Rockstar: Breguet Souscription

This past year marked Breguet’s 250th Anniversary, and the brand celebrated in style with the release of a variety of exclusive anniversary releases with unique dials, movements, and complications. Arguably the most buzzed about release was the Classique Souscription, a piece that not only merges the Breguet of today with its historical past, but also features a unique timekeeping display that is highly uncommon in the watch industry.

The 2025 winner of the Grand Prix d’Aiguille d’Or, the Classique Souscription couples incredible design with technical sophistication to form one of the coolest watches in recent Breguet history. Based on Breguet’s famous souscription one-handed pocket watches, the Classique Souscription pays tribute to historical pieces in its dial print, layout, handset format, and vintage feel. Specifically, the Classique Souscription tells the time with just one flame-blued steel hand that is hand shaped and finished. This beautiful blue coloring contrasts with the creamy white enamel dial, harkening back to the brand’s early models. 

This piece doesn’t only stand out for its dial, however. The case, in the brand’s proprietary Breguet gold, is made from a unique blend of copper, gold, silver, and palladium, which forms a beautiful blonde rosy hue. The new caliber VS00 movement, visible through the caseback, is fashioned from gilded brass to match the tone of the case, and mimics the structural aesthetics and technology of Breguet's first souscription watches. 

"I was truly delighted to see this release from Breguet,” said Robert Reustle, Watch Specialist at European Watch Company. “The original idea of the souscription watch was to make a relatively simple piece to keep costs down while ultimately raising money to fund future production; hence the single hand and large central barrel. However, Breguet has done the opposite here—offering a watch with these original elements, but executing them at the highest possible level."

This new release for Breguet is equal parts modern and historical. On the one hand, it honors Breguet’s 250 year legacy with a wristwatch version of the brand’s formative pocket watches from the 18th century. At the same time, the piece exploits new materials and finishes, a new case profile with a single piece midcase flowing straight into the lugs, and a modern-feeling 40mm case. In many respects, this piece feels like a reflection of where Breguet has come from, and a vision of what we might expect in the 250 years to come.