Breguet
Don't hesitate to ask for any additional information, Artemy is ready to assist and guide you in your decision
DETAILS
The Breguet brand was one of the first to tackle the development of wristwatches with tourbillons intended to produce in series. This work was originally undertaken by Daniel Roth, a later well-known independent watchmaker who worked for the brand in the 1970s and 1980s and under whose direction the construction of the tourbillon caliber 558 (Nouvelle Lémania 397) was carried out at the Nouvelle Lémania movement manufacture. The hand-wound caliber 558 has a one-minute tourbillon and a characteristic design with upwardly offset hour and minute hands. Another Daniel Roth design feature that has long been found in Breguet tourbillon watches is the three-bladed small seconds hand, which is placed on the tourbillon arbor and indicates the seconds on the 120-degree sector scale. In 1993, the range of Breguet tourbillon watches was extended with the introduction of watches with skeletonized movements, namely the reference 3355. The success of the skeletonized models is primarily due to the fact that tourbillon watches are perceived as legends of traditional watchmaking. Therefore, the high-quality craftsmanship of the movement with skeletonization and hand-finishing of all parts, including chamfering and polishing of the edges, careful finishing of the inner corners and engraving, seems to be an essential part of the image of such watches as particularly valuable and desirable.
REASONS TO BUY
The Classique Tourbillon Skeleton Ref. 3355PT/00/986 in platinum is a charismatic representative of Breguet’s line of skeletonized tourbillons, which was produced from 1993 until the early 2020s. This watch is marked as a P-series, indicating its production around 2003, and is a representative of the first version of the second generation of this reference (Type2.1). The Type2.1 watch is an important step in the development of the Ref. 3355, of which there are only a few examples on the market due to the limited production and relatively short production time. The Type2.1 was quickly replaced by the Type2.2 and the number of pieces produced was small, which undoubtedly increases the attractiveness and collector’s value of this watch.
ABOUT THIS WATCH
Ref. 3355 is one of the most enduring references not only for Breguet, but for the entire Swiss watch industry. It was present in the brand’s catalogs for around three decades, until the early 2020s. During this time, the Ref. 3355 generally retained its original technical specifications and design, but underwent several modifications, including two generations of movements and many small changes that make it a fascinating watch to study and collect.
The most important change was the switch from the 558SQ, a first-generation caliber, to the 558SQ1, a second-generation caliber. This change took place around 2003, when the first version of the second generation of this reference, the Type2.1, was launched and, according to our information, remained in production for one or two years before the next and probably last version, the Ref. 3355 Type2.2. Therefore, we believe that the Type2.1 should be rarer compared to the Type2.2, which is confirmed by the greater presence of the latter version on the market.
This watch is a Type2.1, which differs from the earlier Type1 versions primarily in the presence of an earth, sun and moon motif on the skeletonized movement back (please note that this is by no means the only difference), while it differs from the later Type2.2 version in the finish of the tourbillon bridge on the dial side, which is discreetly brushed horizontally and does not feature the engraved floral ornamentation of the Type2.2.
This Ref. 3355PT has a platinum case that significantly increase the perceived value of the watch and underlines the esthetic character of this model with its transparent, skeletonized movement, which is engraved freehand on both sides, and a filigree tourbillon in constant rotation. The finishing touches are provided by the high-quality crocodile leather strap signed Breguet and the original Breguet double folding clasp in platinum.
Specifications
| Ref | 3355 |
| D= | 36mm |
| Glass | Sapfire glass |
| Dial | Sceletonized dial with decentral roman numeral dial ring, blued "Breguet" style hands, signed: "Breguet 2935" |
| Case material | Platinum-case |
| Year | Ca. 2000s |
| Caliber | 558SQ1 |
Condition report
| Box: | Yes |
| Papers: | Yes |
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
