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mbjoer

Breguet 5247 Classique Chrono - MODEM BURNER

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mbjoer

Review of

Breguet Classique Chronometer

 

Ref: 5247BR/12/9V6

 

 

 

Breguet is a luxury brand which has it all: History, horology, exceptional craftsmanshipp and a price tag to match even Patek Philippe.

 

It's history goes back much further than any of the luxury brands.

 

It was founded in Paris before the French Revolution by the Swiss A-L Breguet. It transcended the revolution and Monsieur Breguet supplied watches to Louis XVI, Marie-Antionette, Napoleon and Napoleon's sister the Queen of Naples as well as Louis XVIII.

 

The subsequent list of customers reads like a Who's Who in world history, past and present: Kings and Queens of England, Czars of Russia, Ottoman Sultans. George Washington and Winston Churchill. Presidents Medvedev and Sarkozy. The Archbishop Patriarch of Moscow. And a long list of celebrities from finance, culture and entertainment.

 

Breguet made an early version of the chronometer. And it is also Breguet we can thank for the development of the tourbillon.

 

All this adds up to a generally very expensive line-up of watches and watches which seemed too complicated to replicate in any decent manner.

 

And with the exception of their "budget" XX range, that has been the case until now.

 

 

New_1_013.jpg

 

 

Introducing:

Breguet Classique Chronometer Ref 5247

 

A couple of years ago I asked the question on Repgeek, if there was any good Breguet replica out there. And the feedback I got was completely negative. Breguet seems to suffer from the paradox in the rep market, that the most expensive Gens only are made as cheap reps. No quality here and the very bulk of them feel and look fake.

 

With a bit of luck I found a very decent version of the Breguet 3237 and wrote a review of that one on Repgeek.

 

Basically the conclusion was that the dial was good, but the case needed improvement and the review ended with this:

 

The factory could improve the replication without a major additional cost by … correct(ing the) case back, put on a decent crown and add some engraving on the movement.

 

With these modest changes the factory would have a really good (almost super) and affordable Breguet replication.

 

A couple of months ago I noticed a new chrono rep hap appeared which looked pretty good and bought one from Timesshop as a part of a wholesale purchase.

 

This has now arrived, and to start with the conclusion, it can be reduced to one word: WOW!!!

 

When talking about the top luxury brands I tend to be fairly relaxed about accuracy as long as the watch was believable, i.e. that the detailing and functionality would be good enough to feel like the real thing.

 

I have seen a lot of really poor Breguet reps, a few reasonable ones, even fewer good ones, but except for the XX series there was not a very good one out there.

This one breaks new ground.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quality of the watch

 

The first thing I ask myself when evaluating a rep is always does it look and feel right? Does it really feel as if it could come from the Gen factory, or is it just another cheap watch with an expensive badge?

 

 

 

How does the 5247 rep stack up when just evaluating it on its own?

 

The immediate impression is very, very good. The dial is the most intricate I have seen so far in a replica, almost too intricate as you have to sit very close to fully appreciate what it really offers. But this attention to detail is precisely where the luxury reps tend to fall flat when compared to the Gen. You may not appreciate the intricacies as such, but they make the watch feel right or wrong. Not the dial placement or date font, but the details. And here they are very, very good.

 

The colour of the Pink Gold looks great, the case is well finished with crisp engravings and hallmarks. No unsubstantiated claims and no spelling mistakes. The movement is the trusted old Seagull ST19 which also is one of the best looking movements in the rep world.

The only modification I might suggest would be a good two sided Anti Reflex treatment of the crystal. I do not know if the Gen has that, but it would significantly add to the feel of a top class and expensive watch.

 

This watch passes the believable test. It looks great and feels truly believable as a Breguet Classique. This is good!!

 

The deployant is an improvement on the previous cheap clasp, but not up to the standard of the watch. It is a shame and I hope they will come up with an improved version.

 

The strap is not the worst rep-strap I have seen, but still a waste of money and needs changing. Why do the factories supply this crap on such a good watch? I really do not understand.

 

The watch has no lume, so no lume issues. And although I think it would be an improvement the crystal is slightly curved, so AR is not as critical as on other watches, but mine will get it pretty soon.

 

 

Before we go to details with the watch, a few specifications:

 

Diameter: 40mm

Thickness: 12 mm

Lugsize: 21mm

Deployant: 18mm

 

 

 

The front:

 

New_1_002.jpg

 

 

The back:

 

New_1_DSCF3020.jpg

 

 

Comparison to the Rolex GMTIIC:

 

New_1_DSCF3024.jpg

 

 

 

 

Now to some details:

 

 

 

First the dial.

