A retrograde chronograph to time short intervals.

Breguet's collection includes both classic chronographs with three counters like the nautical Marine watch and the Type XX pilot's watch, but the new Tradition Chronographe Indépendant 7077 really stands out against this backdrop.

It has no round counters, elements of the complicated movement are openworked on the dial side, and it definitely takes an unusual approach to indications for a traditional brand! Nevertheless, all the classic components of Breguet's DNA are still present here.

Let's take one thing at a time. The Tradition Chronographe Indépendant 7077 for 2024 is a new interpretation of a model that debuted in 2015. At 12 o'clock, you can find Breguet's textbook off-centred dial for the hours and minutes.

The Tradition collection unveiled in 2005 drew inspiration from Breguet's subscription watches, so the appearance of a gold dial decorated in signature Breguet Blue with a hand-engraved Clous de Paris pattern should come as no surprise. Breguet's "pomme" hands and recognizable Roman numerals are classics.

Only the off-centred dial is unexpectedly cleaved by two arcs here. On the left you can find an arc for the 20-minute chronograph counter, while the power reserve for the hand-wound caliber 580DR movement is indicated on the right. This symmetry extends onto the two balances on the lower half of the dial.

The one beneath the power reserve indication runs at a frequency of 3 Hz and powers timekeeping. The second high-frequency 5 Hz balance is responsible for the chronograph function, and provides readings accurate to one tenth of a second.

It's interesting that this symmetry hasn't touched the mainspring barrel. There's no extra spring for a second mechanism in the movement here. Energy for the chronograph is stored in a flexed "blade" spring and released when the chronograph is activated.

There's enough energy for 20 minutes, given that there's only one 20-minute chronograph arc. The Tradition Chronographe Indépendant 7077 is a chronograph for timing short intervals, but this limitation probably won't put future owners off. The case in white gold measures 44 mm in diameter and 14.1 mm in height.