he Tradition collection was launched in 2005. Over 20 years on, it has clearly established itself as a benchmark for collectors, embodying the dual objective pursued by Abraham-Louis Breguet: to design an exceptional movement whilst achieving perfect aesthetic harmony.

The top of the timepiece features an offset dial directly inspired by the Tact watch. The same applies to the entire movement structure likewise inherited from this iconic timepiece. The Tact watch was conceptualised by the master watchmaker as early as 1795 and went on sale from 1799. It was itself heir to the design of the Souscription watch developed a few years earlier.

The Tradition model melds these two pursuits within a unique and coherent whole that can be admired in full from the dial side. Its exemplary symmetrical, perfectly balanced movement structure is a bedrock of its identity. Inverting the calibre means that watch components usually concealed at the back are now front-facing. All the elements are thus immediately visible, revealing Breguet’s genius at a glance: the clear layout, the simple and legible mechanical arrangement, the quality of the finishes, as well as the ingenuity of the display and the technical excellence.

The Tradition 2026 new releases build upon this foundation to steer the collection in a more modern direction. Paradoxically, this is an eminently historical approach, as it remains faithful to Abraham-Louis Breguet’s horological vision: to constantly advance his art and design, to embrace the spirit of his era and to remain ahead of his time. By combining time-honoured expertise with contemporary techniques, these new models fully embrace modernity.

With these new offerings, Breguet reaffirms the purpose of its founding maestro and in so doing meets the expectations of 21^st-century collectors seeking timepieces that reflect their generation and lifestyle.

Tradition Seconde Retrograde 7037

Tradition 7037 epitomises deliberate, unpretentious simplicity: a 38 mm white gold case, two hands for the hours and minutes, along with a small retrograde seconds hand confirming its smooth operation throughout its 50-hour power reserve.

This choice of a watch design pared down to this extent has enabled the Breguet teams to endow the timepiece with a new aesthetic dimension, featuring a largely open dial devoid of any complications. The components are arranged in a remarkably harmonious way. It is through meticulous finishing that the Manufacture has been able to enhance their very essence.

For the first time, the Tradition 7037 presents a movement that is entirely blue. The mainplate is finely shotblasted, the bridges satin-brushed and the barrel cover hand-guilloché with a snailed pattern. All components are hand-finished.

The most striking feature however is the hours dial at 12 o’clock, set against a white gold background. It is crafted from traditional white Grand Feu enamel instead of the usual guilloché dial, as well as replacing Roman with Arabic numerals.

Historians of the Manufacture will particularly note the latter choice as it bestows a more contemporary design on the Tradition 7037’s dial, even though A.-L. Breguet had in fact opted for such Arabic numerals as early as 1799 – a highly radical move at the time! The new Tradition 7037 thus forges a strong link between Breguet the watchmaker and Breguet the Manufacture. Two and a half centuries later, the same drive for modernity is reflected in an identical choice: that of Breguet Arabic numerals. Designed by the maestro in 1783, they were later adopted by many other watchmakers and this invention has truly benefited the entire industry.

The approach is the same on the caseback, where the movement proudly displays its half-moon-shaped oscillating weight. This is a direct reference to the design conceptualised by A.-L. Breguet himself. By developing such a rotor, the watchmaker was once again breaking new ground for his time, in two respects.

Firstly, by personally laying the foundations for the self-winding watch. While several earlier works appear to attest to its conception by other watchmaker-mechanics, the Breguet 1/8/82 watch on which work probably began before 1780 is indisputably the first-ever self-winding watch that we still have today – as it is now in the Breguet Museum on Place Vendôme.

Secondly, by making the oscillating weight in platinum, a revolutionary material for the late-18^th century. The process for producing it had in fact only just been discovered at the time (1780). Always on the lookout for innovative technical solutions to optimise his movements, A.-L. Breguet realised that platinum – being 30 % denser than gold and 2.5 times heavier than steel – offered better winding performance for his perpétuelle watch.

