In 1783, Marie-Antoinette commissioned Abraham-Louis Breguet to create the most complicated watch in the world. According to the historical records of the company he founded, the French queen—known as quite a magpie—already owned multiple timepieces by the watchmaker. She wouldn’t live to see Breguet’s latest feat, however: It took more than forty years to fulfill her order, and she was executed in 1793.
Over two centuries later, Breguet still creates timepieces with an unapologetic sense of extravagance, albeit with more efficient delivery. The new 38mm Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7035, released in honor of the house’s sestercentennial, continues that legacy in brilliant fashion. The devilishly limited edition (250 pieces for 250 years) revisits the architecture of the iconic Tradition collection—a horological homage to the “souscription” pocket watches Monsieur Breguet conceived in 1796. Like its ancestor, the 7035 puts its inner workings on full display: Gears, barrel, and escapement are visible across the dial, now rendered in arresting new hues.
For the first time, a Tradition piece is made of Breguet Gold, a proprietary alloy with a soft, warm luster. The dial—offset at 12 o’clock and executed in the brand’s signature grand feu enamel—glows in translucent Breguet Blue, another bold in-house shade. Below it, a retrograde seconds hand arcs between 10 and 11 o’clock. The 7035 builds on a design language that has defined Breguet’s modern era—open-worked, ornate, and technically ambitious. The Tradition Quantième Rétrograde 7597, introduced in 2020, laid the groundwork with its own dramatic dial and retrograde date complication. Together, the two models marry heritage and innovation in distinctly regal packaging.
If Marie-Antoinette were alive today, she’d be wearing one on each wrist.
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