Mother-of-pearl, brilliant cut diamonds, a powerful movement all come together in the new version of the Classique Dame 8063. But there is more. The new version is outfitted with a mechanism enabling the wearer to change straps. The timepiece is available in white or rose gold and comes with three interchangeable straps, straps that are as easy to slip on as a pair of slippers. The boxed set comes with the watch, three straps and the rapid interchange system which entails just simply pressing the pusher located under the strap enabling the user to lift up, remove and replace the strap with one of the two other straps each fitted with a gold buckle. That’s all it takes for switch from a black satin fabric strap to a dazzling alligator strap in teal blue and Byzantium purple for the white gold version and peacock blue and raspberry pink or the rose gold versions.

The dial of the new Classique Dame 8068 features a new look offering refinement and a new modern take. The crown is now fitted with a cabochon-cut diamond while the dainty 30mm case features a bezel and lugs set with 64 brilliant-cut diamonds. Lugs are the watch parts that connect the metal bracelet or watch strap to the case with a metal springbar. Meanwhile the mother-of-pearl dial is adorned with a very fine guilloché pattern handcrafted by the manufacture’s artisans. The watch is powered by the Calibre 537/3 with its 191 components. The self-winding movement enjoys a 45-hour power reserve and the timepiece is water resistant to about 100 feet (30 meters).

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-centerd dial, to name but a few of these novel stylistic features. Drawing its inspiration from 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.
©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette