the differential bridge. Then there is circular satin-finish on the gears and barrels, as well as circular graining on the underside of the rotating main plate. All done by in-house mechanics and artisans.

The Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon Quai de l’Horloge 5345 has a power reserve of 60 hours

On the back of this timepiece is a hand-engraved aerial view of Abraham-Louis Breguet’s first workshop, at the 51 Quai de l’Horloge in Paris. The building on the Île de la Cité still exists, but in the 1920s it was renumbered to 39. Today you can find a shoe store and a book store at number 39. Read more about the history of Breguet and how this Swiss watchmaker ended up in France.

For the case back various techniques were used to create perspective effects on the gold plate. You can see bas-relief engraving, including hollowing out the material, and all kind of effects with fine lines and rhodium color shades that show the traditional skills of the brand.

Behind the engraved back plate so on the dial, is the hand-wound Breguet caliber 588N2 with a power reserve of 60 hours. The 46-millimeter Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon Quai de l’Horloge 5345 comes on a midnight blue rubber strap with triple-folding clasp in rose gold.