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Tourbillon Watches · Page 52

Vacheron Constantin Introduces the Overseas Tourbillon Skeleton SJX Watches
Mar 30, 2022

Vacheron Constantin Introduces the Overseas Tourbillon Skeleton

A hidden gem amongst Vacheron Constantin’s sports watches, the Overseas Tourbillon is thin, understated, and good value as such things go. Now it receives a thorough makeover. Gone is the dial and excess metal from the bridges, creating the new Overseas Tourbillon Skeleton. Available in two metals, the titanium variant is particularly intriguing as it’s a metal that is rarely used by the haute horlogerie watchmaker. Titanium with blue accents Initial thoughts Though polar opposites aesthetically, the Skeleton is every bit as handsome as the standard Overseas Tourbillon. In terms of finishing, aesthetics and watchmaking, the Tourbillon Skeleton is top of its class not only in the luxury-sports category but even among the brand’s other offerings. A reason for this is the well proportioned case that measures 42.5 mm wide and only 10.39 mm tall. This results in elegant, flat-and-wide proportions that defines the most desirable luxury sports watches. These proportions gives the watch a sporty aesthetic that is further enhanced by the blackened, skeletonised movement. In comparison, the base Overseas model is smaller in diameter but slightly thicker.   It’s also thinner than a open-worked Royal Oak and Laureato tourbillon The movement within is notable for balancing simplicity and complexity, which tends to be a challenge for skeletonised movements. In comparison, I find the latest Royal Oak Openworked Tourbillon too nuanced and the GP Laureato Openworked Tourbillon t...

Grand Seiko Reveals the Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon SLGT003 SJX Watches
Mar 30, 2022

Grand Seiko Reveals the Kodo Constant-Force Tourbillon SLGT003

Unveiled in 2020, the Grand Seiko T0 Constant-Force Tourbillon was a surprisingly complicated movement from a watchmaker that has historically focused on no-nonsense, everyday watches. In interview with us last year, Seiko chief executive Akio Naito promised not to “keep people waiting for too long” and he has kept to his promise. Just two years after the T0 concept was revealed, its commercially available counterpart  version has arrived in the form of the Kodo Constant-force Tourbillon SLGT003. With a case that’s a mix of platinum and titanium, the SLGT003 has a movement that’s slightly different from the T0 concept. Its cal. 9ST1 retains the all-important constant-force mechanism integrated into the tourbillon cage, though the movement overall has been trimmed down slightly in both size and artistic expression – though it still has an aesthetic that is extreme by Grand Seiko standards. Initial thoughts The SLGT003 is a lot of watch: a skeletonised movement combining a tourbillon and a constant-force mechanism accompanied by a dead-beat seconds. And it also has twin barrels and a power reserve indicator. The SLGT003 is intriguing and impressive is to say the least. The amalgamation of several complications perfectly showcase the brand’s newfound prowess in complicated watchmaking, elevating the brand to another level entirely, one comparable with independent watchmakers. And it also marks a milestone for a watchmaker from Asia. But the design is over th...

TAG Heuer puts the novel in novelty with new tourbillon chronograph cased in diamond-set aluminum Time+Tide
Mar 30, 2022

TAG Heuer puts the novel in novelty with new tourbillon chronograph cased in diamond-set aluminum

Novelty. It is a term utilised by watch manufacturers across the board in regard to their new releases for a given period or year. But the definition of the word novelty is “the quality of being new, original, or unusual”, and, if we are being honest, more often than not we find brands introducing the … ContinuedThe post TAG Heuer puts the novel in novelty with new tourbillon chronograph cased in diamond-set aluminum appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Cartier Introduces the Masse Mystérieuse SJX Watches
Mar 30, 2022

