Style -- 2 days ago
Words: Zak Maoui
This year, Swiss watchmaker Breguet celebrates its 250th anniversary. Founded by Abraham-Louis Breguet in Paris in 1775, and headquartered in L'Abbaye, Switzerland, it is one of the most prestigious and highly-regarded watch manufacturers in the world.
And to celebrate its milestone year, Breguet has unveiled a masterpiece, which will sit in its permanent collection. The Classique Souscription 2025 wristwatch was previewed in Paris, home to the aforementioned Abraham-Louis Breguet’s Quai de l’Horloge-located workshop, which was the birthplace of many of the master watchmaker’s greatest inventions.
The Classique Souscription is a the first Breguet timepiece with a simplified architecture, and the design falls largely on a striking, white grand feu enamel dial. It is inspired by the the simple souscription pocket watches, which for the first time have made their way to the wrist. The name is taken from that original, which translates to "subscription" in English - by paying a quarter of the price when the order was placed, customers enabled Breguet to organise its production and pay its craftsmen in advance. This was pretty much a first in watchmaking.
The watch is intended to look antiquated, and the classic yellow gold case is slightly dulled in comparison to some of the glitzier gold models out there. It comes in at a mid-weight 40mm in diameter, and a thickness of 10.8mm, while a polished domed bezel encases a sapphire chevé crystal. The superbly clean face nods to the OG souscription pocket watches with the same use of a single hand, which is cut in a striking blue hue. Above the 6'o clock, there's a subtle Classique Souscription feature: a miniscule Breguet signature with the wording “Souscription”. A see-through back showcases a beautiful hand-wound movement, where the brass-made calibre VS00 is built around a large central ratchet, all cast in that same gold.
As elegant a timepiece as they come, it's no wonder Breguet decided to kick off a year of celebrations (more 250th anniversary commemorative watches are coming) with the Classique Souscription 2025.
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