Seeing Double with the Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon 5345 Quai De l’Horloge

Breguet has released an incredible new timepiece in the form of the Classique Double Tourbillon 5345 Quai De l’Horloge.

October 19, 2020
By: Logan Hannen

This watch, which features an impressive complication, is a tribute to the Quai De l’Horloge, the street in Paris where Breguet has spent much of its life as a brand.

Source: Breguet

The Specs
Case Diameter: 46mm
Case Material: 950 Platinum
Crystal: Sapphire
Water Resistance: Not provided by the brand
Strap/Bracelet: Slate Pattern Grey Leather
Movement: Breguet Caliber 588N Hand-Winding

There’s no getting around it: this is a big watch. At 46mm in diameter, and in super heavy platinum, it’s as wide as the IWC Big Pilot , which is only enhanced by the relatively thin bezel and expansive “dial” which, of course, is not really a dial at all. A skeletonized face, the entire movement is visible through the front of the watch, which includes the piece’s signature double tourbillon on full display. It’s a complicated movement, and it really works to show off how complicated it truly is.

There are blue accents throughout the “dial” of the watch which include the heat blued hands and blued indices around the space’s outer edge, Roman numerals in the typical Breguet style. This color is matched on the underside of the strap, which is treated in a most interesting way. Using an actual piece of slate, the mineral is pressed against the strap using an adhesive. The end result is grey on top, to match the metal in the movement, but blue on the underside to match the hands and indices.

Source: HODINKEE

From the back, the blue rubberized underside of the strap is revealed, along with the backplate of the movement, in white gold. It is engraved with the image of the building at 39 Quai De l’Horloge where Breguet, the brand, lived for decades. It’s incredibly intricate, adding to the watch’s overall complexity, and covers most of the movement from the rear without obscuring some of its most essential parts.

Speaking of the movement, powering this impressive timepiece is the Breguet caliber 588N, a double tourbillon hand-wound movement. The two tourbillons are mounted to the movement plate of the watch which rotates once every 12 hours, in its entirety. There are also two mainsprings to provide energy for both of the tourbillon’s individual movement trains to run. It features 81 jewels, and a 50 hour power reserve.

The Damage
The Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon Quai De l’Horloge retails for $631,000.

The Take
While I’m sure that Breguet will sell (likely even pre-sell) each of the 5345s they manufacture, and make a few million dollars in the process, that’s clearly the short term vision here. What’s important to understand about the production of this watch is the impact on Breguet’s image: the 5345 establishes themselves (again) as a manufacturer of absurd capability. While the vast majority of Breguet clients will never own, or even touch this masterpiece, their opinion on the brand will surely be influenced by it.

If Breguet can be smart enough to prepare a strategy like this with a truly impactful series of campaigns that tell the brand’s story, that reminds the world of why they matter, Breguet has a future brighter than it may even understand.