The rebirth of Breguet began in 1970, when brothers Jacques and Pierre Chaumet took over in the hopes of reinvigorating the brand and renewing the connection between the Breguet name and high-end watchmaking. Shortly thereafter, the brothers closed the French factory and moved production to the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland, the epicentre of Swiss watchmaking.
In order to restore the brand to its former glory, Jacques and Pierre would need a Master Watchmaker to help. They approached Daniel Roth, who’d demonstrated his talent over seven years working at Audemars Piguet, which he’d joined as the only watchmaker who didn’t come from Le Brassus, the brand’s historic home. Inspired by the work of the famous watchmaker, Roth agreed to help resuscitate the manufacture, though only after going back to school to further study Breguet’s archives and techniques.
Roth’s influence and research can be seen in several key design features that are carried over to pieces within the Classique collection, such as the engine-turned dials, coin case, and distinctive blued Breguet hands. From perpetual calendars to tourbillons, they embraced the high-end complicated watchmaking first personified by Abraham-Louis Breguet.
In 1988, Breguet introduced the reference 3350, which became the first tourbillon wristwatch produced under the Breguet number. A few years later, in the early 1990s, they replaced it with the reference 3357 which was almost identical, except for a few cosmetic changes. The reference 3357 made use of the same movement, the calibre 558, which Breguet produced with Nouvelle Lemania. The reference number change occurred after Breguet was acquired Investcorp, as they began to standardise their referencing system. The addition of the number “7” at the end of the reference was used to indicate a display caseback, while the “0” came to mark a closed caseback.
The majority of these pieces share characteristics that are not present in the reference 3350, such as a slightly whiter dial, the addition of “Swiss Guilloché Main” signature at 3 o’clock, and a “B” on the crown, which stands for Breguet. The reference remains in production to this day, signalling the lasting impact and attraction that this tourbillon still holds.
