If you haven’t already heard, one of the world’s most prestigious fine watchmaking brands had its grand 250th birthday celebration last year, introducing no fewer than 13 new timepieces. The party kicked off to a strong start with the unveiling of the fan-favourite Souscription watch which many described as quintessential Breguet. Nine celebratory novelties later, we found ourselves at the end of November. That’s when Breguet quietly and unexpectedly announced two chiming watches that, quite frankly, were grand enough to be the crescendo of the maison’s elaborate, year-long celebration (the actual, final 250th anniversary watch is the Expérimentale 1, but that’s a story for another day). The first of the duo is the magnificent Classique Grande Sonnerie, which is in fact a pocket watch and made bespoke with very limited production numbers per year. The second piece of Breguet’s penultimate novelty release in 2025 is the limited edition Classique Répétition Minutes 7365 – this one is actually a wristwatch.
Breguet Classique Répétition Minutes 7365
Breguet Classique minute repeaters have always been an absolute class act. From afar, the Classique Répétition Minutes 7365 looks familiar – enamel dial, Breguet numerals and hands, engraved movement – yet the closer you inspect it, the more alien it feels compared to its older sibling, the 7637. That’s partly because this is a brand new reference, with a new case, new movement, and even a new dial. If anything, the novelty is symbolic of change in the air, which may have something to do with the brand’s new leadership. Here, we bring you the details and our honest thoughts on Breguet’s latest minute repeater wristwatch, the Classique Répétition Minutes 7365.
The Case, Dial, and Hands
The case of the new Classique Répétition Minutes 7365 is rendered in 18K Breguet gold. A refresher for those unaware: Breguet gold made its debut in the Souscription 2025 watch and is the brand’s proprietary alloy. It is a blond gold alloy consisting 75% gold, silver, copper, and palladium. The hue is gorgeous but that’s not the best part about the case. The best part is that its size has shrunk from a silly 42mm x 12.3mm to an elegant 39mm x 10.8mm. The icing on the cake is of course the 250th anniversary Quai de l’Horloge guilloche motif on the case middle, case back and clasp. This decorative engraving is carried out by hand on the same machines used by Breguet’s craftsmen in the old days. All that said, what I do prefer from the old case design is in the lugs. The new Classique case style has lugs that are tapered, using spring bars to secure the strap, which is just too typical. The old lugs were unapologetically straight, with screw-pins to secure the strap to the horns. It just felt more iconic and premium. Interestingly, the Classique Répétition Minutes 7365 is the first water-resistant minute repeater ever made by Breguet, with 3 bar resistance. It’s always nice to know that your ultra-high end wristwatch is protected from rain and accidental splashes.
At first glance, the dial of the Classique Répétition Minutes 7365 looks no different to its predecessor’s apart from colour. You get the Breguet hands, Breguet numerals, enamel dial, brand signature at 12 and secret signature at 6. A closer look reveals that there are a few things that are new, the first of which are the hour-marking Breguet numerals – these are now appliques instead of prints. While the silver-powder prints were more charming, the new appliques in Breguet gold do give the watch a more decadent look. There’s also the fact that the dial colour of the Classique Répétition Minutes 7365 is a first for the manufacture. Named ‘Bleu de France’, this oddly soothing shade has been a part of French history and appears in portraits of the king in his coronation robes. And just beneath the Bleu de France enamel is a white gold dial which goes to show that Breguet have spared no expense in making the 7365 extra decadent.
The Movement
The Calibre 567.2, which was used in most of Breguet’s wristwatches starring the minute repeater, will gradually be phased out and replaced with the new Calibre 1896. The Calibre 1896 is officially the first minute repeater movement made by Breguet in Breguet gold. Interestingly, the gongs are made of white gold gilded with Breguet gold and directly attached to the patented Breguet gold case. This continuity of like-materials allows for harmonious sound transmission. Frequency of the balance wheel has been increased from 2.5 Hz in the decades-old Calibre 567.2 to 3 Hz in the Calibre 1896. Power reserve has also been enhanced from a sub-optimal 40 hours to 75 hours. Depending on what you value in fine watchmaking, you may or may not like that the new movement has a silicon escapement (spiral, anchor, and escape wheel). While it gives the regulating organ resistance to magnetism and temperature variation, a purist may prefer the use of more classical materials in what is essentially a classical timepiece. And yes, the Calibre 1896 is also Breguet Hallmark-certified with a precision of +2/-2 seconds a day. Much like Breguet gold, the Breguet Hallmark was introduced in conjunction with the brand’s 250th anniversary and covers pretty much everything from form to function. Breguet has always held itself up to high standards but now with the Breguet Hallmark, these standards are much more defined.
