Breguet Marine Haute Joaillerie 9509 Poseidonia
The Breguet Marine Haute Joaillerie 9509 Poseidonia upholds the legendary watchmaker’s horological expertise and flair for design. Furthermore, it invites discerning ladies to join the ranks of the brand’s many distinguished patrons.
Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1800) was born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland but moved to France as a teenager, working in Versailles and Paris. Breguet would attract the attention of several noble patrons, indulging them with exquisite, highly technical creations.
Today, we still talk of Breguet in reverential tones, with most experts believing him to be the greatest watchmaker of all time. His many inventions continue to be used today. However, his skills were not just restricted to the time he spent at his bench.
Breguet was a consummate businessman, attracting the patronage of royalty and nobility. Indeed, Souscription watches were marketed using an early form of advertising. Customers made a downpayment of 25% when they placed their order, paying the balance on delivery. These particular timepieces, Subscription watches, were comparatively affordable and reliable. Furthermore, the initial downpayment would inevitably have improved the watchmaker’s cashflow.
Perhaps most of all, this son of Neuchâtel was an aesthete, conceiving his eponymous hands and indexes which remain in widespread use. Breguet possessed a remarkable eye for design, conceiving exquisite timepieces beyond compare. His design prowess came to the attention of Marie-Antoinette who was an ardent supporter of Breguet’s work, possessing several of his watches. Similarly, Napoleon’s sister, Caroline Murat, was another devotee of Breguet, again, owning several of his models. Today, the prestigious Maison of Breguet offers a collection of egg-shaped watches named ‘Reine de Naples’, honouring Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples.
Recently, the luxury Swiss marque unveiled the Breguet Marine Haute Joaillerie 9509 Poseidonia, combining high-end watchmaking expertise with the artisanal domain of haute joaillerie. The model encompasses both mother-of-pearl and a plethora of precious stones. Interestingly, the automatic movement features an 18-carat gold oscillating weight adorned with Tahitian mother-of-pearl. The model’s obvious magnificence is not restricted to its external appearance, the movement features cutting-edge silicon components, demonstrating the endearing trait of most Breguet watches, namely, a successful marriage of beauty and mechanical virtue.
The brand’s press release
The depths of the Mediterranean harbour a natural treasure: Posidonia oceanica – an aquatic plant essential to the sea’s balance. Breguet depicts the plant’s arabesques on the Marine Haute Joaillerie Poseidonia through the art of mother-of-pearl marquetry and invisible setting. The dial, set with 85 baguette-cut diamonds, appears to ripple across the intense iridescence of the Tahitian mother-of-pearl, which is deeply coloured or more silvery depending on the light. The skilful setting continues on the bezel, caseband, lugs of the strap, and the clasp of the buckle. The mechanical heart of the Marine Haute Joaillerie Poseidonia beats to the rhythm of caliber 591C, an extra-thin self-winding manufacture movement.
Mother-of-Pearl and Diamonds
Worked in marquetry, the Tahitian mother-of-pearl demands expertise and delicacy. For the Marine Haute Joaillerie Poseidonia, Breguet combines the craft with the art of invisible setting. The white gold of the dial thus recedes from view, becoming imperceptible behind the glint of the diamonds. The artisan selects each mother-of-pearl attentively to harmonize its iridescent pattern, unique to each gem, with the inset curves of the Poseidonia. Together, their radiance evokes rays of sunshine playing on the sea’s surface. The lines of the pattern unfurl, with diamonds extending out to the lugs of the strap.
Delicate, gold Breguet hands indicate the hours and minutes. The tip of the second hand reveals the letter B of the maritime code of signals – a distinctive feature of the Marine collection. The traditional baguette-set bezel facilitates reading: the distinct triangular diamonds mark each of the 12 hours. The sides of the white-gold case and the crown are delicately fluted, alternating between polished white gold and baguette-cut diamonds. A briolette-cut diamond tops the crown, claw set with six baguette-cut diamonds. The crown protection is set entirely invisibly with 14 baguette-cut diamonds.
The setting continues to the clasp of the strap buckle, echoing the inset bezel and the shape of the open-tipped Breguet hands. The B for Breguet stands out against the slightly coloured metallic finish in the centre of the buckle.
Emeralds, Rubies, and Sapphires
To join the diamond and Tahitian mother-of-pearl Marine Haute Joaillerie, Breguet proposes three other versions with white mother-of-pearl marquetry: sapphire-set blue, ruby-set red and emerald-set green. From the dominant hue of each version – red, green, or blue –, Breguet composes the curves of the Poseidonia in different colours. Each of the 85 gems composing the pattern is selected for its hue, is then cut and set invisibly. After months of work, the result reveals a singular radiance of remarkable colours, unique to each Marine Haute Joaillerie. On the bezel, the setting is composed of the different colours of the dial, just like the setting of the strap buckle. The metallic finish in the centre of the buckle also takes the dominant colour, as does the iridescent nuance of the leather strap.
Mechanical Heart
On the caseback, the transparent sapphire reveals the extra-thin, self-winding 591C calibre, whose bridges are engine-turned by hand with the Marine motif – inspired by the deck of a ship. On the bevel of the white-gold rotor, the sparkling diamond border contrasts with the intensity of the Tahitian mother-of-pearl. The words Horloger de la Marine (Watchmaker to the Navy) are engraved on the rim of the caseback in white gold. This refers to the title of Chronometer-maker to the French Royal Navy bestowed upon Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1815.
Through Breguet’s extensive artisanship and expertise, the Marine Haute Joaillerie Poseidonia is an exquisite reflection of the fascinating natural beauty of the oceans.
Further reading