Breguet Turns 250, Girard-Perregaux Dives Deep, and Vacheron Opens Up Haute Complications
This week on WorldTempus: Breguet marks a milestone with the Souscription 2025, GP revives a dive icon, Vacheron fuses sport and complexity, and Czapek dazzles with diamonds.
THIS WEEK’S NEWS
Interview With Gregory Kissling About the Classique Souscription 2025
To mark its 250th anniversary, Breguet revisits its origins with the unveiling of the Classique Souscription 2025—an exceptional tribute to the watch that helped revive the brand in 1796. Based on Abraham-Louis Breguet’s original subscription model, this modern reinterpretation blends historical significance with contemporary technical mastery. “Its simplicity conceals great refinement,” says CEO Gregory Kissling, underscoring the elegance hidden behind a minimalist appearance.
The watch embraces the distinctive single-hand dial of its predecessor, combined with a grand feu white enamel display, Arabic numerals, and a finely executed petit feu enamel railroad minute track. Its hand-blued steel pointer demands precision and timing: “There’s no going back if it’s overheated. The royal blue shade we’re aiming for appears precisely at 290°C,” explains an artisan from the Manufacture.
At the heart of the timepiece lies the new VS00 calibre, crafted from golden brass tinted to match Breguet’s proprietary Breguet Gold alloy—a new blend that combines gold, silver, copper, and palladium for improved durability and a distinctive tone. The movement offers a 96-hour power reserve and features a Nivachron Breguet overcoil to enhance resistance to magnetic fields. The ratchet wheel bears a cursive engraving of a quote from the founder, connecting past and present.
The caseback reveals the Quai de l’Horloge guilloché motif, a pattern inspired by an 18th-century map of the Île de la Cité in Paris, where the brand was originally established. The watch also incorporates 13 patents—four new and nine historical—and reintroduces Breguet’s secret signature, engraved using a historical pantograph.
Presented in a red anniversary case and sold through the original subscription model with a 25% deposit, this timepiece is the first in a series of nine to be unveiled throughout the year, each celebrating a milestone in Breguet’s horological legacy.
Girard-Perregaux Revives a 1970s Icon with the Deep Diver Legacy Edition
A historic tool watch returns with a contemporary edge. Girard-Perregaux brings the Deep Diver back to life—this time through a creative partnership with Georges Bamford. First launched in 1969, the original Deep Diver stood out with its bold technological spirit and futuristic design, much like the space-age optimism of the era. Defined by its cushion-shaped case and Gyromatic movement, the watch was built for functionality yet delivered on aesthetic innovation with a 14-sided inner bezel and vibrant dial combinations.
By 1971, its look evolved into a cult favorite: orange-and-blue color schemes, sporty lines, and distinctive typography all contributed to an instantly recognizable style. This aesthetic DNA would later influence the creation of the Laureato, now a mainstay in the Girard-Perregaux collection.
The new Deep Diver remains faithful to this legacy, blending vintage character with modern materials. The case is now made from Grade 5 titanium for lightness and durability, while the movement inside—the in-house GP03300—ensures mechanical reliability. Limited to just 350 pieces, this release falls under the “Legacy Editions” line, a concept designed to celebrate and reinterpret key moments in the brand’s 234-year history. “Every piece in the Legacy collection has played a significant role in our history—both in terms of watchmaking and design,” notes Marc Michel-Amadry, Managing Director of Girard-Perregaux.
The reissue wouldn’t have been possible without collector enthusiasm. George Bamford’s personal admiration for a vintage Deep Diver served as the catalyst. According to Michel-Amadry, collectors remain an essential voice within the brand’s creative process: “You just have to be humble enough to listen.”
More than just a nostalgic revival, the new Deep Diver is a calculated statement—rooted in the past, yet built for a modern audience that values both originality and authenticity.
NEW WATCHES
The New Vacheron Constantin Overseas Grand Complication Openface in 3 Key Points
This week, Vacheron Constantin stuns the haute horlogerie world once again with the Overseas Grande Complication Openface—a watch that merges mechanical excellence with bold, athletic design. As part of the brand’s 270th anniversary celebrations, this exceptional piece joins the ranks of the most refined complications ever produced by the Geneva-based manufacture. But here’s what truly sets it apart:
1. Classic and sporty: it unites yin and yang
The Overseas Grande Complication Openface brings together two worlds that rarely meet—technical watchmaking tradition and contemporary sports elegance. For the first time in the Overseas collection, the sophisticated calibre 2755P makes an appearance. It features a perpetual calendar, tourbillon, and minute repeater, all inside a lightweight and durable Grade 5 titanium case. This construction does more than reduce weight—it enhances resistance while giving the piece a distinct, darker sheen compared to steel. With polished and satin-brushed finishes from the case to the integrated bracelet, the watch balances visual sophistication and casual robustness.
