Watch of the Week: Breguet Marine Chronograph 5527
Last year during Baselworld, Breguet surprised us with the Marine Équation Marchante 5887, which combined a tourbillon with an equation of time complication. This year it became clear that this highly complicated watch was just at the forefront of a new generation of Marine watches. For Breguet an important collection, historically, as Abraham-Louis Breguet was appointed chronometer maker of the French Royal Navy in 1815, and commercially, as everybody loves a good sports watch!
That Breguet means business with their new Marine collection becomes especially clear from the Marine Chronograph ref. 5527. While few brands have such a rich and long history as Breguet, the brand doesn’t dwell on it. The new Marine Chronograph most certainly takes a few cues from the past but is most of all a very contemporary watch. While available in rose gold and white gold, there is now also a version in titanium.
This is a first for the Marine collection, and while it seems more suited for the Type XX – XXI – XXII, it actually makes perfect sense. The brushed titanium goes very well with the modern look of the case while making it at the same time pleasantly light. The Marine Chronograph is with a diameter of 42.30 mm a full-grown sports watch, that wears larger since it is almost all dial. It sits very comfortably on the wrist, not only because of the lug construction but also thanks to the titanium, which almost immediately takes on the same temperature as your body.
Breguet combined the titanium case with a grey sunburst dial, which also adds to the contemporary character of this watch. Interesting to note is that the hour and minute counters of the chronograph slightly overlap, which give a playful unbalance on the dial. Also, the styling of the hands and even the Roman numerals are quite modern, especially for a Breguet.
The same can be said of the movement, but that is more because it is a Breguet! Automatic caliber 582QA offers a two-day power reserve and is fitted with an inverted in-line lever escapement with silicon horns, and a balance made from the same material. It can be admired through the case back, where Breguet also made the rotor in the shape of a ships wheel. With a water resistance of 10 bar/100 meters, the Breguet Marine Chronograph 5527 does its name justice and is at the same time a very promising, and tempting, new entry in the world of high-end sports watches.
