Breguet releases their first ever flying tourbillon in the new Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255.
Press release information with commentary in italics.
New: Breguet Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255
The Breguet Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 retails at CHF 190,000. Limited edition of 50 numbered pieces.
Commentary
Though the tourbillon was invented by A.L. Breguet, the modern Breguet as a maison has never made a flying tourbillon until this novelty. In his lifetime, Breguet made about 40 tourbillons, and this release alone is a limited edition of 50 pieces, surpassing the entire life’s work of the great forefather of modern watchmaking. But this watch is part of the release to mark a significant point in their history, the maison is now celebrating its 250th Anniversary by using the past works to inspire the new.
CEO Gregory Kissling explains: “It is, quite simply, the very first time in Breguet’s history that a flying tourbillon is being introduced. A beautiful way to celebrate its 224th anniversary (patented on 23 Dec 1800) ! And the tourbillon model we chose to reinterpret is no ordinary one: among the tourbillon movements in Breguet’s archives, it is the one used in the very first Breguet tourbillon wristwatch, unveiled in 1990 under reference 3350. (a watch made under the direction of Daniel Roth, who was then the the master watchmaker at Breguet.) The Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 thus pays homage to that iconic timepiece and to the master’s invention. I would even go so far as to say that this creation is an ode to the tourbillon itself, where time indication is almost secondary…”
And the center stage is taken by the flying tourbillon, which is allowed to shine, now unblocked by a bridge and visible clearly on the dial side. The diameter of the tourbillon is almost 18mm in diameter, taking up nearly the entire radius dimension of the 38mm case. Indeed this tourbillon is impressive indeed.
The Sidéral nomenclature on the dial is not as one might initially have suspected, that the watch will display sidéral time as a comparison to solar time. It does not. It merely displays the standard solar time. The Sidéral in the name refers to the astronomical hints made by the aventurine dial in blue with gold flakes, giving the impression of starry skies. The release verbiage does go into some detail to explain this.
The case is made of a special gold alloy which Breguet names after itself. This alloy is still 18k gold, with a composition of 75% gold in combination with silver, copper and palladium. We do not know the exact composition of these metals in the alloy, and can only imagine that Breguet is able to claim it as their own because the proportions are novel, and not in the amounts of what would be either yellow gold, pink gold (in the various N degrees of pink-ness). The hue achieved by the case is somewhat between that of a 4N pink gold, but with a more yellow-ish tint to it than the standard pink gold case
The pricing is rather steep at CHF 190k, but not out of line with the other Breguet tourbillon offerings.
Release details
Mastering time through the art of the tourbillon
With the Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 wristwatch Breguet unveils the fourth chapter of its 250th anniversary celebrations. The release date, the 26th of June 2025, is in homage to the 26th of June 1801 when Abraham-Louis Breguet obtained a patent for his invention of the iconic tourbillon. This exclusive watch will have a limited production run of only 50 timepieces.The tourbillon at the heart of the movement and its history
The Breguet manufacture possesses a unique expertise in tourbillons, inherited since A.-L. Breguet obtained its patent on 7 Messidor Year 9 of the French Republican calendar – i.e., 26 June 1801.
The House has never ceased to explore the infinite variations of this complication, but this is the first time it is presenting a “flying tourbillon” version. This interpretation also features a so called “mysterious” design, a construction that Breguet has mastered for many years.
Beyond honoring the master’s complication, this innovation also celebrates the very etymology of the word “tourbillon”. The choice of the term “Sidéral” is no accident: it evokes the world of stars, the precision of celestial movements, and the measurement of time by the heavens. It refers to astronomical time based not on the Sun but on the fixed positions of stars. It suggests a more rigorous, universe-oriented notion of time.
The presence of a tourbillon in a piece recalling Breguet’s astronomical developments also fits a historical context. Indeed, the contemporary meaning of “tourbillon” closely aligns with its etymology: “something rotating rapidly in a circle”. However, in the 17th and 18th centuries, things were different.
At that time, mathematician Blaise Pascal broadened the meaning of tourbillon to denote a “material system animated with rotational motion” (1647, Descartes, Principes Philosophiques). Since then, the notion of tourbillon has been extended to planetary systems, hence its direct link to astronomy.
Breguet is part of the scholarly tradition of his century. However, his invention was significantly ahead of its time, because 224 years later the tourbillon remains the subject of countless developments, without its principle ever truly being surpassed.
Variations on a tourbillon
A.-L. Breguet (1747-1823) imagined the tourbillon towards the end of the 18th century, while being careful not to set out its definitive technical aspects. As a perpetual inventor, driven by an unending desire to advance the science of watchmaking, he was aware that he had forged a principle, not a finite, immutable device.
He himself experimented with numerous forms, altering its design, oscillation frequency, speed of rotation or escapement (lever, detent or natural).
Breguet, which signed its watches “Breguet et fils” in the early 1800s, would itself devote more than thirty years to this project. Some forty tourbillons were produced between 1796 and 1829.
Today, by developing its first flying tourbillon, Manufacture Breguet is continuing in the spirit of the great watchmaker A.-L. Breguet by returning to the foundations of the tourbillon to offer a doubly different interpretation: flying and mysterious.
The flying tourbillon is a variant of the traditional tourbillon .Its purpose (to compensate for the effects of gravity on the balance wheel by rotating the cage that houses it) is therefore unchanged. However, it is a much later development: its first creations date back to the early 20th century.
Unlike the traditional tourbillon, the flying tourbillon’s cage is supported only by its lower bridge, without an upper bar. It is thus held solely from below. Elevated above everything, one is captivated by its mesmerizing display.
