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Breguet

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Comments:

One of my soft spots are

 
 By: dr.kol : September 25th, 2011-10:11
very thin watches. And if I like the watch a lot, one version is not enough. Probably a very stupid policy...

Anyhow, one of my favorite ultra-slim watches is Breguet Ref. 5157. This watch has a perfect size for me, 38.00 mm and it is just 5.40 mm thin. It's not bad from an automatic watch.

Today I had a look to my watch box and two slim Breguet watches there:




But when I started to look closer at the dials, I started to see some differences on the guilloche. Can you see the difference or am I dreaming?




I feel that somehow the guilloche in the older yellow gold model is deeper and thicker:




Anyhow, I love my white gold model a lot




but my yellow gold model is just as dear to me.




Which one you like more?

Best, Kari

The guilloche does seem more prominent

 
 By: docsnov : September 25th, 2011-14:01

in the yellow gold model.  The individual parts of the pattern appear bigger as well.  The Breguet signatures in the chapter ring look deeper/more prominent in the white gold model.  I realize this could be an affect of the photos, but could it also be due to individual variation of the engravers (these are hand engraved, aren't they?)?  I can see why you would want two of these, both are very nice.

 

Stewart

Yes,

 
 By: dr.kol : September 25th, 2011-15:31

I think that the pattern on the dial is finer in the WG model while it's deeper in the YG model. Breguet is saying that the dials are silvered gold. Could it be so that they use WG in the white model and YG in the yellow model. When I look the dials on natural light, the color does not seem to be the same.

Anyhow, these two watches look very different on the wrist. The YG model is a real dress watch while the WG look cool with jeans.

Best, Kari

The Breguets are nice but if you like thin

 
 By: ArthurSG : September 26th, 2011-04:11
you should really take a look at the Piaget Altiplano.  That is classic simplicity.

I agree!

 
 By: dr.kol : September 26th, 2011-04:56
Piaget is on my list and far from the bottom.

Best, Kari

both are beautiful

 
 By: playtime : September 26th, 2011-09:16
but the yg really sings to me--go figure!

j

It's like asking which of my two sons do I love more?

 
 By: WHL : September 27th, 2011-08:16
Both are great! For some reason, I have always preferred guillloche dials to be partnered with either yellow or rose cases, rather than the white metals.

Bill

I must agree,

 
 By: dr.kol : September 27th, 2011-08:21

the dial shows up better if the case is made of colored material.

Best, Kari

Nice pics! The WG one for me. [nt]

 
 By: Davo : September 27th, 2011-15:01
No message body

I prefer the guillochage of the YG watch...

 
 By: foversta : October 1st, 2011-15:16
I prefer its thicker and deeper pattern.

Thanks a lot for the comparison!

Fx


hand guilloché?

 
 By: AlexisD : October 4th, 2011-03:54
This pattern difference remains a mystery to me. Maybe this is due to the uniqueness of any hand-guilloched dial?

Or age difference...

 
 By: dr.kol : October 4th, 2011-04:01
I bought the yellow some 5 years ago and the white a month ago. It might be that they have changed the pattern. Anyhow, Hand Guilloché sounds much better.

Best, Kari

yg for me!

 
 By: sidneyc : October 6th, 2011-22:30

They've both gorgeous Kari.. but out of the 2, I like the yg more!

The guilloche pattern is just the right size, and a very clear pattern... just perfect to me. And a ultra thin breguet, I think matches best with yellow gold for the ultimate dress watch!

Congrats on such a pair of beauties!

I'd go for the WG

 
 By: BluNotte : October 16th, 2011-20:28

And you'v captured the dial perfectly!

And oh that Blued steel hands! Thanks for this!

Stephen

I agree,

 
 By: dr.kol : October 18th, 2011-04:46
the blue hands are stunning.

Best, Kari

Here is mine ...

 
 By: Georg : October 18th, 2011-06:51
... for comparison. The guilloche on the WG seems finer and I must admit, that I like both a lot. Thanks for the pics, Dr.Kol. In terms of guilloche, my favourite is the "Reveil".









Best regards

Georg


Fantastic pictures and a great comparison

 
 By: JWM : October 24th, 2011-23:51
This is a great example of Breguet's rose engine turned dials

Breguet starts their dials with 18k gold plates and the engraver uses a rose engine to cut the dial. The pressure is all done by feel and each engraver can cut two differ dials even with the same pattern.  One of the truly unique things about Breguet.   

The dial is then silvered with a silver powder and you get the final result: a true masterpiece. Watch making art.

One of my favorite parts of Breguet is the detail that they put into the dials.   No one does this kind of work today.

Very impressed with your 5157s.  In terms of value,  it is the best watch on the market for thin dress watches.   Have a 5967 and want o they an auto 5157 like yours in wg. 

Congrats on your duo 

Thanks a lot!

 
 By: dr.kol : October 25th, 2011-02:05
The really thin movement of the watches is also a real piece of art and compared with the other fine brands, Breguet is a bargain.

Best, Kari

thin has been in since the beginning

 
 By: JWM : October 25th, 2011-03:22

Yes I agree!  I think it must be 30 percent less than other thin automatics on the market at the same level of finishing

I did some research and it is amazing that thin designs were part of Breguet;s philosophy since the beginning. 

Apparently he took Lepine's thin designs in the late 1770s  and pushed for thin pocket watches and even created gong springs for minute repeaters to innovate thin chiming pocket watches

I think AL breguet himself would appreciate the 5157s if he was alive today.