Baselworld 2010: Breguet Tradition Fusee Tourbillon in Platinum (Ref 7047)

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Baselworld 2010: Breguet Tradition Fusee Tourbillon in Platinum (Ref 7047)
by Kyle Stults on January 27, 2010

Tradition Meets Innovation

Set to debut at Baselworld 2010, the Breguet Tradition Fusee Tourbillon with Silicon Balance Spring (Ref 7047) represents the joining of traditional design with innovative materials. Breguet’s “Tradition” collection is characterized by its very open, mechanical looking dial with a small sub-dial noting hours/minutes and of course a tourbillon. It was just last year that Breguet introduced a new model in the anthracite color range, and the brand continues this year with the model you see below – 41mm platinum case, anthracite color, except now with silicon balance spring. The movement is a Breguet Cal 569 – manual wind with 50 hrs power reserve. More on this watch – and silicon balance springs – after the jump.

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Montres Breguet has a long history of innovating with the balance spring, and in 2006 it introduced its first wristwatches with silicon balance springs and escapements. As you may know, the balance spring is a very fine coil spring that is most often made of metal. The balance spring is a vital and sometimes visible component of a mechanical watch, and I always enjoy watching (with our without a loupe) a balance spring oscillate in perfect rhythm as it helps the watch to keep time. The new thing about this “traditional” watch from Breguet is that it has a balance spring made of silicon. Thus unlike a metal spring, the silicon balance spring is less vulnerable to the influences of gravity, heat and other external factors that could otherwise impede its crucial role. As for magnetic fields, a silicon balance spring is pretty much impervious.

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Aside from all this talk about silicon balance springs, I think it is also noteworthy that this watch has a “fusee-and-chain” transmission system which is rarely seen in watches and usually only in those of the highest caliber. It is a bit difficult to see in the photo. Overall, this is not a watch for me – I find it a bit too edgy/atypical for a watch called “tradition”, not to mention that the price on this watch should be quite high – I would think at least $50k, but feel free to set me straight if you have any insight.