This year, Breguet decided to focus almost entirely on building out its Marine collection. There was, of course, the customary Reine de Naples addition, and two new ultra-thin Classique Extra-Plat models, one with a tourbillon and one without, but there’s no doubt that Breguet intends on making the Marine Collection its headliner for 2018 and, perhaps, beyond. Joining last year’s Marchante Équation of Time 5887 are three new time-and-date only models, three new chronographs, and three new minute repeaters.
The Breguet Marine Marchante Équation of Time 5887
The decision to expand this collection makes sense. As a brand that has a lot invested in its heritage, there’s only so many tourbillons and double tourbillons you can release before collectors decide they want something a little less frenetic on the wrist. This extension isn’t just a new look for Breguet; it’s tied directly into the history of the brand and its founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet, as well. Way back in December of 1814, a royal decree appointed A.L. Breguet a member of the Bureau des Longitudes in Paris, a body that included astronomers, geophysicists, and physicists. About a year later, in October of 1815, Breguet was christened the official ?Watchmaker to the Royal Navy? by King Louis XVIII of France. This was one of the most prestigious titles a watchmaker could receive given the onerous nature of maritime horology. The relationship between Breguet and the Navy continued aft...