Hot on the heels of Watches and Wonders Geneva, Breguet unveiled the new Perpetual Calendar 7327, marking the start of a new perpetual calendar from the renowned watchmaker. In a season dominated by chronographs – Breguet has its own something coming – it’s great to see a new execution of the most complex of all calendar mechanisms, the perpetual calendar. This writer is somewhat biased towards calendar complications and asymmetrical dial layouts, so the Breguet Quantième Perpétuel 7327 is a straight win. Collectors should note that reference 7327 replaces reference 5327, the Classic perpetual calendar it was a mainstay of that collection. You can tell from the layout of the displays on the dial that there’s a new caliber at work here.
We start with the new automatic caliber 502.3.P, which delivers a very unusual retrograde date display (between 9 o’clock and 12 o’clock on the dial); it’s the most obvious sign that there’s a new movement here, and that’s how we singled out this model. Oddly, Breguet hasn’t prominently featured this information in its advertising materials (we haven’t seen it in person), yet that’s precisely what collectors should be aware of. Basically, it makes reference 7327 an important milestone for Breguet. The hairspring and the lever are in silicon, which is normal for manufacture, and the escapement beats at 3Hz.
Significantly, the caliber is only 4.5mm thick, allowing the case to come in less than 10mm – just enough to fit under a sleeve. Breguet devotees will recognize Caliber 502.3.P as an evolution of the ultra-thin Caliber 502 (and thus another upgrade to the original Frédérique Piguet Caliber 70, as Watches by SJX), and the mark indicates that the calendar mechanism was added as a module. There are a total of 294 components in total. The modular construction is perhaps a little disappointing for purists who insist on integrated calibers, but we think the reference 7327 should be judged on its overall merits (for the record, we’d like to see how the 21st century Breguet manufacture would approach the engineering a perpetual calendar from top to bottom, especially with regard to the 45-hour power reserve, well below contemporary expectations).
While we haven’t seen the watch in the metal, Breguet lists a impressive list of finishing arts here, featuring a circular barleycorn pattern (hand-worked by a pink motor) on the oscillating weight, Geneva stripes on the bridges, and chamfered edges on numerous components. A look at the real caliber will say a lot about the quality and nature of the finish, but Breguet is certainly on par with other brands when it comes to fine watchmaking.
As for the case and dial, note the fluting on the middle and the straight lugs, both Breguet clasps. The 39mm watch is available in white gold and rose gold, but the dial and hands remain the same in both. The hands are called “Breguet” because Abraham-Louis Breguet came up with the design, but the brand also prosaically refers to this style as “moon” tipped hands. Overall, the 7327 is very attractive, especially the updated moon phase display (no more smiling anthropomorphized moon), and the balance of information on the guilloche dial.
We have a few questions about the fit here, given the style of the lugs, and will come back to this story with updates once we’ve seen the watch. That said, if you’re looking for a distinctive perpetual calendar with a great history and have S$116,300 (same price in gold), the Perpetual Calendar 7327 might be it.
For more watch readings, click here.
