Recent Fascination: Neo-Vintage Breguet
There are several reasons - objective ones - that draw me to collecting vintage watches. Of course, we can talk all day about the different production qualities, modern watches lacking soul and character, and vintage watches being “perfect imperfections”. But an analytic look at these different periods reveal two main defining qualities that elevate vintage watches: dial typography and dial depth.
Many big modern brands, including the likes of Patek Philippe, stamp their dials on without much effort. This leads to very flat and two-dimensional dials that may look acceptable in photos but are truly underwhelming in the flesh. An excellent example would be the dial on Patek Philippe ref. 5059 - a watch I came very close to buying many times for its excellent value. I eventually gave up on the idea after handling the watch in person; the dial was very flat (completely flat except for the perpetual calendar cut-outs), and I could not accept the modern dial typography. I suppose my sentiments are shared by many other collectors, which would explain the reference’s very low market price.
Along with superior craftsmanship and unique design, I believe this lack of attention to detail from large brands helped fuel the rise of independent watchmakers. Some independent watchmakers - such as Romain Gauthier, De Bethune, and MB&F - offer something truly new and avant-garde. Others, such as Kari Voutilainen and Rexhep Rexhepi are more classic-leaning. A very important figure among such names is Daniel Roth whose eponymous brand saw a steep rise in popularity over the last decade. With a very unique case design, his watches are unmistakable and now iconic.
Prior to starting his own brand, Daniel Roth was at the helm of Breguet from 1975 to 1988. He helped establish the design language and the brand direction moving forward, and was responsible for the creation of many iconic references including ref. 3050, 3130, and 3350. Until very recently, Breguet was criminally underrated and undervalued. Finally, “Roth Era” Breguet (including later models with clear Roth Era design heritage) indeed seems to be getting the attention it deserves.
Breguet ref. 3130, inspired by the mythical Breguet no. 5 pocket watch.
Breguet ref. 3050 perpetual calendar, with a rare German dial. In my opinion, this is one of the most important watches made by Breguet in the neo-vintage and modern eras.
Coming back to neo-vintage and modern watches after years almost exclusively collecting vintage, I find it shocking that Breguet is only now getting the appreciation it deserves. While Breguet’s case might be not to everyone’s taste, I find their dials offer unparalleled details and depth that would be appreciated by most discerning collectors. Even with all the details, Breguet’s dials achieve beautiful balance, through a precise combination of various guilloche and metallic finishes. The austerity of the Roman numerals and the classic typography complete this unique design language. Most Breguet are unmistakably Breguet.
Breguet ref. 3617 - a Lemania based perpetual calendar chronograph.
I sincerely believe the dial is the most important part of a watch. The dials on these neo-vintage Breguet should satisfy even the most discerning vintage collectors who love galvanic gilt dials and two-tone dials with applied indices (the two-tone effect of the guilloche and the brushed metallic finishes is especially similar to the two-tone dial effect of the vintage era). There is plenty for the eyes to feast on, without it being overwhelming.
I had almost turned a blind eye towards neo-vintage and modern watches in the past few years, but I regret not discovering the charm of neo-vintage Breguet sooner. I have always been aware of their beauty, but was too focused on the 1930’s and 1940’s pieces to really divert much attention or funds. This past summer, I managed to assemble a capsule collection of Breguet - two examples of the iconic perpetual calendar ref. 3050 (an earlier example in Italian and a later example in German), a Lemania-based perpetual calendar chronograph ref. 3617, a ref. 3130 (inspired by the legendary Breguet no. 5 pocket watch), a standard tourbillon ref. 3357, and a skeletonized tourbillon ref. 3355. I find each one of these to be superbly balanced, very wearable, and still undervalued in the market.
A capsule collection of Breguet - including ref. 3357, 3355, 3050, 3130, and 3617.
Of course, there are many other models that I would still love to own, including the ref. 3350 (the standard tourbillon without the writing at 9 o’clock) and the ref. 3637 (the minute repeater), but I am quite satisfied with what I managed to put together. Recent auctions and market trends suggest that Breguet is on the rise. If you ever were interested in picking up a Breguet from this time period, this might be a good time.