By reviving the use of this material, Manufacture Breguet pays tribute to this visionary talent well ahead of his time while still remarkably relevant – as platinum is still used today for countless oscillating weights.

Presented in a 38 mm gold case, Tradition 7037 is fitted with a blue saddle-stitched leather-looking rubber strap with light grey topstitching. Breguet also offers a version of this watch with a white rubber strap.

Tradition GMT 7067

The new Tradition GMT 7067 draws on the design cues of the eponymous model already in the collection, with one major difference. For the first time in a Tradition model, the hours dial features a green gradient, representing an eminently technical feat for Grand Feu enamel.

In achieving this, master enamellers must accomplish the perfect transition, enabling a steady progression from pine green at the dial centre to absolute black around the rim. The choice of enamel powders, their meticulously calculated gradient, the chromatic balance and the meticulous control of their firing – down to the exact degree and minute – represent authentic expertise cultivated by the House of Breguet.

These skills ensure the dial pays vivid testimony to artistic crafts. The challenge is all the greater in that these dials are not concealed as they generally are by the case. Moreover, just as on the Tradition 7037, the choice of Arabic numerals also conveys a sense of strong loyalty to the Breguet spirit, while offering excellent legibility thanks to their silver-tone colour standing against the black outer dial rim.

The main dial displays Local Time, while the subdial at 8 o’clock displays Home Time. A discreet day/night indicator at 10 o’clock completes the display, positioned near the crown used to set the complication (by one-hour increments in either direction).

Breguet is now reviving this tradition of bespoke craftsmanship for its clients on the Arabian Peninsula, just as the great watchmaker himself did at the dawn of the 19th century.

In the Tradition GMT 7067 model, Home Time is available in a choice of two fonts: Arabic or Oriental numerals. While the latter variation is a rare occurrence within the Manufacture’s contemporary range, it stems from an authentic customisation offered by A.-L. Breguet himself from the early 1800s to his clients in the Ottoman Empire.

These timepieces now known as “Ottoman watches” were distinguished by their enamel dials and their easily recognisable Oriental numerals. Their characteristic, sometimes double cases were entirely enamelled and adorned with floral motifs and landscapes.

The choice of a dual-time display is also inherited from the founding watchmaker. It recalls the title bestowed upon A.-L. Breguet, who was appointed Watchmaker to the French Royal Navy by Louis XVIII in 1815. His mission was to create models capable of crossing latitudes (that were to become known as “time zones” in 1884) while maintaining the utmost precision. This legacy continued under the aegis of Antoine Breguet, himself the father of aviation pioneers Louis Charles and Jacques Eugène Henri Breguet, for whom Dual Time watches would become essential on their pioneering international flights.

Tradition GMT 7067 features a 40 mm platinum case secured by a black rubber strap with green topstitching.

Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7038

This new model is one of a select few creations designed for enthusiasts of horological virtuosity. Embodying a blend of Haute Horlogerie and jewellery, this model combines cutting-edge engineering with the art of sophistication.

Each timepiece is crafted with unrivalled expertise, testifying to Breguet’s exceptional craftsmanship. Powered by self-winding Breguet Calibre 505 SR, the Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7038 showcases its mechanical beauty within an 18 K rhodium-plated white gold case. The bezel set with 58 brilliant-cut diamonds subtly captures the light, while the crown adorned with a watch jewel adds a luminous touch.

For the first time, the Maison has adorned a Tradition creation with a black aventurine glass dial, enlivened by dainty silver-toned powdered transfers, creating a subtle overall effect of visual depth.

The shotblasted bridges and mainplate are enhanced by a sophisticated surface treatment in a deep black hue. The hours and minutes are indicated by white gold hollow-tipped Breguet hands. A retrograde seconds hand – also in white gold and positioned at 10 o’clock – adds a refined note to the display, while the fluted case and welded lugs evoke the Tradition collection’s historical characteristics.

A black satin-finished fabric strap with a silky feel hugs the wrist, while a rhodium- plated 18 K white gold pin buckle set with 25 brilliant-cut diamonds further enhances the radiance of this model that Breguet also offers on a black satin-effect alligator leather strap.

