Fresh off its top-prize win at the 2025 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève for the traditional Classique Souscription, Breguet pivots from the strictly historic to the futuristic with the Expérimentale 1. The watch is the debut piece in a new collection from the brand’s research and development department. The 75-piece limited edition, with a constant-force escapement based on magnetic resistance, is Breguet’s first high-frequency tourbillon, beating at a super-fast rate of 10 Hz, or 72,000 vph, more than double the industry standard of 4 Hz/28,800 vph (most traditional tourbillons run at a frequency of 2.5 Hz/18,000vph). The high frequency, which increases shock resistance, combines with the constant force magnetic escapement to give the watch a high chronometric rating.
The title “Experimentale” is somewhat misleading. The new watch is not experimental, nor is it untried or untested—in fact, it is certified by the Breguet hallmark, meaning it has a guaranteed accuracy of +/- 1 second over a 24-hour period. Instead, the name implies a tribute to the historically experimental nature of the brand and A.-L. Breguet’s many inventions, all of which underwent an experimental phase. These include the tourbillon, the perpétuelle watch, the natural escapement, the constant-force escapement, the “observation” seconds counter (which gave rise to the chronograph), the shock absorber, the Breguet balance spring with its terminal curve, and the gong spring for chiming watches. Breguet filed several patents over the years, including two key historic ones: a filing related to constant force in 1798; and the other, registered in 1801, for the tourbillon. The Expérimentale 1 combines those two elements.
The new movement, Calibre 7250, involves two titanium escape wheels, each equipped with a magnetic track. Between them is a pallet lever with magnetic—rather than jewelled—pallets. Regulation is created by the repulsion between the magnetic tracks on the escape wheels interacting with the magnets inside the pallets. The result is an extremely stable impulse to the balance throughout the power reserve, and zero friction in the escapement. The movement has double barrels, stacked with four mainsprings, for a 72-hour power reserve. The lever is nickel-phosphate, and the balance spring is made of silicon. The bridges are blued 18-karat gold.
On the more traditional side, the watch has a regulator display, with minutes on the central dial, hours on a subdial at six o’clock. Seconds are indicated on the one-minute tourbillon—a dial architecture that recalls a Breguet ref. 1747, the brand’s first regulator-style wristwatch, launched in 1997 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Breguet’s birth. Combining the regulator with this new movement on the Expérimentale 1 emphasises Breguet’s purpose with this collection: linking the past to the future, honouring the archives and past achievements, while moving forward with new technology to win the hearts and minds of a new generation—the task of all heritage brands.
The 18-karat pink gold case follows the signature design of the Marine collection, with close-set central lugs, a rubber strap, fluted caseband. It measures 43.5 mm x 13.30 mm thick, and like all Marine models, the indications on the dial, including chapter rings and hands, are liberally treated with Super-LumiNova. The Expérimentale 1 is a 75-piece numbered limited edition, priced at CHF 320,000.
