Breguet adds the Sidéral 7255 to its growing anniversary lineup – a flying tourbillon with no visible drive and a dial that looks like deep space.
Released on June 26, the same date Abraham-Louis Breguet patented the original tourbillon in 1801, the new reference is limited to 50 numbered pieces, so good luck getting your hands on one.
The Sidéral sits alongside three earlier commemorative models launched this year – the Souscription, the Seconde Rétrograde, and the updated Type XX chronograph. However, this is the only anniversary release to focus directly on the tourbillon itself.
So what makes this anniversary release so special?
Most tourbillons are supported on both sides by bridges. This one isn’t.
Instead, the rotating cage is held only from below, with no visible support from above. What powers the spin isn’t visible either – the drive system is hidden beneath the dial. The result is a tourbillon that appears to be hovering, spinning freely in space.
This type of setup – often referred to as “mysterious” – has appeared elsewhere in watchmaking, but never as a flying tourbillon in a Breguet.
The tourbillon sits high within the case, almost level with the crystal. It’s been positioned this way deliberately, so that nothing gets in the way of the view.
The blue dial is made from aventurine glass, which contains tiny copper particles that catch the light like stars. It’s the first time Breguet has used the material. To make the surface, the glass is crushed into powder and applied in five separate layers, each fired at over 800°C. No two dials are identical.
“Sidéral” refers to time measured by the stars, not the sun – a quiet nod to the brand’s long-standing ties to celestial navigation and precision.
Inside is a hand-wound movement called the 187M1. It’s based loosely on the architecture of Breguet’s first modern tourbillon wristwatch from 1990, but has been reworked to support the flying mechanism.
The case is made from Breguet’s proprietary 18k gold alloy, a blend of gold, silver, copper and palladium designed to resist discolouration. At 38 mm wide and 10.2 mm thick, it wears compact, especially for a watch centred around a tourbillon.
The Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 is a limited run of 50 pieces – and is priced at AU$345,800.
