Having recently redesigned its flagship perpetual calendar and minute repeater, Breguet now turns to its compact tourbillon for ladies. Moving away from Breguet’s traditional, formal style, the Classique Tourbillon 3358 is available in two variants, including the ref. 3358BB with a blue mother-of-pearl dial with diamond stars.

Initial thoughts

By doing away with the usual silvered guilloche dial, the new pair of tourbillons bring a new look to a familiar watch. Although the two watches are quite different from past Breguet tourbillons, they are still recognisable as Breguet thanks to elements like the pomme hands and fluted case band.

The white gold ref. 3358BB is definitely the more striking of the two. The blue mother of pearl dial set with diamond stars is usually whimsical for Breguet, but nonetheless works well with the more traditional design elements.

The ref. 3358 with a blue mother-of-pearl dial

The Classique Tourbillon 3358 is a woman’s watch, but the design elements employed here could be transplanted into a men’s tourbillon wristwatch quite successfully, though it is not like Breguet to do something like that. 

Though pricier than past ladies’ tourbillons, the ref. 3358 is arguably more interesting and attractive, particularly for someone who wants something much less formal and traditional.

The ref. 3358 with a diamond-set dial

Stars and diamonds

Already in the catalogue for several years, the ref. 3358 in its earlier incarnations looked more like a scaled-down and diamond-set version of the men’s tourbillon. The new ref. 3358 pair, however, enjoy a more extensive facelift, giving them a more original aesthetic.

Compared to earlier versions, the case remains almost the same, with the same 35 mm diameter but now slightly taller at 9.3 mm (compared to 9.15 mm before), presumably to accommodate the new dials and tourbillon bridge. The case is set with diamonds on the bezel and lugs, while the crown is topped with a rose-cut diamond.

The watch is accompanied by a diamond-set clasp

The white gold ref. 3358BB has a a glossy blue mother-of-pearl dial featuring polished and sandblasted white gold stars, some adorned with diamonds. The diamond-set tourbillon bridge takes the form of a comet’s tail, continuing the cosmic theme of the dial.

Meanwhile, the rose gold ref. 3358BR is entirely set with diamonds, including 281 diamonds on its dial.

Both dials sport an enlarged, oval aperture for the tourbillon, along with Breguet numerals for the time, but with a twist – the serial number of the watch taking the place of “4”.

The two models share the same movement, the cal. 187D. Based on Breguet’s longstanding manual-wind tourbillon calibre, the cal. 187D is decorated with a hammered finish instead of the floral engraving that was historically applied to this calibre.

Key facts and price

Breguet Classique Tourbillon 3358
Ref. 3358BB/VD/986D0 (white gold)
Ref. 3358BR/8D/986D0 (rose gold)

Diameter: 35 mm
Height: 9.3 mm
Material: 18k white gold or rose gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 187D
Functions: Hours, minutes and tourbillon
Winding: Hand-wound
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 50 hours

Strap: Alligator strap with folding clasp set with diamonds

Limited edition: No
Availability: At Breguet boutiques and retailers
Price: US$143,400 or 207,900 Singapore dollars (white gold); US$153,600 or 222,800 Singapore dollars (rose gold)

For more information, visit Breguet.com.