The first large scale watch fair I attended as Tempus in Singapore in 2004. A teenager then, I was fairly new to watches and found everything endlessly interesting.

History never repeats but it rhymes, as the saying goes. Iamwatch just concluded in Singapore. In many ways it was similar to Tempus: also staged by local retailer The Hour Glass, a watch fair of sizeable scale, but unlike the 2004 event, Iamwatch was largely focused on independent watchmakers. Most crucially, it was also casual – the prescribed attire was Hawaiian shirt – which allowed for more personal interactions with industry personalities.

As one of the largest retailers in the world, The Hour Glass has the pull to round up watch enthusiasts, and a great number turned up for Iamwatch, ranging from mega-collectors to royalty. Naturally, the watches spotted were diverse and often incredible.

Many multi-million-dollar watches were circulating within the event, including famous examples that sold for record prices at auction, including the Patek Philippe ref. 2523 world time with a blue enamel dial and “Gobbi” signature. And even the Patek Philippe Cubitus was spotted on several wrists, the day after its launch in Munich.

But 20 years on after Tempus, the enjoyment, significance, and enduring memories of an event like Iamwatch – for me personally – is no longer the watches, but the people.

It was the moments, often during downtime or after the doors closed, when I got to converse with watchmakers and industry personalities that stick in my mind. I am fortunate enough to interact with the same people often by virtue of what I do, but being able to reconnect at a large-scale event is priceless.

Illustrator Lee Yuen Rapati produced hundreds of watch portraits over the course of the event

Some of the highlights included talking with Raul Pages about his next wristwatch (and the creation after that), Konstantin Chaykin discussing the possibilities for future record-setting inventions following the ThinKing, debating the necessity of base movement innovation with Benoit Mintiens of Ressence, and simply having a beer with Franc Vila.

Another was the impromptu dinner on Saturday with Jean-Claude Biver and a handful of other people. Most left halfway to attend to other matters, leaving just three people at the table, myself, Jean-Claude, and Rexhep Rexhepi.

Even though Jean-Claude is older than the rest of us combined, he had more energy and vitality than the rest of us combined – and that was after an entire day of nonstop speaking. It is this force of personality that had propelled all of his brands forward.

Jean-Claude Biver and Michael Tay of The Hour Glass

Listening to Jean-Claude tell stories about his lengthy career was fascinating and often funny. Jean-Claude related the tale of his first Porsche, acquired after he made some money with Blancpain. His case maker at the time, the owner of Favre Perret, advised Jean-Claude to get rid of the car, because it was a sign to suppliers to charge more.

But perhaps the most insightful was listening to Jean-Claude talk about his own brand, Biver. Independent watchmaker is fundamentally about the creators behind the watches, and though Jean-Claude is not a watchmaker, he is the man behind an independent brand.

The calibre of the Biver Automatique

Jean-Claude talked about the brand and his family, particularly his son Pierre with whom he started Biver. It’s clear he has put everything into the brand, emotionally and intellectually, and also a vast amount financially. Now 75 years old, Jean-Claude doesn’t need to, but he is trying to, and that is admirable.

Knowing what he has invested in it, I felt some regret in saying the “aesthetics [of his repeater] are lacking” because while I don’t appreciate the design, I certainly respect the motivation.

So for anyone attending the next Iamwatch (which is not a certainty but possible) or any other watch fair, remember to look past the watches and see the people, especially if they are from the sphere of independent watchmaking.

Breguet’s ultra-thin tourbillon has been in its catalogue for some years now, but it remains one of the brand’s most sophisticated tourbillon models. The Tourbillon Extra-Plat 5367 is just 7.45 mm high, making it one of the thinnest self-winding tourbillon watches on the market, a feat made possible thanks to clever peripheral winding.

Though its movement is the brand’s latest tourbillon calibre, the 5367 is presented in classic Breguet style – with the enamel dial here or as the 5365 with a guilloche dial – and retains the quintessential Breguet elegance.

Initial thoughts

Unlike Breguet’s flagship tourbillon model, the massive Double Tourbillon 5345, the 5367 is slim, elegant, and feels like a classical Breguet. In terms of proportions the 5367 is comparable to the 7637 minute repeater, but the tourbillon is thinner and importantly, boasts a more modern movement.

The enamel dial is available in traditional white or contemporary blue

While the 7637 repeater is powered by a movement that has its roots in the 1980s, the 5367 contains the cal. 581, which is instantly recognisable as a recent construction. The most obvious giveaway is the automatic rotor camouflaged on the periphery, while the tourbillon contains a silicon escapement.

The modernity of the construction means the cal. 581 lacks the old-school charm of Breguet’s earlier tourbillon movements, but the sophistication of the cal. 581 is undeniable. Not only is it exceptionally thin, it manages an impressive 80-hour power reserve while having a high-frequency, 4 Hz balance.

The cal. 581 with hand-engraved bridges

The modernity is also evident on the front, with the tourbillon looking far more high tech than the fired enamel dial. Still, the overall aesthetic is coherent and recognisably Breguet.

The quality is also typical Breguet, which is to say excellent. The movement is nearly unimpeachable in terms of finishing and construction, but some of the design choices in the cal. 581 are doubtful as they don’t fit the overall feel of the watch.

However, like many of Breguet’s newer complicated watches, the 5367 is a little bigger than it should be. At 41 mm in diameter it feels wide, with the perception of size is enhanced by the thinness, and could be a little smaller. The large diameter results in relatively long lugs, which also contribute to the feeling of size.

The quality overall is typical of Breguet – excellent in other words. Both the quality and price are comparable to offerings from its peers like Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet, however, the 5367 brings with it an enamel dial as well as a more sophisticated movement. So while its six-figure price is a big one, the 5367 has a slight edge in value.

Classic and modern

The 5367 is available in two guises: a standard version sporting a classic, white enamel dial that evokes a pocket watch, along with a boutique-only edition featuring a blue enamel dial that gives it a more contemporary look.

Both versions, however, are instantly recognisable as Breguet. They have the quintessential elements of Breguet – Breguet numerals, Breguet hands, an off-centred display, and a thin, reeded case.

Though the design and details are classic Breguet, the 5367 looks and feels like a modern watch. For one, the relatively wide case gives it 21st century dimensions. And a close look at the tourbillon easily reveals it is a 21st century construction far removed from the basic Lemania calibre that once powered most Breguet tourbillon wristwatches.

At 41 mm the case is large for a classic Breguet design. The thinness makes it feel even wider, and on some wrists it might look too big and too flat.

But the case details are elegant in the traditional Breguet manner. The soldered lugs are long and narrow, while the case band is fluted all round.

Because of the case diameter, the diameter feels expansive. But it doesn’t feel empty despite the simple styling. Like other enamel dials, this takes after 19th century pocket watch dials and gets a minute track made up of tiny stars with a lozenge at the quarters. The numerals are Breguet italics while the hands are blued steel.

Like most traditional enamel dials, the dial of the 5367 is slightly domed with surface that has almost imperceptible graining. On close examination, the quality of the dial is obvious. One of the details that stands out is the metal border around the aperture for the tourbillon, which has a precise, tidy edge.

The laser etched “secret” signature is visible just above the tourbillon

At just 3 mm high, the cal. 581 is one of the thinnest tourbillon movements on the market, automatic or manual-wind, which makes it all the more impressive that it’s self-winding. The calibre is impressive executed in decoration and construction, though some of its stylistic details feel out of place.

A key factor behind its thinness is the peripheral rotor, a mechanism that widens the diameter of a movement but keeps it slim. The peripheral rotor is essentially a large ring-shaped gear that encircles the movement, with half the gear carrying a narrow platinum weight to keep it oscillating.

Platinum was no doubt selected for its density and precious nature, but it is almost the same colour as the bridges, which results in an almost monochromatic look.

The peripheral rotor frees up space on the bridges, which are entirely hand engraved with an abstract pattern. While the quality of engraving is excellent, the engraved geometric pattern doesn’t complement the classical aesthetic of the watch.

The lower bridge of the tourbillon is engraved with the date of Breguet’s patent of the tourbillon, which only adds visual clutter

While the monochromatic finish and peculiar engraved motif are cosmetic, the intrinsic quality of the movement is excellent. Both the quantity and quality of decoration are high.

Besides the extensive engraving – even the rotor features hand engraving and hand guilloche – the movement also boasts conventional haute horlogerie decoration, including rounded, polished bevels, polished countersinks, and chamfered and polished screws.

The only element that lacks traditional finishing is the tourbillon cage that’s instead finished with a simple frosting. That, however, is not neglect but because the cage isn’t in the traditional material of steel. Instead, the cage is titanium for lightness.

Notably, the titanium carriage is not finished in the same manner as steel, but it is still decorated, and decorated well. The arms of the cage feature frosted tops and anglage along their edges, while the underside is similarly finished with frosting and bevelled edges.

The other non-traditional element in the tourbillon is the skeletonised silicon escape wheel, which is both light and frictionless.

The lightweight titanium cage, along with the extra-long mainspring, help boost the power reserve to an impressive 80 hours, an admirable achievement for an ultra-thin movement with a tourbillon – and a balance wheel running at 28,800 beats per hour instead of the 18,000 beats per hour of most tourbillon movements.

Concluding thoughts

The Tourbillon Extra-Plat 5367 is a finely made watch in all respects and proves Breguet’s strength as a manufacture. It also reveals some weaknesses in styling, particularly in terms of the movement, though that is perhaps subjective. And it might also reveal weaknesses in marketing, because the 5367 stands out amongst high-end tourbillon watches for its quality and aesthetics (at least on the front), but it largely passes unnoticed under the radar.

Key facts and price

Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat 5367
Ref. 5367PT/2Y/9WU (platinum, blue enamel dial)
Ref. 5367PT/29/9WU (platinum, white enamel dial)
Ref. 5367BR/29/9WU (rose gold, white enamel dial)

Diameter: 41 mm
Height: 7.45 mm
Material: Platinum or 18k rose gold
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 581
Functions: Hours and minutes; tourbillon regulator
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 80 hours

Strap: Alligator with folding buckle

Availability: At retailers, except for blue enamel dial that’s available only at boutiques
Price: Rose gold – US$173,300; platinum – US$190,300

For more, visit Breguet.com.