Tourbillon Watches · Page 8

The Revolutionary List: 30 Pioneering Watches – the De Bethune DB28 Tourbillon Kind of Blue

The Revolutionary List: 30 Pioneering Watches – the Richard Mille RM 027 Tourbillon Rafael Nadal

The Revolutionary List: 30 Pioneering Watches – the Laurent Ferrier Galet Classic Tourbillon Double Spiral

The Revolutionary List: 30 Pioneering Watches – the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon 1

Breguet Ends a Big Anniversary Year with the Impressive Expérimentale 1

As if winning the top prize at the GPHG were not enough, Breguet has capped off their big 250th anniversary year with the launch of what is surely their most horologically interesting and cutting edge release in years. The Expérimentale 1 is an ambitious foray into contemporary haute horlogerie from a brand that more than most is associated with classicism. It incorporates and merges multiple technologies and advancements into a remarkably cohesive idea that might even have those of us who have always bristled at the controversial Marine collection rethinking its potential.  The showstopping feature of the new Expérimentale 1 is the tourbillon, the first ever to beat at 10 Hz. Bregust is quick to remind us that most tourbillons run at a rate of 2.5 Hz, so this represents a dramatic increase and in theory should provide a variety of chronometric benefits, including rate stability over the duration of the power reserve and a better baseline level of accuracy. But it’s not just a high frequency tourbillon. Breguet has also developed and introduced a new magnetic escapement that is designed to provide constant force to the balance. The logic here is fairly straightforward even if the mechanics themselves are, frankly, somewhat difficult wrap your arms around without real watchmaking experience (this, by the way, is essentially my constant of being as I observe similar watchmaking advancements – wide eyed and impressed but quite frequently confused by all the math and ph...

Breaking News: Breguet Creates The First Contact-Free Escapement By Using Magnets

Breguet continues to surprise us in its 250th year. In the spirit of the brand’s name-giver, it now presents a world first. Breguet has utilized magnets to create the first 10Hz tourbillon with a magnetic escapement, which delivers constant force to the balance, and has incorporated it into the Expérimentale 1. This fast-beating tourbillon in […] Visit Breaking News: Breguet Creates The First Contact-Free Escapement By Using Magnets to read the full article.

First Look – The Breguet Experimentale 1, With 10Hz High-Frequency Tourbillon and Constant Force Magnetic Escapement

Innovation spirit and inventiveness have always been part of Breguet, specifically as its founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet, was responsible from 1775 onwards for so many of the watchmaking innovations of that era: the tourbillon, the perpétuelle watch, the natural escapement, the constant­-force escapement, the shock absorber, the Breguet balance-spring with its terminal curve, the gong-spring… In […]

Breguet Reimagines the Classic Répétition Minutes

Along with the flagship Classique Grande Sonnerie Métiers d’Art 1905 pocket watch, Breguet just announced its first water-resistant minute repeater, the Classique Répétition Minutes 7365. While this 250th anniversary edition with a Breguet gold case and Bleu de France grand feu enamel dial is limited to 25 examples, it likely represents the future of the brand’s chiming watches: smaller and more robust. Initial Thoughts Despite the strong popularity chiming watches have seen at the high end for many years, it has felt like something of a weak point for Breguet, reliant on rather old movements that didn’t always sound the best. The ambitious and wild Tradition Répétition Minutes Tourbillon 7087 promised to fix this in 2018, but for unknown reasons that watch never made it to market. However, acoustically Breguet’s repeaters have become quite good despite the old bones, proving how key gongs and case construction are to repeaters. The 7087 doubles down on this approach, not even introducing a silent centrifugal governor which has become ubiquitous in modern chiming watches, even at the high end – the sound of which I’ve come to find quaint. The move to smaller sizes, 42 mm to 39 might be more dictated by market trends rather than any specific vision from the brand, but is one I appreciate either way, and while water resistance isn’t strictly necessary in a chiming watch, the peace of mind is reassuring. In the end, this watch comes down to how much you lik...

