Breguet Marine 3400 yellow gold automatic 36 mm circa 1990

A brief history

Abraham-Louis Breguet, a watchmaker of genius, was honoured with the prestigious title of Watchmaker to the Navy by King Louis XVIII. This appointment, which recognised his exceptional expertise in the manufacture of marine chronometers, underlined the crucial importance of watchmaking precision for navigation. Breguet, aware of the imperative of reliability at sea, not only designed and built chronometers of unrivalled quality, but also studied their conditions of use, going so far as to publish a manual on the subject. His dedication to improving navigation through horological precision made him an emblematic figure of his time.

Breguet's legacy in marine chronometers inspired the Marine collection, launched in 1990. Although the collection now focuses on wristwatches, it retains the spirit of innovation and robustness of the chronometers of yesteryear. Marine watches are distinguished by their specific construction, with reinforced cases and crown guards on most models. The increased water resistance, often up to 100 metres, is a testament to their maritime vocation. While the first Marine collection was relatively understated with only two self-winding models, it quickly evolved to include various complications, such as the automatic chronograph and the Hora Mundi world time watch. This evolution illustrates Breguet's desire to offer watches that are both high-performance and adapted to the needs of modern sailors.

The model

Today we present an exceptional piece: the Breguet reference 3400BA. This watch, presented in 1990, was designed by Jorg Hysek and his team (known for their legendary reference 222 from Vacheron Constantin) and is inspired by the nautical history of Breguet. Although it has a very formal and elegant appearance, similar to the Manufacture's ‘classic’ models, the Marine de 1990 broke the mould somewhat at the time by incorporating and updating certain elements!

Its design remains timeless, characterised by clean lines and meticulous finishing. It has a yellow gold case measuring almost 36 mm in diameter and 43 mm in length. A Breguet must remain a Breguet, so the case is of the ‘coin’ type and thus has delicate fluting and striations. There are also the famous horns, which are welded, then polished and all excess material is removed by hand. The main differences to a ‘Classic’ Breguet are its domed bezel, its ‘onion’ crown without a cabochon and its crown guard.

Finally, it is on the dial that all the Breguet magic is to be found! The dial is a silvered gold plate with multiple finishes: hand-guilloché in the centre, with circular satin-finishing for the hours. To mark the hours, we find Roman numerals and hour markers with small gold dots. This ensemble is a real showcase for the blued steel Breguet hands!

Behind the caseback engraved with the words ‘Horloger de la Marine’ lies a Breguet 549 calibre, based on a Jaeger-LeCoultre 889 movement. This calibre, produced by the watchmaker to watchmakers, is an ultra-thin movement, first introduced in 1983. It has been used by some of the most prestigious manufacturers, such as Vacheron Constantin, IWC and even Audemars Piguet, which used it for some versions of its Royal Oak. This movement is still used today by Jaeger-LeCoultre with its third version, referenced 889/2! Proof of its legendary and ultra-reliable design!

The package

This Breguet Marine reference 3400BA, dating from the 1990s, is a true collector's item in excellent condition. It underwent a full service at Breguet in January 2025, including polishing of the case and buckle, as well as a new alligator strap. The watch comes with a Breguet service box and a service document, and is accompanied by a 2-year warranty, offering you total peace of mind as to its operation and reliability.