2. It reveals (almost) everything about its high-end mechanics
The sapphire dial offers a clear view into the calibre’s architecture—an intricate assembly of 602 parts. Openings in the dial expose the gear trains for hours, minutes, day, date, month, and the small seconds on the tourbillon. On the reverse, the transparent caseback highlights the meticulously finished minute repeater hammers and other key components. “Calibre 2755 benefited from the research that led to the creation of Tour de l’Île,” explains Christian Selmoni, Director of Style and Heritage, emphasizing the movement’s thin profile—just 7.9 mm despite its complexity.
3. It brings the Geneva Seal into a contemporary world
At 4 o’clock, the Geneva Seal confirms the watch’s compliance with the highest standards of craftsmanship. Achieving this certification, particularly with modern materials like sapphire and titanium, demands exceptional mastery. Although Vacheron Constantin has worked with titanium since 2008, each new piece must still undergo rigorous validation by the Timelab foundation. The result is a timepiece that honors horological heritage while boldly stepping into a modern era.
Czapek Explores a New Sparkling Horizon with the Promenade Diamond Drops
Czapek & Cie unveils Promenade Diamond Drops, a radiant evolution of the Promenade collection that blends nature’s elegance with gem-setting virtuosity. Inspired by the poetic imagery of water in motion, this new model follows the aesthetic path first marked by Goutte d’Eau—a sold-out success at Watches and Wonders 2024. But this time, the Maison ventures into even more expressive terrain, reimagining ripples not with lines, but with light.
CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel describes the creative leap: “When we sold out of Goutte d’Eau… we immediately started playing with other thoughts about water… how dewdrops sparkle on a sunny morning, what happens when water freezes…” From this idea emerged the Diamond Drops dial, entirely snow-set with 360 diamonds and 319 sapphires, totaling over 3 carats of brilliance. This technique, executed by expert artisans at AB Products, relies on placing asymmetrically sized gems—many under 0.5 mm—into tiny wells on a thin white gold base. Like a glittering mosaic, each stone is measured and set to sit perfectly flush, demanding six full days of meticulous craftsmanship.
The challenge intensifies with the mix of diamonds and sapphires, materials of differing hardness, arranged to create a naturalistic play of icy blues and shimmering whites. Additional gem-setting on the bezel, flange, and crown adds another 173 diamonds, requiring two more days of work.
Beneath the artistry lies the calibre SXH5.1, Czapek’s in-house micro-rotor movement with 60 hours of power reserve. Housed in a 38 mm white gold case, it features seven skeletonised bridges inspired by 19th-century pocket watches and haute horlogerie finishing throughout. The rotor is made of 100% recycled platinum.
With only 10 pieces available worldwide, Diamond Drops is both a statement of style and a rare feat of artisanal excellence. Offered on a sapphire blue calfskin strap, it is available exclusively through Czapek retailers, the Geneva boutique, and Czapek.com.
WATCH KNOWLEDGE
Tourbillons and Materials: Let the Show Begin!
Once the preserve of traditional watchmaking, the tourbillon is now charting bold new paths. Originally conceived by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1801 to improve chronometric precision by counteracting gravity’s effect on the escapement, the tourbillon was first developed for pocket watches, and later made its way into wristwatches by pioneers such as Omega in 1947 and Audemars Piguet in 1986. Today, the complication remains an exclusive showcase of horological mastery—but the scenery has changed. At Watches & Wonders 2025, it is clear that the tourbillon has broken free of its classical mold.
Leading the charge, Hublot celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Big Bang collection with the “Materials and High Complications” box set. Priced at CHF 1 million, the five-piece ensemble embraces Hublot’s “art of fusion” philosophy. Each watch pairs a tourbillon with a major complication—such as the cathedral minute repeater—and is housed in innovative materials like red ceramic, Texalium®, colored sapphire, and frosted carbon.
Vacheron Constantin takes a more traditional path with the Traditionnelle Tourbillon Quantième Perpétuel, honoring its 270th anniversary with 127 platinum-cased pieces. Its in-house caliber harmonizes a perpetual calendar and tourbillon under a hand-guilloché dial in silvery tones, marked by a bespoke motif and optimal legibility. The rotating Maltese-cross tourbillon becomes a kinetic centerpiece.