Breguet Celebrates Striking Heritage with Classique Grande Sonnerie Métiers d’Art 1905

The penultimate entry in Breguet’s 250th celebration is the Classique Grande Sonnerie Métiers d’Art 1905, a complicated pocket watch that unites several of Breguet’s creations, along with the métiers d’art know-how and high-technology of the modern Breguet manufacture. The 1905 features hand engraving and flinqué enamel, as well as using Breguet’s magnetic strike governor and gold gongs. As with all of the brand’s 250th anniversary creations, the nearly 60 mm case is made of Breguet Gold, with Bleu de France for an additional pop of colour. Initial thoughts During the 2000s, Breguet launched the Montre de Poche 1907, a minute repeating tourbillon pocket clock watch with grande et petite sonnerie. At the time, several of the best brands were building new complicated pocket watches, most notably Patek Philippe, rather than scavenging ebauches. In the 20 years since, new production complicated pocket watches have disappeared from nearly every brand’s catalogue – except for Breguet’s. The Montre de poche 1907BA/12. Image – Breguet Officially the 1907 has only been offered in yellow gold – though white and rose gold examples probably exist as well. Now, to celebrate 250 years of the house of Breguet, the 1907 gets a new look and technical overhaul with the striking Classique Grande Sonnerie Métiers d’Art 1905 in an 18k “Breguet Gold” case. The 1905 is not completely novel, mechanically speaking, as none of Breguet’s launches this year have been...

The A. Lange & Söhne Centennial Tourbillon Comes Home

The 1900 Paris World Exhibition was quite the event. The Grand Palais and Petit Palais were built for the occasion, and visitors could marvel at technological marvels, like the first escalators, the Rue de l’Avenir moving sidewalk, the city’s first metro line, as well as recreations of old Paris and a Swiss village, along with […] Visit The A. Lange & Söhne Centennial Tourbillon Comes Home to read the full article.

In-Depth: Blancpain Grande Double Sonnerie

Blancpain has just unveiled its most complex modern-day watch, the Grande Double Sonnerie, to mark its 190th anniversary. This CHF1.7 million grand complication signals Blancpain’s return to the highest tier of haute horlogerie. One of the most technically ambitious chiming wristwatches ever made, the Grande Double Sonnerie incorporates traditional complications: grande and petite sonnerie, minute repeater, flying tourbillon, and retrograde perpetual calendar, but also offers an unexpected twist with two distinct chiming melodies, a Westminster chime plus a a bespoke sequence composed for Blancpain by Eric Singer of rock band Kiss. Initial thoughts It has been some time since Blancpain unveiled a truly headline-grabbing complication. The manufacture made its name in this arena with the 1735 of 1991, but in the decades since, its output has leaned toward more conventional high-end offerings - perpetual calendars, tourbillons, carrousels, and chiming watches - while its commercial momentum has come largely from the Fifty Fathoms and Villeret triple calendar. The unexpected Grande Double Sonnerie is therefore a reminder of what Blancpain can do at the very top level of watchmaking. The Le Brassus-based manufacture tends to be overlooked when speaking of high horology today, but the Grande Double Sonnerie should remind enthusiasts how sure-footed Blancpain is in this regard. Even before considering the many complexities of the timepiece, the watch impresses from the fir...

First Look – The New Vanguart Black Hole Tourbillon in Rose Gold

Independent watchmaking loves a good origin story, and Vanguart has got one. Founded in 2017 by APRP alumni Axel Leuenberger and Jérémy Freléchox, designer Thierry Fischer and F1-insider Mehmet Korutürk, the brand debuted with the Black Hole Tourbillon in 2021. That first watch featured a levitating flying tourbillon, concentric automaton discs that warp time around […]

Introducing – The New Bell & Ross BR-X3 Tourbillon Micro-Rotor

Bell & Ross alters its flight path to navigate higher altitudes with the release of the new BR-X3 Tourbillon Micro-Rotor. Celebrating technical prowess and transparency, the signature cockpit-inspired watches that form the backbone of the brand make way for a new squadron of high-flying references where time takes a back seat to allow the movement […]

Introducing – A New Edition of the Superb De Bethune Kind of Two Jumping GMT

The De Bethune Kind of Two concept, a pivoting, double-faced case that literally gives you two watches in one, has proven to be one of the brand´s most successful design experiments. The 2021 DB Kind of Two Tourbillon and the 2022 DB Kind of Two Jumping GMT established the format as both an engineering exercise […]

Hands-On: The Daniel Roth Tourbillon In Platinum

The revived brand by LVMH's La Fabrique du Temps goes for a hat trick with a monochromatic take on its tourbillon watch.

