The new interpretation of the Classique Dame makes a bold statement with its resolutely contemporary dial and a mechanism enabling the wearer to change straps as desired. Available in white and rose gold, this Classique Dame 8068 joins the current Breguet collection.
One Watch, Several Possibilities
From now on, it will be as easy to change the style of your Classique 8068 watch as it is to slip on another pair of shoes. For the first time in the Breguet collections, the brand is offering three interchangeable straps in the same boxed set. The rapid interchange system has been designed to allow the wearer to easily and independently switch from one strap to another without any need for tools.
Simply pressing the pusher located under the strap enables the user to lift up, remove and replace it with one of the two other straps, each fitted with a gold buckle. All that is needed is to position the slot on the far end of the strap level with the lugs, in a 45-60 degree position, before clicking it into place to ensure firm fastening.
It only takes a few seconds to switch from a black satin fabric strap to a colourful alligator leather strap: teal blue and Byzantium purple for the white gold version; and peacock blue and raspberry pink for the rose gold iterations.
In addition to the different styles possible thanks to its straps, the dial of the new Classique Dame 8068 also features a new look that is a blend of modernity and refinement.
The crown, initially offered with a blue sapphire, is now fitted with a cabochon-cut diamond. The 30 mm case features a bezel and lugs set with 64 brilliant-cut diamonds. The mother-of-pearl dial is adorned with a very fine guilloché pattern handcrafted by the Manufacture’s artisans. To bring a light visual touch, Breguet’s signature Arabic numerals now compose the chapter ring. Finally, a subtle oval cartouche bearing the brand logo appears at 12 o’clock.
The Movement
The new Classique 8068 is driven by Calibre 537/3 with its 191 components. The platinum oscillating weight is hand-engraved on a rose engine with a circular barleycorn pattern. Its balance oscillates at a frequency of 3.5 Hz.
The rhodium-plated self-winding movement is endowed with a 45-hour power reserve. It is equipped with an in-line Swiss lever escapement and a silicon balance spring. Silicon has many properties.
In addition to being resistant to corrosion and wear, it is insensitive to the influence of magnetic fields and improves the precision of the timepiece. The case is water-resistant to 3 bar (30 m) and its sapphire back enables one of Breguet’s cherished skills to be admired, with decorations such as chamfering and the Côtes de Genève motif embellishing the various movement components.
Featuring a design representing a blend of purity and refinement, the Classique collection faithfully illustrates the strong aesthetic of the brand’s origins. Above and beyond his talent as a watchmaker and inventor, Abraham-Louis Breguet was also one of the first designers. When the company was founded in Paris in 1775, baroque style was all the rage.
He invented and initiated the neoclassical style in watchmaking – an aesthetic vision that gave the dials an avant-garde look while making it easier to read the watch’s indications. He created open-tipped hands, the guilloché pattern and the off-centred dial, to name but a few of these novel stylistic features.
The latter achievement appeared as of 1812 on pocket watches and established the brand’s DNA. Inspired by these creations, the first interpretation of the Classique 8068 wristwatch was introduced in 2003. The 2022 version is a contemporary and elegant incarnation of the original timepiece, while remaining faithful to the powerful signatures of the Classique line.
