It’s easy for a brand to become typecast, to become defined by its greatest successes. What Breguet has managed to do with the Marine collection is move away from the widely held image of opulence that more closely resembles the wares made by the hands of the company’s eponymous founder. Straying too far from the ranch is never a good idea, but as visually different as the Breguet Marine 5517 in titanium and on a titanium bracelet is, it does not mess with the quality Breguet is famous for. Here we have, in no uncertain terms, a Breguet that has been designed to be used, and, if not abused, very much put through its paces in the real world.

Specifications

Brand: Breguet
Model: Marine 5517 REF. 5517TI/G2/TZ0
Dimensions: 40mm × 11.5mm
Water Resistance: 100 metrs
Case Material: Titanium
Crystal/Lens: Sapphire crystal
Movement: Automatic caliber 777A
Power Reserve: 55 hours
Strap/Bracelet: Titanium
Price & Availability: CHF 19,400

The dial is an attractive and versatile slate-gray. The base material used for the dial is gold, which is known as an excellent material when it comes to holding a delicate finish. The sunburst dial really comes to life in natural light, and although the limited press shots don’t show it here, certainly gives the watch the kind of luxury appearance you’d expect from a Breguet.

Odd as it is to see, this Breguet has luminant on the dial and the hands. The Roman numerals that mark the hours take the form of small applied plaques with the numbers carved out of them. Into the recesses, strong Super-LumiNova is sunk. One of the coolest things about this watch is having luminous Breguet hands.

With their eternally classical shape, it seems at first a little incongruous to have them glow in the dark, but if you’re able to buy in to the idea of a sporty Breguet, it becomes very easy to enjoy, very quickly. With just three faceted gold hands and a date at 3’clock to deal with, this is an incredibly legible, wearable release from one of the Swatch Group’s premier brands.

Powering the Breguet Marine 5517 is the automatic caliber 777A, which is numbered and signed. The 18k- gold rotor is perhaps the most luxurious of the 179 components, and a stark contrast to the futurism of the silicon-horned pallet ticking away in the heart of the escapement. With a decent operating speed of 28,800vph and a inert silicon hairspring, the Breguet Marine 5517 watch makes a strong case to make it onto your wrist as a subtly luxurious daily wear. It will be priced at CHF 19,400. breguet.com