Breguet Classique Chronograph 5287BR/12/9ZU

Although the Breguet Classique 5287 Chronograph was originally introduced in 2013 and is still available in some boutiques, it is no longer being produced. This probably means that the Classique 5287 will join the circuit of coveted collector’s pieces. A classic in every sense of the word – from its refined aesthetics, to its iconic hand-wound, Lemania-based chronograph movement.

HOW BREGUET RECOVERED ITS RADIANCE

Without re-examining the fascinating legacy of founder Abraham-Louis Breguet, it is worth dedicating a few lines to the recent history of the brand when it was acquired by Nicolas G. Hayek, founder of Swatch Group, in 1999. And Lemania has a lot to do in this story.

Lemania was founded in 1884 by Alfred Lugrin. In 1932, due to hard times for the watch industry, Lemania joined the SSIH Group (which would later become the Swatch Group), alongside Tissot and Omega, resulting in close collaborations between these brands and the movement manufacturer. Facing difficulties in the late 1970s due to the quartz crisis, SSIH had to get rid of its high-end Lemania branch in 1980. The following year, Lemania was acquired by Piaget, with drastic cuts in the workforce and was renamed “Nouvelle Lemania SA”. It continued to create high-end, ultra-thin movements and to deliver its beautiful hand-wound chronographs to some of the most respected brands (Patek, Dubuis and Vacheron, for example).

In 1992, Investcorp, the owner of Breguet back in the days, took over Nouvelle Lemania SA. In 1999, Nicolas G. Hayek acquired Breguet and, coincidentally Lemania, which was producing all Breguet watches at that time, in addition to movements for third-parties. In 2009, Swatch Group decided that Lemania had to stop delivering movements to its competitors and to focus exclusively on Breguet. The name Lemania was changed to Manufacture Breguet. As such, Breguet’s current manufacture has been built on the foundations of Lemania.

Breguet introduced the Classique Chronograph 5287 at Baseworld 2013: the brand’s new take on the classic dress chronograph – definitely very traditional in its inspiration, but there are a number of modern touches that make the 5287 something different entirely.

The predecessor to the 5287 is the 5247, which utilized the same movement, but with completely different aesthetic priorities. The 5247 measured up at 39mm in diameter and showcased fired enamel dials with colorful accents, while the 5287 is significantly larger at 42.5mm and has dials that are all about the mixture of engraving techniques. While there are clear connections between the two watches, they likely appeal to very different tastes.

Inside the 5287 is Breguet’s calibre 533.3, based on the Lémania CH 27, which dates back to the 1940s. It is a two-register column-wheel chronograph movement, with a running seconds subdial on the left and a 30-minute totalizer subdial on the right. The finishing of the 533.3 is very nice, as you would expect from Breguet, and you can admire it through a sapphire caseback.

Stylistically, the 5287 looks like something that could only come from Breguet. There is the signature fluting on the caseband to start, but the dial is really where Breguet has decided to show off here. The example here has an 18K gold dial that has been silvered and then finished with a number of engraving styles, including engine-turned hobnail on the main section, circular barleycorn on the seconds register, and snailing for the minutes totalizer. The registers themselves has a brushed metalic finish that makes the 5287 surprisingly easy to read for such an ornate chronograph.

There are more stylistic flourishes however. The running seconds counter tapers off towards the center of the dial and only numbers 0-30 are marked, with 0 at the bottom and 30 up top. One side of the hand has an arrow, denoting that it counts seconds 0-30 for each minute, while the strait-ended side counts seconds 31-60. A bit unusual, but certainly cool looking. Also there is a tachymeter scale around the outer edge of the dial in red and black to match the dramatic red chronograph seconds hand (the only hand that is not blued).

The feel of the chronograph on the 5287 is really nice and it’s obvious that this is a quality movement – all of the clicks feel clean and provide the right amount of tactile feedback. As mentioned above, readability is pretty high for something this complicated and the watch seems to wear a little smaller than you might think. It’s still big for a watch of this style, but that’s certainly intentional. The three-fold, B-signed buckle closes securely and doesn’t rub on the underside of the wrist.

Classique chronograph wristwatch in 18-carat rose gold. Hand-wound movement with double seconds and 30-minute totaliser. Tachymeter scale surrounding the chapter ring. Silvered gold dial, hand-engraved on a rose engine. Roman Numerals. Sapphire caseback. Water-resistant to 3 bar (30m). Diameter 42,5mm. Also in rose gold.