Decorative arts and natural inspiration shine through in H. Moser & Cie’s Endeavour Tourbillon Concept Turquoise Enamel, which features a radiant, textured grand feu enamel dial evoking sunlight on the ocean. At Chopard, the Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon echoes alpine landscapes with its “Rhône Blue” sunburst dial and COSC-certified movement inside a 41 mm Lucent Steel® case.
Pushing technical boundaries further, IWC’s Big Pilot’s Watch Shock Absorption Tourbillon Skeleton XPL combines its ultra-light flying tourbillon with a 44 mm Ceratanium® case and a shock absorption system capable of withstanding up to 10,000 g. The architecture is futuristic, the technology cutting-edge.
From platinum to sapphire, enamel to Ceratanium®, the tourbillon has evolved into a canvas for contemporary creativity—proving that Breguet’s visionary mechanism continues to inspire, captivate, and redefine modern haute horlogerie.
Going for Gold
In 2025, gold is no longer just a luxurious accent—it is the statement. From Cartier to Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC to Bulgari, some of the most prestigious names in Swiss watchmaking are embracing a bold, monochrome aesthetic where gold reigns supreme across every component. These latest creations are not about excess for its own sake, but rather a refined exercise in texture, contrast, and craftsmanship—where even maximalism is approached with restraint.
Cartier sets the tone with the Tank Louis Cartier Yellow Gold Medium, a watch that redefines minimalist opulence. Featuring the hand-wound 1917 MC movement, its sunray guilloché dial reflects light just enough to distinguish the polished baton hands, proving that even a full-gold design can remain subtle and readable.
At Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds leans into retro sophistication with a 7.56 mm pink gold case and matching Milanaise bracelet. Introduced as part of a Reverso-focused year, this 2025 edition pays homage not only to the Art Deco spirit of the 1930s, but also to the elegance of mid-century gold accessories. A grained dial in a tonal pink hue ensures legibility, while the integrated bracelet adds vintage charm and tactile richness.
IWC follows suit with what might be the most chromatically consistent timepiece of the year: the Ingenieur Automatic 35. Nearly every visible component—from case to bracelet, dial to screws—is fashioned in 18K 5N gold. The guilloché dial’s grid-like pattern adds crucial depth, ensuring the polished, lume-filled hands stand out.
From Rome, Bulgari introduces its Octo Finissimo in 18K rose gold. Known for pushing the limits of slimness and architectural form, the Octo gains new warmth and gravitas in precious metal. The signature stepped case and bracelet design—now a modern icon—receives a new tactile dimension, while contrasting hands and indexes preserve usability.
With these four standout releases, gold proves it can be both powerful and poetic. As Swiss exports in precious metals hit record highs in 2024, the stage is set for an even more lustrous 2025.
MUST-SEE THIS WEEK
Van Cleef & Arpels' Cadenas Watch: 90 Years of Subversive Elegance
The Cadenas by Van Cleef & Arpels stands as a design manifesto—born in 1935 from a vision that combined surrealist thought with the bold simplicity of modernist aesthetics. As it celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2025, the Maison unveils a luminous yellow gold edition, adorned with diamonds and sapphires, echoing a legacy that remains as relevant and compelling today as it was at its inception.
Inspired by the artistic revolutions of the early 20th century, the Cadenas reimagines the everyday object. Much like Duchamp's "Fountain," which transformed a urinal into a provocative work of art, the Cadenas takes the utilitarian form of a padlock and elevates it into a refined jewel-watch—one meant to be both admired and concealed. “A watch for a woman of character,” as described by Catherine Cariou, the Maison’s Heritage Director.
Originally launched in yellow gold and later reinterpreted in versions set with sapphires, rubies, diamonds, and emeralds, the Cadenas exemplifies both discretion and boldness. Its dial, tilted toward the wearer, reflects the social codes of the 1930s—when glancing at the time had to remain a subtle act for women. Behind this quiet elegance, however, is a piece that signals independence and subversion.
This duality—the modernist balance of rebellion and structure—is also echoed in the design itself. The prism-shaped case and flexible serpent chain recall industrial forms and machine-inspired aesthetics, aligning with the early 20th century’s fascination with technology and functional beauty. Van Cleef & Arpels embraced this era’s spirit alongside artists and designers such as Jean Fouquet and Suzanne Belperron, who redefined jewelry through clean lines and noble materials.
In 2025, the Cadenas returns not only as an icon of feminine empowerment and modernist innovation but also as a timeless object of art—reaffirming that in watchmaking, as in art, the most enduring creations are those that dare to challenge convention.
