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A look at the Breguet Marine GMT, Ref 5857
When you mention Breguet, the watch images that first come to my mind are the pieces in the Classique collection, which capture the design codes set down by Abraham Louis Breguet over two hundred years ago in his timepieces. There is the fluted case band, Breguet hands, engine turned dial (or enamel with Breguet numbers), secret signature, individual numbering, and soldered lugs. When other high-luxury watch brands created their sport watches they sought out new designs. When Breguet came up with its Marine collection, with the first generation pieces coming in the early 1990’s, the designers worked within the parameters of the Breguet DNA.
The current generation of Marine timepieces adheres to this design discipline. The watches are instantly recognizable as being by Breguet, though the case diameters have expanded to adapt to contemporary taste, the lugs are more prominent, being wider and more articulated, and there is luminous material in the hands and dial. The dials of the Marine collection watches have their own distinct guilloche patterns, but the production process is the same as for the pieces in the Classique collection.
The collection is comprised of two lady’s references, the base Automatic (8818) and Chronograph (8827/8828), and five men’s references, with the base Big Date model (5817), Chronograph (5827), Marine Royal alarm watch (5847), Chronograph with Tourbillon (5837), and the most recent addition to the collection, the GMT (5857), which is the focus of this review.
The case is 42 mm in diameter, and is shown here in stainless steel, though rose gold is an option. In addition to the fluted case band and more prominent lugs mentions above, the crown, like in all Marine models, is protected by a crown guard, and the bezel is wider than on the Classique timepieces. With the more robust case, water resistance improves to a 100 meter rating.
The watch comes on a rubber strap with stainless steel folding buckle. An interesting fact about the deployant buckles on all Marine collection watches is that a tang buckle has been incorporated into the design, and can be removed from the folding components for those who prefer to wear their watches with a simple tang buckle.
The watch is also available with a beautifully finished stainless steel bracelet.
The dial of the stainless steel model is crafted from an 18-carat gold disk that has been engine turned by hand for the distinctive wave pattern that marks all Marine collection timepieces, and then silvered.
The small dial at 2 o’clock which indicates 24 hour display has two contrasting patterns:
The blued steel hands have Superluminova in the “pommel”
The main dial has Roman numbers in the hour chapter ring, and the hours can be adjusted forward or backward via the crown as one crosses timezones. The reference time subdial at 6 o’clock has Ararbic numbers. The date window is at 6 o’clock.
(I love the fact that this watch has both the Roman numbers with the guilloche dial (a classic design code) along with the Breguet numbers in the sundial.)
The movement is the self-winding double barrel Cal. 517F, with 72 hours of power reserve. It is visible through the sapphire crystal case back.
Note the recessed holes for the case back screws - Even if the screws weren't perfectly smooth they would cause no discomfort on the wrist
Like with many Breguet movements now in production, the lever escapement and flat balance-spring is in silicon.
Breguet’s Marine GMT is a good looking, useful, durable, timepiece, and has quickly become my favorite timepiece in the Marine collection.
Thank you for reading!
A look at the Breguet Marine GMT, Ref 5857
