Breguet mixing neo-vintage aesthetics & modern physics = The Classique 7225 and 7235

Intro

For its 250th anniversary, Breguet is doing what few brands still dare to do: going back to its roots without falling into relaunching the same designs. The maison launches the new Classique 7235 Phase de Lune (left) and Classique 7225 Régulateur à Pivot Magnétique (right). 

Both pieces share the same DNA: gold cases and dials in a new in-house alloy called Breguet Gold, and the stunning Quai de l’Horloge guilloché motif inspired by the map of 18th-century Paris, where Abraham-Louis Breguet first opened his workshop. But beyond the visuals, these watches tell two very different stories to me: one romantic, one radical.

Design 

Visually, both models push Breguet’s classicism. The cases now drop the traditional fluted sides for the Quai de l’Horloge engraving, giving them a warmer, more tactile character. The Breguet Gold alloy (75% gold enriched with silver, copper, and palladium) glows with a subtle pink warmth that feels alive on the wrist.

The Phase de Lune 7235 comes in 39 mm x 9.9 mm, refined and compact, while the 7225 stretches to 41 mm x 10.7 mm. Both are very versatile sizes. The curved lugs, borrowed from the Souscription model, improve comfort and give the silhouette a gentle flow that’s very contemporary. Everything feels handcrafted, but not old-fashioned and these watches could only exist today, which is exactly what Breguet needed to remind people of.

The 7235 Phase de Lune takes direct inspiration from the Perpétuelle pocket watch No. 5 (1794),  the very piece that defined what a Breguet dial should look like: a moonphase at 2, power reserve at 10:30, and small seconds at 5, surrounded by Roman numerals and concentric guilloché zones that play with light. Even the moon face is a nod to the 18th century, and it feels historical.

The 7225 Régulateur à Pivot Magnétique, on the other hand, is the opposite: bold, almost experimental. Two small seconds subdials at 2 and 10 o’clock serve different functions (one running, one observation with flyback reset via a pusher at 8). The fan-shaped power reserve at 6 keeps the layout kind of symmetrical. 

Movement 

The 7235 runs on an ultra-slim automatic movenet (3.95 mm) with a decentralised rotor (see pics below) in Breguet Gold.

It has a 45-hour reserve, and the bridges are hand-engraved with the same Turgot Map motif, which is Breguet’s way of turning geography into art. 

Then comes the real showpiece: the 7225 and its calibre 74SC — a 10 Hz hand-wound movement with magnetic pivots. This is where Breguet flips one of watchmaking’s biggest taboos: instead of fighting magnetism, they use it. Two micro-magnets stabilize the balance staff, removing friction, protecting against shocks, and neutralising gravity’s effect on precision. The result is astonishing: ±1 second per day accuracy.

What’s beautiful here isn’t just the tech, it’s the philosophy. In an industry obsessed with fighting physics, Breguet chooses to cooperate with it. And as a hidden treat, the escape wheel creates an animation alternating the years 1775 and 2025, flashing 20 frames per second, a subtle celebration only the lucky owners will see.

Price & availability

The Phase de Lune 7235 is limited to 250 pieces, priced at €75,500, while the Régulateur à Pivot Magnétique 7225 is not limited, priced at €87,100.

Nerbezel’s take

Both watches prove that Breguet doesn’t need to scream to be relevant. The maison just needed to be itself again: daring, elegant, scientific. In a market where so many brands are chasing trends or collector hype, Breguet quietly reminds everyone it’s still the original innovator.

Prices feel refreshingly sane. In a world where independents keep crossing the €60k line for three-handers with nothing but marketing to justify it, Breguet is showing restraint. These watches are expensive, yes, but they’re expensive for a reason: materials, craft, and technical ideas.