A Souscription watch from Breguet to celebrate 250 years
Founded in 1775 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, Breguet has distinguished itself through its innovations and watchmaking expertise. Inventor of the tourbillon and the first wristwatch, Breguet left its mark on the history of timekeeping with creations that combined precision and aestheticism. For 250 years, the company has perpetuated this heritage by combining tradition and modernity. This year, it celebrates a quarter of a millennium of excellence, an opportunity to highlight its past while continuing to shape the future of watchmaking. The House of Breguet celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2025, with the unveiling of the Classique Souscription 2025 wristwatch
It was around 1797 that the term ‘Souscription’ appears in Breguet sales registers. The principle is simple: if the customer wishes to purchase a watch of this type, he or she must confirm the order by paying a quarter of the price. This deposit enabled the Quai de l’Horloge workshop to acquire the supplies needed to manufacture the watches, thus marking the start of series production. Around 700 timepieces were produced in this way over more than 30 years.
Classique Souscription 2025
More than two centuries ago, the first timepiece with a simplified architecture, a white enamel dial, and the time displayed by a single hand, yet with a remarkable legibility, was presented through an advertising pamphlet. Today, the historic, groundbreaking Souscription pocket watch is reborn as a wristwatch. The face of the Souscription 2025 model is adorned with a dazzling white, grand feu enamel dial that faithfully reproduces the spirit of the timepieces once produced at the Quai de l’Horloge workshop, such as the No. 246, No. 324 and No. 383 watches. The back is directly inspired by the architecture of the first Souscription watches signed by A.-L. Breguet.
Dressed in immaculate enamel, the dial is easy to read. At its centre is a unique, steel, open-tipped Breguet hand, flame-blued and curved entirely by hand. Its tapered tip hovers over the famous, slightly inclined Breguet Arabic numerals, as well as the circular “chemin de fer” (railroad track) with its specially designed sectoring indicating the hours and the 5, 10, 15 and 30-minute markings. The numbers and minute markers are in black, petit feu enamel, as is the Breguet signature placed at 12 o’clock. Depending on the light, the inscriptions “Souscription”, the unique serial number, and the secret signature appear discreetly between the centre of the dial and 6 o’clock. Generalised on the original Souscription watch, this signature served to authenticate the work of the Breguet workshops and fight against counterfeiting.
To celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2025, Breguet presents its own gold alloy: Breguet gold in its Classique Souscription 2025. Conceived and developed in the House’s workshops, 18K Breguet gold 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, guaranteeing a pure, elegant finish. The case, measuring 40 mm in diameter and 10.8 mm high, is of a new design, standing apart from other watches, with a particular attention paid to its ergonomics. The typical Breguet fluting has been replaced by a delicately satin-brushed case middle that respects the style of the original timepieces, while the lugs have been curved to better fit the wrist and, as such, offer a more fluid appearance than the traditional straight lugs.
On the back of the case, the generously sized, slightly domed, sapphire crystal reveals the mechanical construction of the new VS00 calibre in gilded brass in the same shade as Breguet gold. It is decorated with an entirely new type of guilloché pattern unveiled this year, called Quai de l’Horloge. This new design is inspired by the singular curves of the Île de la Cité and the slender refinement of the Île Saint-Louis to create a harmonious rhythm that can be infinitely modulated. The result of a meticulous development process, this movement beats at a frequency of 3Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour) and delivers an impressive four-day power reserve using only a single barrel. The balance spring, a small, coiled spring that is at the heart of the precision timekeeping of the watch, is blued and features a Breguet overcoil. It is made from Nivachron, a non-magnetic alloy essentially composed of titanium, making the movement more resistant to temperature variations, magnetic fields, and shocks. The plate and bridges are finely shot-blasted, a new decoration directly inspired by the movements of A.-L. Breguet. At the centre sits the imposing ratchet wheel, which features an engraved inscription. The timepiece is offered in an original presentation box to mark its 250th anniversary.
