BREGUET MARINE ÉQUATION MARCHANTE 5887
Throughout his career, A.-L. Breguet consistently demonstrated
his exceptional mastery of time measurement. His strong
involvement and his revolutionary developments earned him
significant recognition and numerous honours. Renowned the
length and breadth of Europe, Breguet found a particularly active
admirer in Louis XVIII, king of France. In 1814, the latter
appointed him a member of the Bureau des longitudes in Paris. This
body created in 1795 by the National Convention was dedicated
to the advancement of the various branches of astronomy and
their applications to geography, navigation and geodesy (the
measurement and understanding of Earth’s physical properties).
Its tasks included the annual publication of reference documents
such as astronomical ephemerides. The Bureau des longitudes was a
prestigious organisation whose 20 or so members included
geometers, astronomers, seafarers and associate artists. The only
representative of his profession that was eminently useful to
physicists and navigators, Breguet became the horological
authority, notably for the calculation of longitudes at sea. As an
extension of this distinction, through an ordinance issued on
October 27th 1815, Louis XVIII awarded A.-L. Breguet the
official title of chronometer maker to the French Royal Navy.
This was the most prestigious title a horologist could hope to
receive, given that the very concept of marine chronometry
implied scientific knowledge. It also involved playing a crucial
role for the country, as marine chronometers were of capital
importance for fleets by making it possible to calculate ships’
positions at sea.
Following in the wake of this unique heritage, the House of
Breguet now launches a worldwide exclusive model named the
Marine Équation Marchante 5887. This “Grande Complication”
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marks the start of a new era for the contemporary Marine
collection.
The equation of time is one of the rarest and most fascinating
horological complications. It serves to display the difference
between mean solar time, corresponding to civil or standard
hours and minutes, and true solar time, meaning the actual solar
hours and minutes.
Since Antiquity, the sun has been used as the basis of time.
Nonetheless, the visible motion of the sun – the true solar time
indicated on sundials – is irregular. With the improvement of
timekeeping precision, watches and clocks became the basis of
time and true solar time was replaced by mean solar time, within
which each day has the same duration of exactly 24 hours. Mean
solar time may show a discrepancy with true solar time ranging
from minus 16 minutes to plus 14 minutes. On just four days a
year, the two times are exactly the same. Given that the sun’s
various positions in the sky are reproduced in an identical
manner on the same dates, watchmakers can “program” them by
means of a special cam. The latter is shaped like a figure 8 and
mechanically reproduces the path of the sun’s successive
positions, called an analemma curve. Requiring extremely
accurate execution, the cam is coupled with a feeler-spindle that
drives an equation lever serving to indicate the difference
between civil time and solar time (-16 to +14 minutes). This readoff is generally provided on a sector or subdial. It is then up to
the user to mentally add or subtract the difference displayed in
relation to mean time in order to calculate true solar time. The
new Marine Équation Marchante from Breguet supersedes this
principle. It simultaneously indicates civil time and true time by
means of two separate minutes hands. The running solar hand,
adorned with a facetted golden sun, provides a direct reading of
solar time minutes that is both quicker and more user-friendly.
This apparently simplicity conceals an arduous construction
process that few watchmakers are capable of achieving. The solar
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minutes hand has to meet two imperative demands: it must
sweep in a conventional way around the dial, like the civil
minutes hand, while also daily moving away from the latter by a
distance that varies in accordance with the analemma curve, in
order to display the equation. Breguet was able to accomplish
this by equipping its running solar hand with a differential gear
powered by two rotation sources operating entirely
independently: the rotation of civil minutes, and that controlled
by the lever in contact with the equation of time cam, which
makes one full turn per year. Breguet has developed an extremely
slim equation cam borne by a transparent sapphire disc also
serving to correct the equation of time by month.
The complexity that the running equation of time brings to this
model is naturally complemented on this “Grande
Complication” by a perpetual calendar. Two apertures – one
between 10 and 11 o’clock and the other between 1 and 2 o’clock
– respectively display the days of the week as well as the months
and the leap-year cycle. The date appears inside the chapter ring
by means of a retrograde hand tipped with an anchor motif and
sweeping across an arc running from 9 to 3 o’clock. The dial
layout of the information has been carefully designed to ensure
simple and intuitive linear reading, along with impeccable visual
appeal.
Based on the self-winding 581DR calibre, the new Marine
Équation Marchante by Breguet also flaunts a third complication
that is noteworthy in its own right: a 60-second tourbillon with a
titanium carriage housing a Breguet balance with a silicon balance
spring. This innovative characteristic notably enables the balance
wheel to achieve a 4Hz frequency, while maintaining a
particularly comfortable power reserve for a self-winding model.
This 80-hour autonomy is displayed through an aperture
between 7 and 9 o’clock.
The ingenuity of this spectacular model is accentuated by the
precious expertise of the artisans exercising their skills within the
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House of Breguet. The front dial features two types of engineturning, including a “wave” pattern specifically developed for
this new creation. The inscription “Marine royale” is engraved
on the tourbillon bar, whose execution naturally draws the gaze.
Visible through a sapphire caseback, the bridges have been
delicately chased to depict in meticulous detail the Royal Louis, a
first rank vessel in the French Royal Navy. The barrel is adorned
with a windrose motif, in reference to astronomical navigation.
Thanks to the carefully chosen positioning of the oscillating
weight on the rim of the calibre, the self-winding movement
deploys the full splendour of its decoration.
A truly magnificent timepiece, the new Marine Équation
Marchante by Breguet sets the tone. It features new aesthetic
signature codes giving it a modern and dynamic appearance:
central lugs combining polished and satin-brushed surfaces;
more open fluting, with visible flanks; a crown topped with a
polished “B” against a sandblasted background; as well as a
crown adorned with a chamfered and satin-brushed wave motif.
This “Grande Complication” comes with a 43.9mm-diameter
case in rose gold or platinum. The rose gold version frames a
silvered dial and an anthracite movement, while the platinum
interpretation has a blue dial and a rhodium-plated movement.
Elegance, legibility and aesthetic balance are the keynote features
of these two equally sumptuous models.
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BREGUET MARINE ÉQUATION MARCHANTE 5887
SPECIFICATIONS OF THE WATCH
REF. 5887PT/Y2/9WV
Case in 950 platinum with delicately fluted caseband.
Sapphire-crystal caseback. 43.9mm diameter. Waterresistant to 10 bar (100m).
Blue dial in gold, engine-turned. Individually numbered
and signed Breguet. Hours chapter with Roman
numerals and luminescent dots. Breguet facetted hands
in 18k gold with luminescent material. Running solar
hand with facetted golden sun. Days of the week in an
aperture between 10 and 11 o’clock. Months and leapyear cycle in an aperture between 1 and 2 o’clock.
Retrograde dates indication on an arc running from 9
to 3 o’clock. Power reserve in an aperture between 7
and 9 o’clock.
Self-winding movement with running equation of
time, perpetual calendar, tourbillon and 80-hour power
reserve, Cal. 581DPE. Numbered and signed Breguet.
Small seconds and equation of time cam on the
tourbillon axis. 16¾ lignes. 57 jewels. Silicon escapement
wheel and inverted lateral lever with silicon horns.
Silicon balance spring. Balance frequency 4Hz.
Adjusted in 6 positions.
Alligator leather strap with gold folding clasp.
Also available in 18k rose gold with dial in silvered
gold and anthracite movement:
Reference 5887BR/12/9WV
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