Cartier Introduces the Masse Mystérieuse

Cartier’s wide-ranging new launches at Watches & Wonders 2022 naturally encompasses new takes on its historical designs, including the Tank Chinoise and lacquered Santos-Dumont. But its most extraordinary creation stands apart from the brand’s contemporary timepieces. The Masse Mystérieuse is essentially a floating movement within an oscillating weight. As the weight oscillates around the central axis of the dial, it winds the mainspring contained within itself. Initial thoughts Cartier abandoned its once ambitious push into highly complicated watches when its current chief executive Cyrille Vigneron took charge in 2016. Mr Vigneron has stated publicly on several occasions that Cartier should not stray from its historical strength in simple, elegant watches in unusual forms. So the Masse Mystérieuse is definitely atypical, but that doesn’t take away from its fascinating mechanics. The complexity and creativity of its mechanics bring to mind an earlier era of Cartier watchmaking. While Cartier states that the Masse Mystérieuse was eight years in the making, it doesn’t mention who was responsible for the idea. It goes without saying that is was Carole Forestier-Kasapi, the former head of development at Cartier’s manufacture who now has the same role at TAG Heuer. The Masse Mystérieuse is instantly recognisable as her work, appearing to be evolved from the Astrotourbillon. Ingenious as it is, the Masse Mystérieuse is also similar to Ms Forestier-Kasapi’s pa...

H. Moser & Cie. Introduces the Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton SJX Watches
Mar 29, 2022

H. Moser & Cie. Introduces the Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton

H. Moser & Cie.’s flagship launch at Watches & Wonders 2022 is the Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton. While the watch combines elements found in past Moser watches, including the trademark fume dial, it does so in an novel manner, resulting in a watch that looks and feels different from the brand’s current offerings. Initial thoughts The new Pioneer tourbillon combines familiar elements in a novel manner, resulting in an interesting watch that stands apart from the rest of Moser’s offerings. Mechanically it is a variant of the calibre found in the Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon of 2020. The inclined time display of the earlier model has been eliminated, while the movement has been skeletonised in an unusual step for the brand, which has rarely offered skeleton watches in the past. Visually, the Pioneer tourbillon is not obviously a Moser at first glance, although the sub-dial at 12 o’clock is in a smoked blue that is associated with Moser. In fact, the styling of the watch brings to mind the skeletonised watches of Jaquet Droz. Still, the Pioneer tourbillon is interesting and novel enough that its CHF79,000 price tag is fair, putting it amongst the more appealing tourbillons in this affordable(ish) price segment. A sporty tourbillon The new Pioneer was conceived as a sports watch with a tourbillon. The Pioneer case is rated to 120 m of water resistance and positioned as Moser’s elegant sports watch (as opposed to the Streamliner that is an out-and-out spo...

WATCHES & WONDERS: The H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton Time+Tide
Mar 29, 2022

WATCHES & WONDERS: The H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton

Editor’s Note: Watches & Wonders is the biggest watch fair of the year and, with nearly 40 brands presenting, there is a ton of ground to cover. So, for your convenience, we’re offering a quick overview of each brand’s new novelties – touching on each new reference or collection and their headlining points. Stay tuned throughout the … ContinuedThe post WATCHES & WONDERS: The H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Introducing The Vincent Deprez Handmade Tourbillon Classique Souscription Edition: Traditional Artisanal Independent Watchmaking At Its Best Quill & Pad
Mar 11, 2022

Introducing The Vincent Deprez Handmade Tourbillon Classique Souscription Edition: Traditional Artisanal Independent Watchmaking At Its Best

One of Ian Skellern's highlights during Geneva Watch Days 2021 – in fact one of his highlights of 2021 altogether – was meeting a new young independent watchmaker called Vincent Deprez, who showed him an early prototype of his first watch, the Tourbillon Classique. Ian was immediately impressed by both Deprez’s obvious passion for traditional watchmaking and the extremely high quality of his watch.

Recommended Reading: A Guide to the F. P. Journe “Tourbillon Nouveau” SJX Watches
Mar 7, 2022

Recommended Reading: A Guide to the F. P. Journe “Tourbillon Nouveau”

