A newly designed coachworkBASELWORLD 2013: The Breguet Classique Chronographe 5287
Breguet’s watchmakers decided to introduce the reference 5287 to honour a legendary movement by giving the calibre 533.3 – initially known as 2310 – a newly designed coachwork. Indeed, it would be difficult to offer this Hand-wound chronograph movement without drawing on the past for it has long been the motor of the finest watches of other brands.
Designed in the 1940s by Albert Piguet at the Lémania workshops, the calibre CH 27 movement blank quickly won a reputation for its endurance and reliability. It drew the attention of highly regarded brands, which preferred to use it for their chronographs rather than undertake the gigantic task of developing their own movement. Its popularity ensured its further evolution into the highly refined calibre 2310. While column-wheel chronographs are notoriously difficult to make in general, the calibre 2310 has been made with particular exactitude to avoid any risk of juddering or seizure. Fine-adjustment screws set the right depth of engagement between toothed wheels, while a friction spring acts as a slight brake on chronograph hand to prevent it from juddering. Beyond its technical performance, the calibre 2310 also displays its exceptional finish to admirers through the sapphire-crystal caseback.
The many qualities of the calibre 2310 have thus made it the legend that it is today. Such a movement has to have a case of classic design. The 5287 is stylistically different from 5247, which honoured dials in fired enamels. This timepiece has a 42.5mm case in white or rose gold, with a dial displaying a central chapter of hours and minutes and the seconds with a double hand at 9 o'clock. The chronograph indications are an elapsed-minutes counter at 3 o'clock and the red central chronograph hand. A tachometer scale to calculate speed discreetly surrounds the Roman hour numerals.
The dial is engine-turned in a hobnail pattern in the centre and in a circular barleycorn motif for the double seconds. Snailing for the minutes counter and cross-hatching complete the dial decorations. This chronograph on a leather strap is water resistant to 3 bar (30m) and has a power reserve of 48 hours. Once again the Breguet company introduces something new: a triple-blade folding clasp that is so much more comfortable to wear.