New: Breguet Tradition Quantième Rétrograde 7597

Breguet extends their popular Tradition lineup with a new colorway for the Quantième Rétrograde 7597 with blue dial accents over the anthracite movement. They call this new model the Regal Monochome.

Press Release details with Commentary in italics.

New: Breguet Tradition Quantième Rétrograde 7597

Retail price of the Breguet Tradition Quantième Rétrograde 7597 Regal Monochrome in 18k WG case is SGD 55,500 inclusive of GST. This price is the same as the WG model in grey, without the blue accents released in 2020, and a small premiumn over the roae gold variant.

Comnmentary

The Breguet Tradition Quantième Rétrograde 7597 was first released in 2020 with a date complication for the first time. The launch models were in in either a white gold or rose gold case. Both had monochromatic theme of grey on the dial side, as the hour/minute sub-dial and the date arc dial section was in a grey, matching to the anthracite grey of the movement plates and bridges which are visible from the dial side.

It is interesting to us that though in this latest release, Breguet has chosen to liven up things with the blue accents on the hour/minute sub-dial and date arc, they called this new variant the Regal Monochrome. Regal, for the royal blue accents, but monochrome is a mystery. No matter about the slightly confusing name, but the new watch looks much like a breath of fresh air has been breathed on it. The blue is a dark tone, even throughout the places where it is applied, and picks out very nicely over the grey mechanical labarynth of the plates and bridges.

All else remain the same as the launch models, including the magnificently guilloché sub-dials, now dressed in blue, the Caliber 505Q movement used and the case dimensions. Please see out hands on detailed review for a complete discussion on the watch.

Release Details

The 7597 timepiece delves into the origins of the company. From the shape of the bridges to the pare-chute shock-absorber system, as well as the size of the balance and the wheels, all the components are implicitly inspired by the “souscription” and tact watches created by Abraham- Louis Breguet. The new Quantième Retrograde is therefore a real eye-catcher with its symmetrical calibre architecture.

The gold dial features a hand-guilloché “Clous de Paris” motif, traditional Roman numerals and open-tipped hands. As found on the watches that inspired it, the dial is secured by three screws. The 7597 model also features a retrograde date, a function cherished by the brand whose founder was one of the first watchmakers to develop a timepiece equipped with this complication. To ensure a smooth sweep over the mechanism, the distance between the centre and the date sector required the development of a multi-level blued steel hand. In addition, to improve the legibility of the date indication, its sector spreads out over 180 degrees and is covered with a blue coating echoing the shade of the dial. The numerals alternate between silver-toned powdered transfers and gold cabochons. When setting the date, the wearer simply unscrews the pusher at 10 o’clock and then presses the hand successively until the desired date is reached. Finally, the mainplate and bridges are adorned with an anthracite coating endowing this timepiece with strong visual intensity.

An architectural movement

The 40 mm white gold case houses the 505Q self-winding movement. This movement is equipped with an inverted lever escapement and silicon horns. This material is also used to produce the Breguet balance-spring. Its multiple properties include resistance to corrosion and wear, insensitivity to the influence of magnetic fields as well as enhanced timekeeping precision. The balance of the new Tradition Quantième Rétrograde oscillates at a frequency of 3 Hz and has a 50- hour power reserve. The 269-part movement is 8.7 mm thick.

While the dial features fascinating architecture, the sapphire caseback reveals the gold oscillating weight, whose shape refers to the one on the perpétuelle watch created by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1780.

The new Tradition 7597 is available with a midnight blue alligator strap secured by a gold pin buckle.

The Tradition collection

Featuring aesthetics that combines heritage with modernity, the Tradition collection launched in 2005 is the brand’s first line to present all the movement’s organs on the dial side, thus highlighting its inspiration drawn from souscription and tact watches. Launched in 1797, the souscription watch was equipped with a single hand for reading the hours and minutes. The design of this refined yet minimalist timepiece was avant-garde for its era, as was its concept, since a quarter of the price had to be paid when the order was placed.

The same calibre was used by Abraham-Louis Breguet to design the first tact watches presented a year later at the French Industrial Exhibition. At that time, poor lighting made it difficult to read the time on a dial. It was also not considered very elegant to consult one’s timepiece during social occasions. The founder of the watch manufacturer therefore imagined a model serving to read the time by touch, without removing the watch from the pocket. All the wearer need do was check the time by touching the arrow or hours hand turning on the outside of the case and comparing its position with the raised hour-markers on the caseband.

The current Tradition collection picks up Breguet’s codes in a contrasting and contemporary manner. The Quantième Rétrograde 7597 model is arrayed in blue and paves the way for a resolutely modern, forward-looking design.

Case: White gold, sapphire caseback
Diameter: 40 mm
Thickness: 12.10 mm
Dial: Off-centred, blue and made of gold hand-engraved on a rose engine 

Movement: self-winding

Functions: Hours, minutes, retrograde date 

Balance-spring: Breguet type, in silicon 

Water resistance: 3 bar (30 m)
Calibre: 505Q

Frequency: 3 Hz
Power reserve: 50 hours Components: 269
Strap: Midnight blue alligator leather