250 years after its founding, the Breguet manufacture, now part of the Swatch Group, is launching its fifth anniversary model: the Hora Mundi 5555, which delights with numerous new details and sophisticated craftsmanship.
Incidentally, the name Hora Mundi dates back to 1996, when the first watch bearing this name appeared in the Marine collection. ‘As we wanted to distance ourselves from overly general terms such as GMT or Worldtimer, we opted for the Latin translation of “hours of the world”,’ explains Breguet CEO Gregory Kissling.
In 2011, the Classique Hora Mundi 5717, the actual precursor to today’s Hora Mundi, was launched. It already featured the technical refinements of the instantaneous second time zone with memory function and synchronised displays of the date, day/night indicator, and time zone city. Limited to 50 pieces, the latest version, the Hora Mundi 5555, features a Breguet gold case for the first time. However, the undisputed star is the new, patent-pending dial.
Through the use of refined artisanal techniques, the dial of this 5th anniversary edition from Breguet appears to be domed with remarkable visual depth. More precisely, one should speak of ‘dials,’ for there are two.
First, there is the guilloché gold dial, which features a colour gradient from sky blue to navy blue with longitude and latitude lines converging at the four cardinal points. This creates the impression of a curve, even though the dial is completely flat. To add depth and aesthetic detail, this guilloché base is covered with an intricately decorated sapphire crystal. Thus, if you take a look at the dial, it feels as if you are looking down on Earth from space.
In three stages, the flat sapphire crystal dial is painted entirely by hand, turning each of the 50 models of the Hora Mundi 5555 into a unique piece. First, a miniature depiction of the continents is painted on the back of the sapphire crystal and enamelled. Subsequently, a cloud motif is applied to the frontside, which is also fired at high temperatures. While the boundaries of the continents are fixed, the clouds are constantly changing, allowing Breguet’s painters creative freedom. Even at Breguet, not all clouds are the same.
The final step involves adding the city lights that are visible from space. Instead of leaning into the obvious choice of Super-LumiNova, miniature painting with phosphorescent enamel is used for the Hora Mundi 5555. Light-grey Super-LumiNova with blue luminous paint is used elsewhere, namely on the blued gold Roman numerals, the hour indices, the altitude ring and the Breguet hands for hours and minutes with their characteristic ‘pomme’ tips made of 18-carat gold.
Like the four other anniversary models released to date, Classique Souscription 2025, Tradition 7035, Type XX Chronographe 2075 and Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255, the Hora Mundi 5555 features a case made of Breguet gold. The 18-carat precious metal alloy was introduced to mark the brand’s 250th anniversary and shimmers in a subtle shade of rose gold, creating a vintage look. It consists of 75 per cent gold enriched with silver, copper and palladium. This creates a lustre that is resistant to signs of ageing. The case measures 43.9 millimetres in diameter, is 13.8 millimetres high and water-resistant to ten bar. The front is covered by a spherical, double anti-reflective sapphire crystal. The sapphire crystal caseback reveals the mechanical inner workings. The rear view also features the anniversary motif Quai de l’Horloge with curved lines and hand-engraved numbering (No. XX/50) on the caseback’s bezel.
As the successor to the 77F0 since 2022, the automatic calibre 77F1 has been delivering a precise performance in the Hora Mundi. Both feature the same functions, such as instant time zone change with memory function, synchronised date, day/night and city disc. With a 55-hour power reserve, the 77F1 is also equipped with a retrograde date display at 12 o’clock.
The movement consists of a total of 384 components and is protected by several patents. It displays the time and date as well as another time/date pair for a freely selectable time zone. The 24 cities that can be set at 6 o’clock represent the respective time zones. Noteworthy are the mechanical memory function for a frequently selected time zone, as well as the instantaneous switching feature. The first city, together with its time and date, is set via the crown at 3 o’clock, while the second city can be selected easily using the pusher at 8 o’clock.
The 77F1 mechanism automatically determines the time and date in this second city using a sophisticated system of cams, hammers, and a differential. The time zone changes immediately without disrupting the watch’s movement. At 4 o’clock, you can see whether it is currently day or night in the time zone displayed. A nice extra: future owners of a Hora Mundi 5555 can have the cities assigned to the 24 time zones personalised individually.
The new Hora Mundi comes with two straps: the first is made of navy blue alligator leather with a large scale pattern, lined with navy blue alligator leather with a small scale pattern and fitted with an 18-carat Breguet gold folding clasp. Alternatively, a rubber strap is available.
The 50 copies of the Hora Mundi 5555 are delivered in special ‘250 Years’ red leather packaging, inspired by the red Breguet boxes made of Moroccan leather from the late 18th century. The price is 102,200 euros.
Breguet
Hora Mundi 5555
5555BH/YS/9WV
Breguet-Gold
Diameter: 43,9
Height: 13,8 mm
10 bar (~100 metres)
Two-piece construction: gold with guilloche pattern and sapphire crystal with enamel painting
Navy blue alligator leather strap with Breguet gold folding clasp and rubber strap
Manufacture-calibre 77F1
Automatic
55 hours
28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Hour, minute, second, retrograde date, two time zones, day/night indicator, memory function
EUR 102,200 (limited to 50 pieces)
