The Breguet Classique Power Reserve 7137 collection of watches isn’t new, but I’ve never really covered these lovely watches before, so I figured I should at some point. One thing I am trying to do more of on aBlogtoWatch is cover modern watches that are perhaps not brand new, but are still available for retail sale and are worth taking note of. The Breguet Classique Power Reserve 7137 certainly falls into that category.
In many ways, a watch like the Breguet Classique Power Reserve 7137 epitomizes what the Breguet watch brand is all about. The Classique case has a coined-edge side and simple lugs along with a lovely machine guilloche engraved dial. Those familiar with antique Breguet pocket watch dials will see the familiar layout and design of complications such as the moon phase indicator and power reserve indicator. It matches Breguet’s long-standing mastery of asymmetric (along with symmetrical), albeit balanced, dials.
At 39mm wide, the Breguet Classique Power Reserve 7137 isn’t a large watch, but given its dress watch style, I would not call it small either. The thin bezel makes it very wearable, and unlike many 39mm wide watches, it does not feel small as measured against contemporary tastes. I would gladly wear it on a regular basis given the mixture of size, boldness, and overall legibility. It is worth noting that the Breguet 7137 is actually an evolved and enlarged version of the older Breguet 3137.
Both the Breguet 7137 and 3137 are “Classique Power Reserve” models with the same complications, but each has a slightly different dial design and case size. Whereas the more modern 7137 is 39mm wide, the 3137 is 36.3mm wide – a size that was more common when it was introduced in the 1990s, or even earlier when the modern Breguet was very much a product of Daniel Roth’s work there. In some ways, the 3137 has a more elegant dial, but it is not as intricate as the 7137 when it comes to design. People will likely choose between the two watches based on the size of timepiece they like to wear.
Watches in Breguet’s Classique collection are masterful executions of finely conceived machine guilloche engraved dials. Breguet wants you to know that these aren’t automated machines, but rather hand-operated rose engines that are more like tools which only produce beautiful results when used by skilled craftsman. As is the case on many models, the dial features various aesthetic styles that work together marvelously. More guilloche engraving can be found on the surface of the automatic rotor, which is visible through the sapphire crystal caseback on the rear of the watch.
When mixed with properly-sized blued steel hands, the silvery guilloche engraved dial is extremely legible, which is a testament to the enduring beauty of these dials. Without exaggerating, Breguet Classique dials reproduce a technique in wrist watch form that was originally developed for some of the world’s best pocket watches that were made well over 200 years ago. Again, a simple survey of original Breguet timepieces will make that fact clear.
The dial of the Breguet Classique Power Reserve 7137 watch has the time, moon phase indicator, power reserve indicator, and date dial. There is no running seconds hand, which is not an issue for me. The information on the dial is useful and emotional (the moon phase indicator). Everything is rendered so beautifully, and the pomme-style hour and minute hands are easily visually distinguished from the power reserve or date hands.
Inside the 7137 collection of watches is the in-house made Breguet caliber 502.3 DR1 automatic movement. The movement has a power reserve of 45 hours and is thin enough that the entire watch case is just 8.65mm thick. If you look at the rear of the watch, you’ll notice that the automatic rotor is off-centered a bit, even though it is too large to be considered a micro-rotor.
