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Breguet: La Tradition or La Revolution?
Launched in 2005, the Breguet Tradition collection reinterprets the maison’s earliest souscription watches from the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
These original souscription models were conceived as a financing solution: buyers paid 25 % up front, allowing Abraham-Louis Breguet to fund production of these serially produced yet carefully crafted timepieces.
The Tradition collection—beginning with ref. 7027—directly draws on this symmetrical movement architecture bringing it to the forefront of the watch, on the dial side.
The exposed movement, with balance wheel and barrel displayed on the dial side, reflects the open layout of souscription watches and watches à tact.
Modern Tradition models like this Ref. 7057 further highlight Breguet heritage by incorporating the power reserve and the hand-turned sterling silver guilloché dial with the watch serial number.
Technical Innovation and Aesthetic Harmony
The 2005 Tradition launch marked a return to 18th-century design language within a contemporary automatic cal. 507DR. The open-worked layout places the barrel centrally, maintains perfect mechanical symmetry, and showcases traditional Breguet finishing—blued screws, grené bridges and platine, hand beveled edges, and pare-chute shock protection.
The Tradition design foresaw the modern trend toward deconstructed watch dials, emphasizing transparency and mechanical symmetry. Yet, despite its significance as one of the most innovative and influential timepieces of the past two decades, it remains largely overlooked by collectors and, as a result, is still undervalued in the market.
Breguet Tradition Ref. 7057: A Contemporary Echo of 18th- Century Genius
The Breguet Tradition 7057 is a fine example of modern horology that manages to feel both progressive and ancestral. Launched in 2010, this reference is one of the most aesthetically balanced of the La Traditioin family.
A Dial That Rewrites the Rules
Las Tradition 7057 turns the traditional watch layout inside out. Instead of concealing its mechanism, it places the movement on full display.
On the front, the 7057 has a finely guilloché off-centered dial in silvered gold with classic Breguet pomme hands and Roman numerals.
Below and around it lies a symmetrical array of exposed components: the barrel, escapement, center wheel, and gear train.
The exposed lever escapement is anchored by Breguet’s historic pare-chute anti-shock system, easily visible near 4 o’clock.
Patented by A.-L. Breguet in 1790, this early form of shock protection is the direct ancestor of modern Incabloc systems and was instrumental in improving reliability in portable timepieces.
The name “pare-chute” literally means “parachute,” referencing its spring-loaded safety mechanism that cushions the pivot in case of impact.
The Caliber 507DR: Technical and Aesthetic Harmony
Powering the watch is the manually wound caliber 507DR, operating at 21,600 vibrations per hour with a 50-hour power reserve, the status of which is clearly indicated on the dial-side sector display at 10 o’clock.
Unusually, this mechanism is also echoed on the rear of the movement—a detail often overlooked, but brilliantly executed.
The caseback offers an unusually sparse view for such a mechanical watch.
While many movements display a full array of bridges and complications on the reverse, the 507DR leaves a large portion of its backplate open.
This is bacause this movement was also manufactured as an automatic, and in this manual winding version the automatic module has been removed leaving the back plate looking somehow empty.
The engravings, grene finish, and polished bevels are executed impeccably and to haute horlogerie standards.
The “Brevet” Case and Finishing Details
The 7057 is housed in a traditional Breguet case with fluted coin-edge sides and straight welded lugs with screw bars.
A domed sapphire crystal protects both the front and back.
At 40 mm in diameter and 11.65 mm thick, the watch wears with presence, yet remains true to its classical roots.
The white gold enhances the contrast between the darkened bridges, exposed wheels, and heat-blued screws.
An Undervalued Masterpiece
In the landscape of modern haute horlogerie, the Breguet 7057 remains curiously underappreciated.
Despite its historical relevance, visible craftsmanship, and technical depth, it is often available at prices significantly below comparable watches from brands like A. Lange & Söhne or Vacheron Constantin.
This makes it one of the most compelling values for collectors interested in Breguet’s historical narrative, exposed mechanical architecture, and traditional finishing it is, in our opinion, one of the most undevalued buy among contemporary watches.
In essence, the Breguet 7057 is more than a watch—it is a mechanical homage to one of horology’s greatest innovators.
With its transparent design, historical fidelity, and refined technical execution, it bridges centuries of watchmaking in a singularly poetic way.
The Tradition collection offers collectors an authentic connection to Abraham‐Louis Breguet’s revolutionary souscription watches, now rendered with modern materials and automatic movement.
