Classique 7637 Minute Repeater

Eighteenth-century chiming watches relied on bell-type gongs to produce sound; in 1783 Abraham-Louis Breguet replaced these gongs with a spring-blade, which significantly improved the clarity of the chimes. This magnificently restrained Classique 7637 is a tribute to Breguet’s invention. Rich black Grand Feu enamel covers the gold dial, creating a backdrop for the Arabic numerals, minute track and Breguet logo in a powdery silver colour. The movement, Calibre 567.2 which oscillates at 2.5Hz, features a hand-chased decoration which can be admired through the sapphire crystal back of the 42mm case in rose gold or white gold. Breguet has attached the gongs, also in gold, not to the mainplate but to the case middle, thereby ensuring clearer transmission of sound. Because the gongs and the case are both gold, they share the same acoustic impedance, which enhances the quality of the chimes. Breguet has filed a patent for this characteristic.