F.P. Journe’s second-generation Tourbillon Souverain, the” Tourbillon Nouveau” or “TN”, was the longest-lived iteration of his first wristwatch model. Produced for 15 years from 2003 to 2018, the TN was replaced in 2019 by the Tourbillon Souverain Vertical (“TV” for short), which was launched to mark the 20th anniversary of Francois-Paul Journe’s first tourbillon wristwatch. Though the first-generation Tourbillon Remontoir d’Egalite and second-generation TN were fundamentally identical – both combined the tourbillon with a constant force mechanism – the TN brought with it several improvements. Most notably, the TN marked F.P. Journe’s transition from brass to 18k red gold for its movement plates and bridges – an impressive breakthrough at the time. The Tourbillon Souverain Regency with a hand-engraved dial The development of the TN along with its various iterations have been detailed in The Tourbillon Nouveau Collector’s Guide by Shawn Mehta, founder of independent watchmaking merchant Watch4moi. Relying on information from F.P. Journe itself, Mr Mehta explains the differences between the first- and second-generation tourbillons before moving on to production numbers and variants. He estimates only 750-850 examples of the TN were produced over its 15-year production run, most of them in the standard catalogue variations. But in his opinion, the rarest standard configuration is likely the version with both the dial and case in rose gold. The ...

Kross Studio Introduces the Batman Tourbillon SJX Watches
Mar 3, 2022

Kross Studio Introduces the Batman Tourbillon

A start-up that focuses on design and watchmaking, Kross Studio was founded in 2020 but has already rolled out several pop culture-themed watches, including a desk clock in the form of the Batmobile from 1989’s Batman as well as a tourbillon wristwatch modelled the Death Star from Star Wars. Timed to debut just before the premiere of the latest Batman movie, the Batman Tourbillon once again relies on the central tourbillon movement that Kross has used in its past editions, but restyles the tourbillon cage to resemble the “Bat Signal” searchlight. Initial thoughts As was the case with Kross’ earlier watches, the Batman Tourbillon excels in terms of design. Though the brand has launched different editions with the same case and movement, the Batman watch is unique in style and theme. The tourbillon cage, for instance, has been transformed into a distress signal made famous by the “Caped Crusader”. And while the earlier Death Star Tourbillon was equipped with conventional hands, the Batman watch does away with  traditional hands, rendering the it much more futuristic. That said, the Batman theme gets in the way of the movement. The Bat Signal frame that sits over the tourbillon obscures an otherwise interesting, oversized central tourbillon. This compromise would be more acceptable if the cage was more figurative and decorative as on the Death Star Tourbillon – where the cage is shaped like the titular planetary laser – which would have made the dial more aes...

IN-DEPTH: The Louis Vuitton Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon Time+Tide
Mar 1, 2022

IN-DEPTH: The Louis Vuitton Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon

The average person thinking of Louis Vuitton will have a lot of inspiration from which to draw their impressions. Between the $4000 handbags, $700 T-shirts, and even $1000 bucket hats, the image that Louis Vuitton paints is a surprisingly broad spectrum of wealth across high-fashion and streetwear. Leather goods, fragrances, clothing and eyewear are just … ContinuedThe post IN-DEPTH: The Louis Vuitton Tambour Curve GMT Flying Tourbillon appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Rolf Lang Combines Lalique Crystal and a Hand-Made Tourbillon in a Table Clock SJX Watches
Feb 27, 2022

Rolf Lang Combines Lalique Crystal and a Hand-Made Tourbillon in a Table Clock

German independent watchmaker Rolf Lang produces both wristwatches and clocks – including a lavish gold egg containing a marine chronometer – and he now turns to French glassmaker Lalique for his latest sculptural clock. Their collaboration resulted in the Phoenix Clock that is entirely hand engraved and equipped with a gigantic tourbillon – held aloft by a glass-crystal sculpture of a soaring eagle with wings spread. Rolf Lang Initial thoughts Like the ultra-luxe egg clock of 2018, the Phoenix is appealing for its strong design and craftsmanship. The father of independent watchmaker Marco Lang, Rolf Lang’s house style is highly decorative and rooted in 19th century watchmaking so the aesthetic means the clock is not for everyone, but it is certainly impressive for those who appreciate what it is. With its ornate decoration, the Phoenix evokes the elaborate clocks and watches made for the Chinese market in the 19th century. It has an old-fashioned style and quality that stands in contrast with most contemporary watchmaking. And the clock excels at what it does, which is to impress while sitting on a desk. Still, it manages to be different and slightly modern as a result of the to the clever use of high-contrast materials. The crystal sculpture is splendid, and the clock itself is even more attractive with the ultra-large tourbillon sitting in full view under a glass sphere. While it has a big price tag, the Phoenix is special; there are nothing quite like it ...

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