If the movement being largely rendered in gold isn’t impressive enough, know that it is also meticulously and extensively hand-engraved. The motif is inspired by 18th century Paris. The upper part of the movement reproduces the view of the Quai de l’Horloge, a district in the heart of Paris. Meanwhile, the lower part of the movement depicts the landscape of the Vallée de Joux. The scene is mirrored in the Quai de l’Horloge, as if reflected in the Seine. The result is a dreamlike, symbolic landscape, recalling the dual heritage of the Classique Répétition Minutes 7365.
YouTube video of striking
The Competitive Landscape
The air is thin at these heights. An ornate minute repeater with an enamel dial and gold movement from one of horology’s most prestigious Houses? You can bet there aren’t many timepieces out there that can match the Classique Répétition Minutes 7365. The watch, priced at USD369,600, is limited to 25 pieces only. It will be delivered in an individually numbered case inspired by the red Moroccan leather cases used by Breguet in the past.
The most comparable watch there is to the Classique Répétition Minutes 7365 is obviously the Classique Répétition Minutes 7637. What’s not so obvious is the fact that the 7637 is still in Breguet’s catalogue and has not been directly replaced by the new 7365. But why would anyone want the 7637, knowing that the 7365 is (technically) the upgrade? Well, there are several reasons, if you forgive its 42 mm case diameter. For one, the 7637 is less expensive, at USD338,100. For another: nostalgia and heritage. The Calibre 567.2 may be long in the tooth, but it’s got decades of history to its name. New and modern is not always best in fine watchmaking, so opponents of silicon usage in traditional watchmaking may prefer the Calibre 567.2 over the Calibre 1896. There are also those, like myself, who have grown fond of the original Classique case with its straight lugs, screw-pins, and fluted case band. The silver powder print on the dial of the 7637 also shows more character than gold appliques, in my opinion. These are all things that the 7365 – as superlative as the watch is – doesn’t offer.
If we move entirely away from Breguet, then perhaps it is the A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Minute Repeater that compares best to the Classique Répétition Minutes 7365. Both watches are very similar in size, have an enamel dial with a white gold base, have over 70 hours of power reserve, and are absolutely elegant. But that’s about where the similarities end. The Richard Lange Minute Repeater exudes a different aura. It’s got a more complex enamel dial with different depths at play, it’s got a more austere case rendered in platinum, and it’s got a movement that isn’t adorned with picturesque engraving but anointed with superior finissage. There’s more to the Richard Lange Minute Repeater than the aforementioned, but priced at close to half a million Euros with double the production numbers of the Classique Répétition Minutes 7365, one can’t help but wonder if the latter provides greater value for the coin.
Concluding Thoughts
Music is subjective, but we thought the Classique Répétition Minutes 7365 sounded great. The chimes were crisp, clear and musical albeit a little quiet, which is to be expected from more classical minute repeater wristwatches. All in all, the 7365 is a wonderful novelty showcasing Breguet’s prowess in manufacturing and craftsmanship. But importantly, it – along with the other 250th anniversary pieces – is a harbinger of change at Breguet. The brand had been, for lack of a better word, “stale” for a while, so hopefully the changes in design language, introduction of new material, and the reaffirmation of watchmaking excellence rejuvenates the brand, now also under a new leadership. Don’t get me wrong, Breguet have always made excellent watches, but there was an air of complacency that was starting to take hold; this change in direction will ensure that the brand extends its longevity for years and maybe decades to come.
