Breguet Hora Mundi 5557: Instant Gratification
4 min read
Hora Mundi, i.e. “world time”, is a timepiece renowned globally for its mechanical feats and aesthetic appeal. The story of Hora Mundi traces back to 1996, when it was created as an ode to its founder Abraham-Louis Breguet’s many travels. The original Hora Mundi was a very simple design, but grew to become a trendsetter.
The Hora Mundi remained popular throughout the 19th century and into the early 20th century. However, it wasn't until 2011 that Breguet decided to revive the watch. The new Hora Mundi was a modern take on the original design, with a few updated features. The Hora Mundi is now one of Breguet's most popular watches, and it remains a symbol of the brand's commitment to innovation and technical excellence.
Hora Mundi 5557
Breguet introduced a new Hora Mundi timepiece, the 5557, at Watches & Wonders 2022. A refreshing take on the classic watch, 5557 is all about precision and instant gratification. The timepiece is a new addition to the watchmaker’s Marine collection and ranks high on its exploratory themes characteristic of it. There are six variations of the watch in rose gold and white gold.
The noteworthy aspect of this timepiece is that it allows the wearer to switch between two time zones with the push of a button, literally. The process is as seamless as can be. The watch features a dual-time display boasting an instant-change ability with a memory function. The automated world time display is made possible thanks to the timepiece’s pusher, thanks to which all you have to do is rotate the pusher to change the city. The wearer can set the date and time for the first city using the pusher and the crown, and the second time zone adjusts accordingly—and immediately! What’s more? As and when the time zone changes, its day/night display does, too.
Exploring the dial
Crafted in gold, the multi-layered blue dial is a stunning visual feast. It features a patterned world map, boasting hand-engraved countries and surrounding oceans. The dial is protected by sapphire metallization. It also features the latitude-longitude lines, further enhancing the watch’s concept and artistic appeal. The hour, minute and second hands match the material of the case, be it white gold or rose gold. To round up, the travel watch boasts luminescent hands and hour markers as well as the date display in an aperture at 12 o’ clock. Furthermore, the watch has a day/night display which moves around as per your chosen time zone. The day is represented by rose gold, embodying the sun, while the night is illustrated by the white gold sphere, emulating the moon. Its attention to detail, both technically and artistically, cements its position as the wanderlust watch to keep an eye out for this year.
A technical marvel
The sapphire caseback allows the wearer to view and admire a part of the movement of cams and hammers that makes this timepiece the technical wonder that it is. Powered by Maison's in-house calibre 77F1, the self-winding watch makes a case for advanced travel watches that offer a dual-time display with mechanical memory and an intuitive day/night display. Plus, waterproof to 10 bar, this timepiece is the ideal travel companion for your swimming or sailing adventures.
All things considered, the Breguet Hora Mundi 5557 is a timely reminder of the importance of exploration, both within and without.