Its design and construction are more complex, however, since the tourbillon cage is no longer supported by a pivot at the top, only at its base. This means it must be more solidly constructed, better balanced and more finely adjustable than a normal tourbillon. Back in 1801 A.-L. Breguet strove for robustness and precision, more than 200 years later the manufacture that bears his name is still pursuing these objectives.
A mysterious design
Breguet has accentuated the suspended effect of its first flying tourbillon, by adding the mysterious complication. The mysterious complication consists of imparting a movement to an organ without it being visibly linked to the rest of the movement. It is often used for watch and clock hands, but any rotating organ can be involved, including the tourbillon, as seen on the Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255.
The mysterious tourbillon is a striking complication which has been mastered by Breguet watchmakers. The lower bridge and the lower support of the tourbillon carriage, are, for this model, made of sapphire glass with an anti-reflective coating, rendering them invisible.
The point of contact between the gears and the carriage is not visible; it is offset from the tourbillon cutout and therefore hidden from view by the dial.
Mysterious and flying
The Classique 7255 thus incorporates both a mysterious and a flying tourbillon. This results from the combination of a regulator with an invisible drive that extends above the movement. Altogether, it creates a levitation effect and enhances visibility of the mechanism.
Astronomical aesthetics
With the new Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 Breguet has, for the first time in its history, chosen to create a dial with aventurine enamel. A tribute to astronomy and the observation of the starry sky, its deep blue is punctuated with sparkling inclusions, shining like the stars that adorn the celestial vault.
The art of aventurine dates back to the early 17th century and has been constantly perfected ever since. For this model, Breguet chose to work it like grand feu enamel.
The glass must therefore be reduced to powder. The final compound must be finely calibrated – aventurine powder, for a perfect result, must have slightly larger grains than traditional enamel powder.
At least five layers of aventurine are necessary to make this dial, each layer must be fired in a kiln at over 800 degrees Celsius.
And each firing is highly sensitive and requires great precision: firing for too long, or at too high a temperature, can result in the dial being permanently compromised.
The dial of the Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 combines the best of both worlds: the deep, solid blue of the enamelled glass, and the sparkling randomness of the copper particles that represent the stars. Given that each aventurine enamel dial is hand-crafted no two will ever be same, as such, all 50 examples of the Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 are essentially unique pieces.
The Tourbillon Sidéral, decoration
The Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 is crafted in Breguet gold. This proprietary alloy was unveiled during the first chapter of the 250th anniversary celebrations. Its warm, subtly pink hue is inspired by the gold used by 18th century watchmakers, including Breguet. It is composed of 75% gold, enriched with silver, copper and palladium.
Beyond its brilliance, it is distinguished by its resistance to discolouration and its stability over time. For the first time, the recently unveiled Quai de l’Horloge guilloché is executed not only in a circular pattern on the case back and tourbillon support, but also in a linear fashion across the entire movement main plate.
This guilloche motif’s design is inspired by the delicate curves of the river Seine as it flows around the Île de la Cité and the Île Saint-Louis.
On the dial side, each piece is adorned with the brand’s secret signatures, complementing the many other traditional Breguet design codes such as the finely fluted case middle, the straight lugs and the Breguet “hollowed apple” hands. On the back, each piece is individually numbered from 1/50 to 50/50.
Breguet Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 Specifications
Classique Tourbillon Sidéral Reference 7255BH/2Y/9VU
Key points: Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255, hand-wound Calibre 187M1, 2.5 Hz and 50-hour power reserve, Quai de l’Horloge guilloché on the caseback, 38 mm-diameter case, fluted middle, aventurine enamel grand feu dial, Breguet Arabic numerals, Breguet 18K gold hollowed-head hour and minute hands, Breguet gold “Breguet” and “Tourbillon” applied elements, alligator strap and 18K Breguet gold folding clasp, limited edition of 50 units.
Case: 18K Breguet gold * 38 mm diameter * 10.2 mm thick * Fluted caseband * Quai de l’Horloge handmade guilloché case back * Double anti-reflective sapphire spherical glass * Sapphire back glass engraved “BREGUET 250 YEARS”, double anti-reflective *Welded lugs * 3 bar (30 m) water-resistance
Dial: Grand feu aventurine enamel * Off-centred at 12 o’clock * Breguet gold hour-circle, satin-brushed, blue PVD * Breguet Arabic numerals * Breguet hour and minute hands with hollowed head in 18K Breguet gold * “Breguet” and “Tourbillon” applied elements in 18K Breguet gold * Indications Off-centred hours and minutes, small seconds on tourbillon cage
Movement: 1 minute tourbillon * Calibre 187M1 numbered and signed Breguet, 13½ lines, 30 mm in diameter,183 components, 23 jewels * 4.8 mm movement (+ 2.2 mm tourbillon projection) * Manual winding * Frequency 2.5 Hz (18,000 vibrations per hour) * Patented Breguet NivachronTM balance-spring, blue * 50-hour power reserve * Bridges in 18K Breguet gold * Quai de l’Horloge guilloché and côtes de Genève finishing
Strap: Navy blue alligator leather, large scales, lined with navy blue alligator leather, small scales, 18K Breguet gold 3-blade folding clasp
Limited edition: 50 pieces, numbered and engraved from 1/50 to 50/50 on the back bezel
Gold Weight: 84 g (estimation)
Warranty: 5-year international sales warranty
Box: Special 250th Anniversary Edition in red leather, individually numbered, inspired by the red Breguet Moroccan leather cases of the period
