Breguet Unveils 225th Anniversary Tourbillon Masterpieces in Taipei

Swiss luxury watchmaker Breguet is marking the 225th anniversary of its groundbreaking tourbillon patent with a special exhibition in Taipei. The event, themed "Sorry, Isaac. Apologies to Newton," playfully acknowledges the tourbillon's defiance of gravity, a concept central to physics.

Breguet CEO Gregory Kissling attended the unveiling, which showcases 14 highly complex watches and commemorative pocket watches. Among the displayed pieces are the brand's inaugural tourbillon watch, the Classique Tourbillon 3350 from 1989, alongside several new creations that emphasize Breguet's continuous pursuit of precision through advancements in structure, materials, and high-frequency movements.

The centerpiece of the exhibition is the Experimental 1 tourbillon watch, the first in the Experimental series. This timepiece addresses three key variables affecting watch accuracy: diminishing mainspring torque, gravitational interference, and external shocks. It features a caliber 7250 manual-winding movement with a 10 Hz (72,000 vibrations per hour) high-frequency tourbillon, significantly improving amplitude recovery after impacts. The watch also incorporates a constantly rotating tourbillon cage to counteract gravitational effects on the balance spring and a Breguet-developed constant-force magnetic escapement. This innovative system uses magnetic properties to regulate power delivery, eliminating the need for lubrication and enhancing operational stability while reducing maintenance.

Achieving an exceptional daily accuracy of within ±1 second, the Experimental 1 has earned the prestigious "Breguet Hallmark of Precision" certification. This model is globally limited to 75 pieces, with a price tag of NT$11,942,000 (approximately $370,000 USD).

Other notable new models on display include the Classique Tourbillon 7357, which revisits the design ethos of the original 1989 tourbillon, the Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 with its suspended architecture, the Tradition Tourbillon 7047 featuring a fusée-and-chain transmission, and the elaborate Marine Tourbillon Équation Marchante 5887 astronomical calendar watch. The exhibition runs until August 23 at the Capella Hotel Taipei, by appointment only.