BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
The Breguet Marine, a classy watch indeed even if I do miss the slightly whacky and over-the-top models from about ten years ago. Some of those designs were, well, awkward at the best of times but sorely missed now they are gone. However, progress isn’t something to be afraid of and Breguet, the innovator, is well used to embracing it. Continuing their 250th anniversary celebrations, Breguet unveils a new edition of the Marine, which is a marriage of the stars and the seas.
Hora Mundi in Breguet’s terms represents a complication they’ve had for some time, which allows the watch to “remember” two different timezones and flick between them instantaneously. It’s a complication which is extremely pleasing to use; it has a “home time” which is your main one and a second timezone set via the crown at 8 O’clock.
Once set, pressing the 8 O’clock crown (which is also a pusher) switches the time, the city ring, the date (if applicable), and the day/night indicator at 4 O’clock in one flick.
Useful and fun to use, but distinctly different from a world time watch. This is all thanks to the self-winding calibre 77F1, which has 384 components, a 4Hz beat rate and a 55-hour power reserve. A deconstruction of the older movement, the calibre 77F0, is available on The Naked Watchmaker and is well worth a read (when you’re done here).
The dial is special for this watch. The base of the dial is an 18k Breguet gold (their proprietary alloy released earlier this year) plate engraved with latitudes and longitudes, it’s then coloured in blue. Sat above that is a sapphire crystal map with the continents painted in grand feu enamel, clouds are also painted in grand feu enamel while the city dots are marked in fluorescent paint.
All of this is done by hand, of course, and each dial will be slightly different based on what the person crafting the dial decides, I’m guessing they will change the clouds or the precise colours of the map will change slightly. The hands, markers and other details are crafted from 18k Breguet gold. Either way, lots and lots of hard work goes into these dials, I could probably do an entire article about them, but Breguet undoubtedly tells the story better on their website.
All of this is wrapped in an 18k Breguet gold case which measures 43.9mm x 13.8mm with 100m of water resistance. Attached to it is a navy blue alligator leather strap with an 18k Breguet gold folding clasp.
Breguet’s newest Marine model unites the skies with the oceans for a gorgeous looking watch
This watch is limited to 50 pieces worldwide and each one will be presented in a red leather box inspired by the boxes Breguets of the “older days” were delivered in. The retail price is £89,200.
