Mystery In Motion: Breguet Launches Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 With A Mysterious Flying Tourbillon

There are moments in watchmaking when history doesn’t just repeat itself—it orbits into an entirely new dimension. The new Breguet Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 is one such moment. On June 26, 1801, Breguet patented the tourbillon, a device designed to counteract the effect of gravity on pocket watches’ balance wheels. Exactly 224 years later, to the day, Breguet releases this masterwork as the fourth chapter in its anniversary celebrations. Limited to just 50 pieces, the Sidéral 7255 is more than a tribute—it’s a revelation. A flying, mysterious tourbillon suspended above a sparkling aventurine dial, encased in proprietary Breguet gold, finished with secrets only the initiated will notice. This is not merely a watch; it is a chapter in horological philosophy.

A New Chapter Unfolds: The Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255
Marking the fourth major reveal in the 250th anniversary calendar, the Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 is perhaps the most technically ambitious and visually poetic timepiece yet in Breguet’s modern era. Referencing the celestial term sidéral, which denotes timekeeping based on the stars rather than the Sun, this model is a convergence of aesthetic metaphor and mechanical mastery.

At its heart lies a unique complication—one never before attempted by Breguet: a flying and mysterious tourbillon, framed by the night-sky effect of an aventurine grand feu enamel dial. The result is a visual and technical theatre—one that plays on levitation, light, astronomy, and the very roots of the tourbillon’s etymology.

As Gregory Kissling, CEO of Breguet, put it: “This creation is an ode to the tourbillon itself, where time indication is almost secondary. The floating cage and aventurine dial work together to create this hypnotic, celestial experience.”

What’s New in the Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255
-First Flying Tourbillon in Breguet History
The cage is mounted only from below, without an upper bridge, creating a floating, elevated effect. It rises 2.2 mm above the baseplate and 0.9 mm above the dial.

-Mystery Tourbillon Complication
The rotating carriage appears to float with no visible mechanical link. The drive train is hidden, and the sapphire lower bridge, anti-reflective and nearly invisible, renders the motion mysterious.

-Aventurine Grand Feu Enamel Dial
Used for the first time in a Breguet tourbillon, aventurine glass—sparkling like a night sky—has been treated with grand feu enamelling techniques requiring five firings over 800°C.

-Breguet Gold Case and Details
Made from a proprietary alloy of 18K gold, enriched with palladium, silver, and copper. It features a warm, subtly pink hue inspired by 18th-century watchmaking gold.

-Sidéral Decoration & Guilloché
Featuring the new “Quai de l’Horloge” guilloché motif on both the caseback and movement plate—linear and circular designs inspired by the Seine River’s curves for the first time.

-Secret Signature & Traditional Elements
The Breguet signature, along with hallmark Arabic numerals, hollowed apple hands, and fluted case middle, all reinforce historical authenticity.

-Limited to 50 Pieces Only
Each piece is numbered individually and presented in a red Moroccan leather-inspired anniversary box—an ode to Breguet’s vintage packaging.

-Manual-Winding Calibre 187M1
With 183 components, a Nivachron™ balance spring, 50-hour power reserve, and 2.5 Hz beat frequency. Entirely constructed around the raised tourbillon.

-38 mm Diameter with Fluted Caseband
A classically sized case in Breguet’s signature style. The fluting, a Breguet staple since the 18th century, adds tactile and visual depth.

A Movement that Revolves Around the Tourbillon—Literally
The Calibre 187M1 is a technical marvel in itself. Not only is it a manual-winding movement with 50-hour power reserve, it is also constructed entirely around the flying mystery tourbillon—which alone determines the movement’s height (4.8 mm + 2.2 mm projection) and the case thickness (10.2 mm). The tourbillon protrudes 2.2 mm above the plate and 0.9 mm above the enamel dial, making it visually dominant. Its sapphire supports and invisible gear contacts enhance the levitation illusion—achieving what Kissling calls a “wow effect.” 

“The tourbillon we chose to reinterpret is no ordinary one,” says Kissling. “It was used in the very first Breguet tourbillon wristwatch, unveiled in 1990 under reference 3350. We’re not just innovating—we’re building on our own foundations.”

Historical Context: Breguet and the Tourbillon
Abraham-Louis Breguet was more than a watchmaker—he was a scientific mind shaped by Paris’s Collège Mazarin, where he studied astronomy under Abbé Marie and collaborated with names like Lalande, Cassini, and Arago. He later became a member of the Académie des Sciences and the Bureau des Longitudes, institutions central to France’s scientific advancements in navigation and astronomy.

