Breva Génie 01 Platinum Edition

Breva Génie 01 Platinum Edition


by Johnny McElherron
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Breva, Over $30,000

If you missed the Breva Génie 01 limited edition white gold and pink gold models then relax, there’s a new one – with a platinum case and some new stunning blue accents. But, with this particular timepiece it’s not all about looks.

Breva Génie 01 Platinum Edition – An Eye-pleasing Dial Arrangement

You may remember that the Génie 01 was, and still is, the first mechanical wristwatch capable of displaying time, altitude, weather forecasting barometric pressure and power reserve indication. Such a compendium of indications could easily have resulted in design disaster, but Breva manage to maintain an eye-pleasing dial arrangement with indications which are readable at just a glance.

The hours and minutes appear on a grey sapphire dial at the 8 o’clock location using open-worked blued steel hands, with a diminutive small seconds tucked away neatly just below 12 o’clock. At the top left of the dial an altitude indication arcs, following the curvature of the case. Over at 2 o’clock barometric pressure is displayed, for this new edition blue sapphire replaces the monochrome aesthetics of the previous models and at 4 o’clock the power reserve indication, up to 65 hours, includes a distinctive little compass-like stencil.

Breva Génie 01 Platinum Edition

Breva Génie 01 Platinum Edition

Breva Génie 01 Platinum Edition – A Trio of Crowns

By now you will have noticed that this piece has a trio of knurled crowns. The one at 9 o’clock is for watch winding and time setting, the pair on the right side of the case are used to set and activate the more unusual functions. The crown at 2 o’clock adjusts the barometric pressure scale, and its inner pusher adjusts the position of the altitude indication. The crown at 4 o’clock locks and unlocks a miniature air valve – unlocking allows just enough air into the case to produce an exterior air pressure reading. An ingenious “Teflon membrane” makes sure that the air which enters the case has been filtered so that no moisture can enter into the complex interior and on the dial just beside the crown a red indicator warns its user that the valve is unlocked.

Breva Génie 01 Platinum Edition – A Conversation-starter

It looks good and it is a conversation-starter but is it actually useful? Actually – yes. For those who like to take to the hills for recreation it will let you know how high you have managed to climb or walk, and it will also give you plenty of time to make a hasty camp if there is a nasty storm gathering. Purists will take comfort in the fact that such information and fore-warning is attained from mechanical engineering rather than computer-aided technology.

Breva Génie 01 - How it works

Breva Génie 01 – How it works

The new platinum case retains the proportions of the original models at 44.7mm across. Inside, the calibre which was developed for Breva by Jean-François Mojon has dual capsules for air pressure measuring. Leaving the complexities of this model aside for a moment it really is a superbly designed timepiece. The floating sapphire dial indications add depth and beauty to its dial, while offering a glimpse through to the movement, and the addition of blue hands and indications adds a touch of modernity to this new platinum edition which will be limited to just 12 pieces. This platinum version of the Génie 01 is available for CHF 180,000 or €148,000 Euro / $205,000 USD.

    Author Bio

    Articles by Johnny McElherron

    CONTRIBUTOR

    Johnny McElherron was busy minding his own business as a successful company director, when one day he fell in love with watches. So deeply that soon after his eureka! moment he established The Watch Press as a vehicle where he could indulge his passion with gusto. What his eye beheld he would write about, in his own unique style, and in time his work penetrated through to numerous national and international mainstream and online publications. Today Johnny creates engaging content for watch industry clients, and in 2014 joined forces with the highly respected watch industry specialists Delos Communications, with whom he works to provide Delos clients with high quality content to ensure no part of their company message gets lost in translation.