Breguet starts the celebration of its 250th anniversary with the Classique Souscription 2025 wristwatch. The price of ref.2025BH/28/9W6 is €53,000
Breguet starts the celebration of its 250th anniversary in 2025 with the unveiling of the Classique Souscription 2025 wristwatch.
In a surprising move, the brand has opted to mark this exceptional milestone — 250 years of history — by introducing a seemingly simple single-hand watch, rather than showcasing some grand complication.
The Classique Souscription 2025 stands out for its redesigned gold case, the radiant Grand Feu enamel dial with a single flame-blued hand, and the architecture of the new movement.
During the French Revolution, Abraham-Louis Breguet temporarily left Paris for Switzerland, returning in 1795 to restart his watchmaking activity. Among his early projects was the Souscription watch, an innovative single-hand timepiece that he began promoting around 1797 through an advertising pamphlet.
Simple, reliable, and designed for broader accessibility, the Souscription watch had a large diameter of around 61 mm, a white enamelled dial and a movement with a simple architecture.
Above and below, the Breguet Souscription No. 3424 (circa 1797)
It could be ordered with a 25% deposit, allowing Breguet to fund materials in advance, an early example of series production in watchmaking. Around 700 timepieces were produced in this way over more than 30 years.
While best known for his horological inventions, Breguet was also a forward-thinking businessman. The Souscription watch reflects both his technical ingenuity and his effort to make fine watchmaking more widely available. To learn more about Breguet’s remarkable life and legacy, we recommend our in-depth feature "The history of Breguet".
With the Classique Souscription 2025, Breguet brings back the historic and groundbreaking Souscription pocket watch in the form of a wristwatch.
The dial of the Souscription 2025 features a white Grand Feu enamel surface that reflects the aesthetic of the original timepieces created at Breguet’s Quai de l’Horloge workshop.
At its centre is a single steel Breguet hand, flame-blued and entirely hand-shaped. Its curved tip points to Breguet’s slightly inclined Arabic numerals and a circular chemin de fer, marked at the hours and at 5, 10, 15, and 30-minute intervals.
The numerals and minute markers, along with the Breguet signature at 12 o’clock, are executed in black Petit Feu enamel.
Depending on the light, the words “Souscription,” the unique serial number, and Breguet’s secret signature appear discreetly between the centre and 6 o’clock.
Originally introduced on the first Souscription watches, the secret signature served as a way to authenticate the work of the Breguet workshop and discourage counterfeiting. It is engraved into the enamel using a diamond-point pantograph, a precision tool with articulated arms.
The dial is protected by a sapphire crystal with a chevé profile. First developed by A.-L. Breguet, this thinner, gently curved format blends seamlessly into the case. Like Breguet numerals and hands, it has become a defining element of contemporary watchmaking.
With the Classique Souscription 2025, Breguet introduces its own 18K gold alloy known as Breguet gold, a blond precious metal composed of gold (75%), silver, copper, and palladium.
Its warm, subtly pink hue is inspired by the gold used by 18th-century watchmakers, following the tradition of A.-L. Breguet. In addition to its visual appeal, this alloy is notable for its resistance to discolouration and long-term stability, ensuring a lasting and refined finish.
The case measures 40 mm in diameter and 10.8 mm in height. It features a new design that sets it apart from previous models, with particular emphasis on comfort and proportions. Water resistance is rated at 3 ATM. The lug width is 21 mm.
Instead of the signature Breguet fluting, the case middle is delicately satin-brushed in a style reminiscent of the original timepieces. The lugs have been gently curved to follow the shape of the wrist, offering a smoother and more integrated profile than traditional straight lugs.
The back of the watch draws direct inspiration from the architecture of the original Souscription models created by A. L. Breguet. It is the first time that Breguet showcases a movement with a Tradition architecture in a wristwatch featuring a full dial.
A large, slightly domed sapphire crystal reveals the structure of the new VS00 calibre, crafted in gilded brass with a tone matching Breguet gold. The movement is adorned with a newly introduced guilloché motif, named Quai de l’Horloge, inspired by the flowing lines of the Île de la Cité and the elegant silhouette of the Île Saint-Louis.
Operating at a frequency of 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour), the movement offers a four-day power reserve from a single barrel. The blued balance spring, featuring a Breguet overcoil, is made from Nivachron. This non-magnetic titanium alloy improves resistance to temperature variations, magnetic fields and shocks.
The mainplate and bridges are finely shot-blasted, reflecting the finishing techniques used in historical Breguet movements. Blued screws and rubies complete the ensemble.
At the centre of the movement sits a prominent ratchet wheel, engraved with a quote from A. L. Breguet explaining the design philosophy behind the Souscription watch. These words are faithfully reproduced in his characteristic cursive script.
To mark its 250th anniversary, Breguet presents the timepiece in a dedicated presentation box inspired by the red Moroccan leather cases once used by its founder. Crafted from lightly grained calf leather, the box is embossed in gold with the inscription “BREGUET 250 YEARS” and the watch’s individual serial number.
The interior, lined in blue fabric, holds the watch in a vertical position, recalling the tradition of pocket watch storage. The case opens via a discreet push-button, and its hinge is plated in Breguet gold.
The price of the new Breguet Classique Souscription 2025, ref. 2025BH/28/9W6, is CHF 45,000 / €53,000. breguet.com
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