“The tourbillon was inspired by celestial mechanics,” says Emmanuel Breguet, Head of Patrimony. “In the 17th and 18th centuries, the word ‘tourbillon’ referred to the rotation of stars and planets. This timepiece reconnects with that original meaning.”
Abraham-Louis Breguet’s contribution to horology is vast, but no single invention defines him quite like the tourbillon. First patented in 1801, it was conceived not as a visual flourish but as a scientific response to the inaccuracies of timekeeping in vertical positions. In his lifetime, Breguet and his atelier produced only 40 tourbillon-equipped pieces, several of which were marine chronometers, used by captains to calculate longitude with unmatched precision.

DID YOU KNOW? It took more than six years, twice as long as for a “normal” Breguet watch. This says a lot about the delicacy of the operations involved and the difficulty of finding the skilled labour necessary to make them, even in the master’s extensive entourage...

Notably, Breguet’s designs were experimental by nature—varying in frequency, rotation speed, and escapement type (lever, detent, and natural). This willingness to iterate set a precedent that today’s Breguet continues to honour. The Sidéral 7255 is a direct heir to this spirit: built not to repeat the past, but to reimagine it with modern capabilities.

Flying and Mysterious: The Twin Pillars of Innovation
What Is a Flying Tourbillon?
The concept of a flying tourbillon emerged in the early 20th century, long after Breguet’s time. Unlike a standard tourbillon, which is held in place by an upper and lower bridge, the flying tourbillon is cantilevered—it is anchored only from below. This absence of a top bridge not only enhances visibility but demands superior construction precision, as the cage must remain perfectly balanced and stable without additional support. In the Sidéral 7255, this floating illusion is taken to its extreme. The tourbillon is raised high above the dial, acting almost like a celestial satellite. The overall height of the tourbillon mechanism is 7 mm—so dominant that it defines the entire case thickness.

What Is a Mystery Tourbillon?
Traditionally used in clock and watch hands, a mystery complication makes a component move without any visible mechanical connection. In the Classique Sidéral 7255, this is applied not to the hands—but to the tourbillon itself. The secret lies in the architecture. The tourbillon appears to levitate above the dial, but in truth, it is being driven by an offset gear train located beneath the enamel surface. Sapphire bridges and precise anti-reflective coatings render all structural supports invisible to the naked eye.

As CEO Gregory Kissling aptly describes it: “We wanted the tourbillon to take centre stage. The floating cage and aventurine dial work together to create this hypnotic, celestial experience—timekeeping becomes secondary to wonder.”

The Aventurine Dial: Poetry in Fire and Glass
Aventurine, though widely admired today, has an accidental origin. The name derives from the Italian a ventura, meaning “by chance”—a reference to the 17th-century Murano glassmaker who unintentionally introduced copper filings into molten glass, resulting in a sparkling, starry surface.

Breguet’s use of aventurine is especially refined. Unlike many brands that use it as a simple glass sheet, Breguet treats it as grand feu enamel—grinding it into a powder and applying it in multiple layers to create depth and luster. Each dial undergoes at least five firings in a kiln exceeding 800°C. Any minor error in temperature or timing can ruin the dial entirely, making each successful result a small miracle. The effect is unmistakable: the aventurine dial doesn’t just reflect the stars—it becomes a sky of its own.

Signature Elements and Breguet Gold
The case, measuring 38mm in diameter and 10.2mm thick, is crafted from Breguet’s proprietary 18K gold alloy. Its subtle hue evokes the metals used by 18th-century artisans and is engineered for exceptional durability and resistance to tarnish. Classic Breguet hallmarks are present: the fluted caseband, hollowed pomme hands, off-centred hours and minutes, and a secret signature only visible under close inspection. The watch whispers its identity rather than declares it. Even the back is a canvas. The new “Quai de l’Horloge” guilloché, executed both linearly and radially, pays tribute to the flow of the Seine and to the very street in Paris where A.-L. Breguet opened his original workshop in 1775.

An Ode to the Tourbillon, and Beyond
With the Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255, Breguet doesn’t just honour a complication—it honours a cosmology. By embracing sidereal time, elevating the tourbillon physically and philosophically, and returning to artisanal materials like aventurine and gold, the brand has created a timepiece that’s as much about the meaning of time as its measurement. Only 50 collectors will experience this star-born machine on their wrist. For the rest of us, it serves as a reminder that watchmaking, at its best, is not merely about hours and minutes—it is about wonder, legacy, and reaching for the stars.