 

The dial is made in silver metal with a most intricate guilloche. It has Roman numbers, 2 sub dials for the chronometer and red, twirly tachymeter working it's way from the edge to the centre.

 

But as can be seen from the pictures, the most important thing is how it changes colour depending on the angle of the light.

 

Remember that what you see is a serious magnification of the real thing:

 

New_2_DSCF3026.jpg

 

New_2_DSCF3008.jpg

 

 

 

 

On the top is the “secret†signature as well as the serial no of the specific watch (Note that on Breguet the model number is not on the dial):

 

New_2_021.jpg

 

 

 

 

And on the bottom:

 

New_1_DSCF30080.jpg

 

 

 

 

The Hands

 

The hour and minute hands are traditional Breguet shape with a circle near the tip. They and the sub-dial hands are a very deep blue, which in most light appear almost black, but in direct light turn bright blue.

The chrono second hand is bright red with a long pendulum with a circle at the end to match the main hands.

All very well done.

 

New_1_DSCF3028-1.jpg

 

 

 

 

The case is well made with perfectly straight ribs:

 

New_1_DSCF3019.jpg

 

 

 

The lugs have crisp edges and the pins are genuine screw pins:

 

New_1_DSCF3018.jpg

 

 

 

Crown and pushers are made with good definition. The B is very clear:

 

New_1_DSCF3010.jpg

 

 

 

The case-back has a clear and crisp engraving as well as hallmarks that look like hallmarks (no etching here) and which are appropriate for the pink gold:

 

New_1_DSCF3031.jpg

 

New_1_DSCF3014.jpg

 

New_1_015.jpg

 

New_1_013.jpg

 

 

 

The deployant is not the same quality as the watch itself which is a shame.

 

The good parts are that it is a simple and well functioning design and an improvement on the Breguet buckles used on other models, and that the model is correct for this particular watch.

 

The less good parts are that it does not look as crisp as the watch, the logo is etched and not engraved and it has no hallmarks or other markings.

This one is a standard deployant used on a number of lesser reps.

 

It feels cheap and lets down this quality watch.

 

New_1_043.jpg

 

New_1_DSCF3047.jpg

 

 

 

The worst part of the deployant is the screw pin holding the strap. This I could not unscrew and I have had to return it to Timesshop for replacement. But in principle it is great that it has genuine screws:

 

New_1_049.jpg

 

I have no pictures of the strap, which is standard rep strap. Again it is a big shame and lets down the watch. I do not understand why the rep factories supply such poor quality straps when the watch is so good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comparison to Gen

 

In the current line-up of Breguet models, the Classique chronograph is ref.no 5247.

 

There are two dial versions, one enamel with Arabic numbers and one silver guilloche with Roman numbers. Both are available in white gold and pink gold.

 

This is the replication of the pink gold, silver guilloche version, ref no 5247BR/12/9V6,

 

It is the least common version of an already rare watch and as such you are extremely unlikely ever to meet a Gen in the wild.

 

But for the purists, here is a comparison to the Gen.

 

 

Diameter of Gen: 39mm, Rep: 40mm

Thickness of Gen: 12mm, Rep: 12mm

 

 

 

The Gen Front:

 

Breguet5247GEN1.jpg

 

 

 

 

The Rep Front:

 

New_1_021.jpg

 

 

 

Playing with light in the dial Gen:

 

Breguet5247GEN2-1.jpg

 

Breguet5247GEN11-2.jpg

 

 

 

 

The trained eye will immediately spot that the dial placement is incorrect, as is mostly the case with high end chronographs. As a consequence on the Rep, the number 240 is missing from the tachymeter inside the minute counter.

 

Gen:

 

Breguet5247GEN6-1.jpg

 

 

 

At the bottom it can be noted that the Gen also says Guilloche Main. This is one of the few Breguet models where the dial is cut by hand. I have no idea how the Rep is made, but it looks very good and on this rep the text is correct.

 

 

The case back Gen Pink Gold:

 

Breguet5247GEN16-1.jpg

 

 

The case-back Gen White Gold (better picture but different hallmarks):

 

Breguet5247GEN7.jpg

 

Note that the engravings are deeper on the Gen, however not as crisp as on the Rep. There is a difference, but on it's own, the rep is pretty good.

