Baselworld 2015: Breguet goes inside out with new Tradition watch

Ahead of Baselworld, which opens this March 19, the watchmaker Breguet has revealed the latest model from its Tradition line, a timepiece with visible movement components and a retrograde seconds complication.

Ten years after introducing its first Tradition watch, Breguet is expanding the collection with the Tradition Automatique Seconde Rétrograde 7097. The new wristwatch calls to mind the design of the "montres à tact" (touch watches) and "souscription" watches of the 18th century, as it exposes the movement components usually hidden under the case, from the gears to the bridges and the barrel.

Unveiling the mechanism

Breguet brought all of its savoir-faire to this new timepiece, especially in the exceptional bead-blasting of the plates and bridges.

There are also references to "montres à tact" in the shape of the gold oscillating weight, which echoes the style of 18th-century movements, and in the smaller dial in silver-finished 18K gold, which floats at 12 o'clock.

Retrograde seconds

Naturally, the Tradition Automatique Seconde Rétrograde 7097 shows hours and minutes with Breguet's signature blue steel hands. And as indicated by the name, the model also has a retrograde seconds complication, which is layered over the dial in a brushed silver-finished semi-circle at 10 o'clock.

The 40mm 18K white gold case houses a numbered Breguet mechanical self-winding movement with a power reserve of 50 hours.

The timepiece is worn on a leather strap and will also be available in an 18K rose gold version.