Breguet

Hi guys,
I've been comparing the VC Malte Chrono, Patek 5070 and Breguet 5237. Breguet is so reasonably priced by comparison to these others that I wondered if there was an actual reason? They all use the Lemania, is that correct?

How does the Breguet compare in terms of finishing, functionality, 'feel' etc?

It appears to me this is a watch of equally high execution, perhaps even more exquisite than its 'competitors' for quite a lot less expense...

Are there any known drawbacks to the 5237, in terms of feel? I read one collector's opinion that it was not comfortable to wind? But that seems so personal...

I think it's just perfection to look at. I'm very much in the courtship phase with this watch.
   
Your opinions very much appreciated.

for Breguet to use (i.e., Lemania was now part of manufacture Breguet).

 

George

...but there are important distinctions between the Patek and Vacheron/Breguet versions of the Lemania movement.  Here is a quote from a previous post on a similar question about the Vacheron and Patek chronos (I believe the VC and Breguet versions are technically identical):

"That being said, the PP version of the Lemania-based movement has significant improvements over the VC version, which mainly differs from the movement used in the old Speedmasters in terms of cosmetic finishing.  PP reworks the movement extensively, including improving the power train to increase power reserve to 65+ hours and adding a Gyromax free-sprung balance.  Based on a casual visual comparison of the two, it is also obvious that PP has replaced many of the chronograph-related parts with its own, including the intermediate chronograph wheel bridge, fourth chronograph wheel and chronograph bridge.   The PP also features a classic polished steel cap for the column wheel.  Nearly all these are features found on historical PP chronos.

Whether those improvements enable the PP to "outperform" the VC version depends on one's defninition of the word (not to mention whether they justify the 300% price premium for the PP), but personally I like and admire the improvements. "

All that being said, it seems you really like the look of the Breguet, so perhaps you should follow your heart.  Good luck with your decision!!

 

- Daniel

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I'm in love with this watch too and having danced around it for weeks, I think I'll make the plunge - have a YG on layaway and I'm giddy just thinking about it. Stunning time piece.

To get it done with the first - and less important - point: as for technical hair-splitting between 5-figures watches that can't keep time with a $10 China-made quartz, and are mostly made of gold that no matter how well-polished in the factory will be a scratch magnet anyway, I think that this is inconsequential at these levels.

Now, my personal experience and thoughts...

While idling around a watch boutique a few months ago, I made the mistake to ask to see a Breguet more closely. And then another model, and that one please? Oh yes , a catalog, very nice of you, thank you...

After a few days looking, and comparing, and caressing, and - I'll confess - coveting, I ended up with a YG 5237. Price was not a decisive point. I could have spent half as much or more above that mark, if I had had the same "that's the one" feeling.

There is a magic in the timeless classicism of Breguet's lines, that you hardly find elsewhere. Sense? Not much in it. The slender hands are a beauty to look at, but often hard to see in poor light. And when it's pitch-dark, just forget about what time it is since there is no luminous paste anywhere. The solid gold dial is covered in silver, hardly a case of nobler over mundane. Moreover this is done by hand: with a 10x loupe you can see the very slight imperfections that even a master's hand is bound to leave behind. Then you have to hand-wind the watch every morning, just as if automatic movements had not been around for ages.

But when you look at it, there it is... The finely engraved dial, the Roman numerals unchanged in centuries, the simplicity of the round case barely accented by the fine fluting, the exquisitely proportioned and soft-shined alligator band (not a flat platicy-looking affair like on so many other watches), the beautifully finished movement, all these marrying seamlessly into that magic touch I was referring to above.

That's one object that would not be out of place at a king's banquet in Homer's days, at a Roman Emperor's court, or on a Renaissance master's wrist. Men across the ages would recognize its lines of beauty. They would understand its workings - and marvel at the mastery behind it.

Patek? I'd buy one, but that would be a business decision. Lange? An excellent, cold, soulless time machine. VC? Yes, I like their style, but still not the right "click" for me.

My Breguet? That was an irrational, emotional decision. And if a high quality brand succeeds in creating emotion, it's on the right tracks.

Thank you for articulating it. I agree with all of your observations and insights. I've beheld many watches under a 25x lupe, I've beheld watches on the 100K range... I've owned Langes and Pateks, etc. But when I looked at the Breguet under a lupe, it was genuinely a whole other world. It was as if the man himself still lived. The dial and hands are so lovely, so radiant with love of craft... I honestly feel there is nothing as beautiful in the other brands. But it goes further than that. It is not a competitive watch, like Patek in particular. When I wore it, I felt... sweet contentment. To compete with it in the marketplace would be like asking a sommelier to cage-fight.

I feel this watch in my heart. Many others I have bought for ego. I can't entirely say there is no ego in owning a Breguet, but it's the difference between showing someone your Ferrari or your English garden...

that in wg, as Nice as the watch is, I found its size and feel and looks to be surprisingly versatile, going just fine with my very casual shirt and pants... It wears fairly large and has strong presence, making it contemporary even though it is so true to its origins...

Thanks for the info on this posting.  I have also been considering 'The Three' Lemania's PP5070, Breguet 5237 and VC MC and had wondered the same things.

I like the classic yet sporty look of the VC MC but am also veering towards the 5237 - I prefer the smaller 37mm size and the absence of the tachymetre.

One thing : does the the VC MC not list at roughly the same price as the 5237 (and indeed an 1815 Lange Chrono if you can find one)? 

is the least costly. In this case, it's sort of impossible to understand, in terms of dial execution--someone who knew 'nothing' would certainly guess the Breguet would be most costly. But.... These are really different watches in feel and style, however, inside, virtually the same. That fact also went into my decision process. I thought, gee, even at the Speedmaster level, this movement is hailed as one of the best ever, so it really came down to feel and design... Breguet.

When I wear one of my Breguets........I think of the statment a well known guy made about Breguet....."Of course, nobody else will know what you are wearing.....but you will" and that says it all.

Kindest regards to all,

Jack