Whenever I see a new watch from Breguet, it usually leaves a smile on my face, knowing that I’m about to explore something truly special (not counting anything from the Reine de Naples collection, since those can arguably be classified as jewelry and I have no interest in that).
With that out of the way, this new watch is, shall we say, “extra special”. It’s the pioneer in a new line devoted to Breguet’s most advanced research. The Swiss watchmaker calls the newcomer the Expérimentale 1 (reflecting its cutting-edge status more than its unfinished state).
It sets expectations with bold technical watchmaking and a marine-inspired design. It’s easy to see why some may even insist that it signals the brand's intention to embrace the unconventional (just look at the position of the tourbillon).
Housed in Breguet gold and certified by the Breguet hallmark, the timepiece debuts the brand’s first 10 Hz tourbillon combined with a constant-force magnetic escapement.
The Expérimentale collection was conceived as a living laboratory, a parallel line paying tribute to Abraham-Louis Breguet’s game-changing inventions. For collectors, these pieces will offer the opportunity to acquire highly technical watches made in limited quantities. Other timepieces in the brand’s collection will inherit the pioneering core features at later dates.
2025 is the year of Breguet's 250th anniversary, and the watchmaker has released multiple commemorative timepieces to celebrate the milestone. The Expérimentale 1 is the last in that line, and it simultaneously opens the first chapter of the watchmaker’s future.
Rooted in years of research into electromagnetism, vibratory mechanics, and acoustics, the project extends the spirit behind the Classique, Tradition, Marine, and Type XX ranges into a more exploratory realm.
Unsurprisingly, the watch draws inspiration from some iconic timepieces from Breguet’s past. These include the Marine chronometer No. 3448, the regulator-display Reference 1747, and the original Marine Chronometer No. 104, whose Arabic numerals have a contemporary echo here.
At the heart of the watch lies a high-frequency tourbillon and a constant-force magnetic escapement, designed to deliver greater precision, a hallmark of the brand since its founder's days.
Operating at four times the frequency of a classic 2.5 Hz tourbillon, the Expérimentale 1 is certified in Breguet’s "Scientific" class, guaranteeing accuracy of plus or minus 1 second per day. Non-magnetic construction, including a silicon balance spring, a LIGA fixed fourth wheel, and titanium or nivagauss components, underpins its stability.
Visually, the 43.5 mm-diameter and 13.3 mm-thick Breguet gold case, with water-resistance to 100 m, features an openworked, regulator-style architecture along with a glare-proofed sapphire dial that reveals the movement.
Hours are shown at 6 o’clock, while the offset minutes and seconds sit atop the tourbillon at 12 o’clock to enhance legibility. Twin series-coupled barrels with four blue springs for optimal energy management balance the layout at 3 and 9 o'clock.
Other notable features include sharp-edged solid-gold bridges with satin-brushed surfaces and mirror-polished angles, navy-blue treated elements, and luminescent indications which create a modern Marine aesthetic.
The luminescent circles for the hours, the peripheral minutes track, and the tourbillon are framed by Breguet signature features: a double-stepped fluted caseband, close-set lugs with blue inlays, open-tipped hands, and secret signatures on the dial.
Powering the timepiece is the Caliber 7250, a manually wound movement with a 72-hour power reserve and a titanium tourbillon weighing just 0.60 grams. It completes this 21st-century interpretation of Breguet’s experimental spirit and gives us something to look forward to from the labs at Breguet.
All that said, the watch doesn’t have that elegant finish that defines timepieces from the brand’s collections. It exudes an aura of “unfinished design”, but that may be intentional given the exploratory motive behind it. So, what will this “experiment” cost you? 'Just' 320,000 CHF.
