Breguet Tradition Seconde Retrograde 7035: Precision Meets Motion. A 250yr Anniversary Celebration
- Balance & Bridge
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
The Breguet Tradition Seconde Retrograde 7035 isn’t just another milestone for the brand—it’s a vivid homage to over two centuries of horological artistry. Designed to mark Breguet’s 250th anniversary, this timepiece celebrates the Maison’s legacy with a watch that feels both rooted in tradition and unafraid to experiment.
At first glance, it’s the structure that captivates. Like all Tradition models, the movement is laid bare—a glimpse into the soul of the watch, mirroring the very perspective a watchmaker has at their bench. But the 7035 doesn’t stop at mechanics.
Its finely guilloché dial, finished in a rich Breguet blue and crowned with translucent grand feu enamel, sits quietly elevated at 12 o’clock. Silver Arabic numerals and an intricate minute track featuring stylised fleurs-de-lis pop against the moody, almost celestial background.
Nestled just below the surface, the retrograde seconds display arcs between 10 and 11 o’clock—a delicate flourish that doesn’t overwhelm the composition. The dial’s layout may be asymmetrical, but it’s beautifully balanced, echoing the same visual rhythm that has long defined the Tradition line.
Breguet Gold: A Signature Alloy
This edition also marks the debut of Breguet gold within the Tradition family. A proprietary alloy blending gold, silver, copper, and palladium, it offers a warm, luminous tone unique to the brand. Everything from the case to the bridges shares this glow, thanks to a special plating treatment that ensures uniformity throughout. Tiny pops of color—ruby-red jewels, silver-toned gears, and blued screws—add visual tension and bring the movement to life.
Flip the watch over and the details continue. The oscillating weight, shaped like a crescent moon and crafted from vertically brushed platinum, nods to the past. It’s an elegant callout to Abraham-Louis Breguet’s “perpétuelle” watches and his pioneering use of platinum to enhance automatic winding performance. Subtle and sophisticated, the weight is even stamped with “Pt950,” a small but telling mark of quality.
A Dial Rooted in Parisian History
The dial’s guilloché motif, named Quai de l’Horloge, is more than decorative—it’s geographic. Inspired by the curves of the Seine as it flows past the Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis, this pattern draws directly from the 18th-century Turgot map of Paris. It’s a quiet tribute to the city where Breguet’s workshop once stood and where his legacy began to take shape.
Carrying the Legacy Forward
The Tradition line, as a whole, was born in 2005, but its origins date back even further. It reflects two of A.-L. Breguet’s most forward-thinking ideas: the Souscription watch, sold via an early subscription model and printed leaflet; and the Tact watch, designed to tell time by touch. The 7035 channels that same ingenuity, pairing mechanical excellence with a bold sense of form.
Whether it’s the satin-finished bridges, the layered transparency of the dial, or the precise retrograde seconds complication, the Tradition 7035 isn’t just built to be admired—it’s built to be understood. It offers a rare connection between the wearer and the mechanics beneath the surface, grounding its elegance in something deeper: a reverence for craftsmanship and a fearless vision for what’s next.
Check out more here, at Breguet.
BALANCE & BRIDGE