 

 

 

The deloyant Gen:

 

Breguet5247GEN10.jpg

 

 

The deployant Rep:

 

New_1_043.jpg

 

Well.....the model is the correct one. But the rep in no way looks the role. A shame.

 

 

 

Crown and pushers Gen:

 

Breguet5247GEN13-1.jpg

 

Crown and pushers Rep:

 

New_1_DSCF3010.jpg

 

 

 

And finally the piece de resistance: The movement.

 

On no other luxury reps has it been possible to replicate anything resembling the Gen. There is simply no Patek, Lange or Vacheron movement in the rep world.

But Breguet once upon the time owned Lemania and their current chronograph versions are still powered by that movement.

 

As it happens that also forms the base for the Seagull ST19. The two movements are very similar and to the untrained – and even a moderately trained – eyes they will look very similar.

 

The Gen movement:

 

Breguet5247GEN16-1-1.jpg

 

 

The Rep movement:

 

New_2_DSCF3031-1.jpg

 

What would really lift this replica would be some good engravings on the movement. The generic movement looks and feels just that: Generic.

 

Also it is a touch small compared to the case and needs a ring to hide that. Not terribly noticeable, but would improve the visual aspect of the open case-back

 

Still, it is the best and closest version in any luxury brand replica chronometer and it is very convincing in this watch.

 

 

 

 

Conclusion:

 

This is to my mind the best Breguet Rep in the market. It is very convincing and pretty close to accurate.

 

It is good out of the box, but do yourself a favour: Buy a very good strap and perhaps give it an AR treatment. That will cost as much as the watch itself, but with that you will get a $40,000 watch for about $500, which is good enough to convince almost anybody.

 

I think that has to be one of the best deals in the Rep world.

 

A little warning: The lug and pin screws are gold plated and small. I guess that they break and disappear easily. They will not be easy to replace but putting another screw in would really not look good. So try to get some extra screws when you buy the watch. Just in case.

 

Finally, is the 5247 my favourite Breguet?

 

No. It is a great replication, but I find the dial a bit too busy.

 

For all it's faults, the dial makes the 3237 my favourite. The 5247 and 3237 are both Lemania Chronos, but I really like the dial on the 3237 and the faults only irritate myself since noone I know would have seen the real version.

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ebzen02

Really great review of a beautiful watch! Great job!

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Member X

+1! :D

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Luthier

Love the watch, sad it's just 40mm... I didn't find the dial is TOO busy.

Great review too!

Thanks!!!

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myaz

Whoa. Thank you for a very thorough review of one of my favorite brands.

Your earlier 3237 review was the reason for me getting one!!!

This must have taken a heck of a lot of work and I vote it should be made part of the "Popular brands and watch reviews" section.

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mbjoer

Woua, thanks guys. Nice of you to say so!

 

It has been a while since I did this one and did not spot your comments.

 

To Myaz: Which one did you get? The 3237?

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jackwaterman

Excellent and detailed review. Beautiful photos. Thank you!

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DFH

Not my personal taste, but stunning nonetheless... Great pics and review, though - well done.

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Member X

I've just re-read this thread and...

 

At the bottom it can be noted that the Gen also says Guilloche Main. This is one of the few Breguet models where the dial is cut by hand.

WTF?!

 

How on earth would you make that dial by hand??! :thud:

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mbjoer

I've just re-read this thread and...

 

At the bottom it can be noted that the Gen also says Guilloche Main. This is one of the few Breguet models where the dial is cut by hand.

WTF?!

 

How on earth would you make that dial by hand??! :thud:

 

I once saw a clip where they showed the process.

 

It is obviously not totally by hand. They have a tool which is hand operated and which runs the pattern carefully by engraving into the dial, rather than stamping it out.

Each circle and each cut out is done individually so it is quite a job.

 

I do not know how the Chinese do it, but I doubt that it is in the same way. Still it looks great on this one.

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SB56667

orsonwellesclapping.gif

 

What a review! Thanks for putting so much time and energy into it -- incredibly thorough, informative, and helpful.

 

I LOVE the brand -- my very first rep was a fairly poor Breguet from the Moscow underground. I was so starry-eyed over it that I didn't mind the imperfections and non-working year complication a bit. I wore it every day until the rose-gold plating wore off.

 

This dial is probably too busy for me, and I've got another chrono on the way, but it's great to see a big step forward for the Breguet rep world.

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orlipide

excellent review!I got an year ago the silver dial version from TD, i LOVE it..planning to buy also this RG one...

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FlyingSpur

Excellent review...

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ohhelloooo

great piece !

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