Visible in a central position on the dial side, the barrel cover is distinguished by a sunburst guilloché pattern evoking sunbeams and paying tribute to this exceptional craftsmanship first introduced on watch dials by A.-L. Breguet. Over time, guilloché has become an art form in its own right and above all, a signature of the Maison’s artisanal expertise. Breguet currently operates the largest workshop of guilloché lathes.

These carefully restored vintage machines enable the creation of numerous patterns ranging from the most classic to the most original. The back of the Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7038 reveals a mechanical scene just as captivating as the front, setting the stage for masterful craftsmanship reserved exclusively for the owner’s enthralled gaze and testifying to the attention the House devotes to the finest details – even those invisible when the watch is on the wrist. The oscillating weight hovers over the mainplate and the finely shotblasted bridges, enhanced by a high-density black finish – just as on the dial side. Crafted in gold, it evokes the weights designed in the era of A.-L. Breguet.

In this instance it takes the form of a half-crown also adorned with a sunburst guilloché pattern and specially developed for this version. This subtle decoration echoes the barrel cover that is finished in the same style, creating a true aesthetic dialogue between the two sides of the watch.

Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7097

The Tradition collection is constantly evolving. Its changes are gradual and subtle, aimed at preserving the perfect balance originally conceptualised by A.-L. Breguet and that the Manufacture has refined over the decades with a blend of restraint, mastery and boldness.

Secondly, the new Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7097 introduces new finishes on the movement side, starting with the introduction of a new charcoal grey barrel cover. This finish is no mere detail, as it is the first component to stand out against the new white Grand Feu enamel dial. The contrast between the two elements is thus taken to a whole new level: a dazzling, immaculate, brilliant white dial, immediately followed by a large charcoal grey barrel cover – and complemented by the rose-gilt gear train and balance rim.

The Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7097 epitomises this philosophy of essentials. The Manufacture has combined two variables to achieve a unique, distinctive result, starting with the hours dial in white Grand Feu enamel. Reflecting the history of the House, this choice significantly alters the aesthetic appeal of the watch. The enamel dial is slightly thicker than a guilloché gold dial, endowing the watch with greater presence and substance. All Grand Feu enamels are individually fired in a kiln.

Through this choice, the Manufacture further establishes a strong visual distinction between each element featuring its own hue, its own finish and ultimately its own personality. This powerfully reinforces the construction of the movement developed by A.-L. Breguet and within which each component asserts its place and identity, forming part of a kinematic harmony dear to Breguet and now more accentuated than ever.

The interplay of subtle organic nuances ensures each enamel dial is one of a kind. This highly exclusive character is emphasised by the Manufacture’s cherished secret signature. Applied almost imperceptibly to the enamel, it is visible only to the wearer of the timepiece, reinforcing their intimate bond with their watch.

The Tradition 7097 reveals the bridges, wheels, escapement, barrel and other movement components that are usually hidden beneath the dial. The display of the hours and minutes by Breguet hollow-tipped hands is complemented at 10 o’clock by the retrograde seconds indication after which this model is named.

To ensure optimal legibility of all the information and to highlight this complication, Breguet’s watchmakers have superimposed it onto the dial using a semi-circular segment in circular satin-brushed, finely sandblasted gold. In keeping with the watch’s emphasis on symmetry, the pare-chute shock absorber – an iconic feature of the Tradition collection – has been placed at 4 o’clock. This instantly recognisable Breguet invention protects the balance staff from impacts.

The movement is housed in an 18 K rose gold case with an unchanged 40 mm diameter. The individually numbered Breguet Calibre 505 SR 1 retains its 50-hour power reserve, driven by the iconic white gold Breguet-signed oscillating weight shaped just like the one designed by A.-L. Breguet 250 years ago when he developed his first perpétuelle watch (the term is also his).

This timepiece is fitted with a grey calfskin strap and Breguet also offers a likewise grey version in saddle-stitched leather-looking rubber.