Breguet Classique Tourbillon 3358: A Sparkling Take on Haute Horlogerie

This latest addition to Breguet’s Classique collection is a dazzling interpretation of haute horlogerie, merging serious watchmaking credentials with serious sparkle. Housed in a white gold case measuring 35mm across and just 9.3mm thick, it’s refined, elegant, and absolutely covered in diamonds – 407 of them, to be exact.

From the fluted caseband to the diamond-set bezel and lugs, nearly every visible surface of the watch glistens. Even the crown is topped with a rose-cut diamond, because why stop at 406?

The dial is a masterpiece in itself, covered in 281 brilliant-cut diamonds arranged in a snow-setting technique. Instead of a uniform pattern, six different diamond sizes are used, creating a texture reminiscent of freshly fallen snow. It’s an artistic touch that showcases Breguet’s gem-setting expertise.

At 12 o’clock, an off-centered sub-dial sits within a mother-of-pearl chapter ring, featuring classic black Breguet numerals and blued steel hands. It’s the one element of the watch that’s relatively understated – though in this context, ‘understated’ is a very flexible term.

Then, of course, there’s the tourbillon – the heart of this watch, both technically and visually. Positioned at 6 o’clock, the one-minute tourbillon is set within an elliptical aperture, with a curved white gold bridge adorned with 14 diamonds. The intricately hand-finished in-house manual-winding calibre 187D beats at a 2.5Hz frequency, and provides a 50-hour power reserve. The hand-engraved mainplate visible through the caseback adds yet another level of detail, finished with a technique that gives it a shimmering, almost lunar texture.

The watch comes completed with a sky-blue alligator leather strap with a pearlescent finish, secured with a triple-blade folding clasp – naturally, also set with 42 diamonds.

Priced at CHF 159,700, the Breguet Classique Tourbillon 3358 is as much an investment in craftsmanship as it is a statement of style. For those who appreciate tourbillons, diamonds, and a touch of old-world elegance, this might just be the ultimate watch. For everyone else? Well, there’s always the thrill of looking.