Watch Hands: A Guide to the 14 Most Popular Styles

Watch hands are more important to a timepiece's design than you might think. A watch can have the most beautiful dial in the world but it isn't really a watch unless it tells you the time. And while the wide world of watches does offer some intriguing exceptions to the classical analog style that's been established for centuries, the vast majority of timepieces still adheres to that formula: two main hands, one for the hour, one for the minute, sometimes joined by a third for the seconds, pointing to the time on a numbered ring. All watch hands do essentially the same jobs, so one might assume that little thought and creativity goes into designing and crafting such a utilitarian element of horology. One would be mistaken, however, since watchmakers over the years have created numerous hand types, each of which imparts its own distinctive character to a watch's overall aesthetic. Here is a rundown of a dozen of the most significant styles used on watches today, and a little about where each came from and how it got its name. [toc-section heading="Breguet Hands"] Designed by Abraham-Louis Breguet, founder of the eponymous luxury watch maison and inventor of numerous horological devices including the tourbillon, Breguet hands made their first appearance on a watch in 1783, Traditionally crafted in blued steel, they are recognizable for their slim shafts and “hollow moons” near the tips. An indicator of classically elegant design, and often paired with Roman numerals, or...

New: Bell & Ross BR-X3 Tourbillon Micro-Rotor

Bell & Ross unveils the BR-X3 Tourbillon Micro-Rotor in a transparent steel and sapphire case. Release details withour commentary.

Introducing – The Arnold & Son Constant Force 11 Platinum Edition

Friendships matter in life, and what better way to celebrate the bond between two of watchmaking’s greatest individuals than with a tribute watch? Bringing together Abraham-Louis Breguet’s renowned tourbillon escapement and John Arnold’s beloved fusée-and-chain system, lovingly replaced with a constant force mechanism, the Constant Force Tourbillon 11 made a deep impression when launched earlier […]

Fam al Hut x Maison de Revolution Möbius Mark I “Nebula”: The Smallest Bi-Axis Tourbillon Ever Made

A Haute Horlogerie Makeover for the Girard-Perregaux Laureato

Girard-Perregaux (GP) unveils the second chapter of the Laureato’s 50th anniversary with the Laureato Three Gold Bridges Tourbillon. First launched as part of the earlier generation Laureato in the 1990s, the tourbillon has been reimagined with a monochromatic palette in a limited edition of 50 pieces that evokes GP’s golden age as a modern-day manufacture.   Initial thoughts Few tourbillon movements are as iconic as the GP Three Gold Bridges. The concept debuted in a tourbillon pocket watch in 1867 and the manufacture has since adopted the signature arrow-shaped bridge as its logo and even employed the motif in movements without a tourbillon.  Fortunately, the new Laureato is very much a tourbillon; this combination of two icons should please both fans of the brand and enthusiasts alike. The GP9620 tourbillon movement is good example of high-quality, in-house watchmaking, and is evidently constructed and finished to a high standard. Derived from the GP9400 series of movements, the GP9620 features improved finishing and a new monochromatic palette. Remaining true to the original three bridges design, the proprietary calibre retains the visual identity of early GP pocket watch tourbillon movements, including the brand’s iconic tourbillon cage immortalised as its own design by Reinhard Meis in his book Das Tourbillon; very few brands have a tourbillon they can truly call their own. But the movement also incorporates modern amenities like automatic winding – thanks...

Highlights: Magnificent Matched Sets at Phillips Hong Kong

Matching sets are a motif of Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong auction, with the most spectacular being the Concord Saratoga Splendour, a set of four minute repeating, high jewellery wristwatches representing the four precious stones – diamond, sapphire, ruby and emerald – each with a distinct movement made by Christophe Claret. Also on offer is a set of three watches from Glashütte Original with Meissen porcelain dials, and a Patek Philippe Pagoda quartet. Lot 857, a matching pair of Bovets depicting Hong Kong harbour by day and by night. Image – Phillips Such sets enjoyed popularity at the top end of the market during the 1980s and 1990s, often centred around the four precious coloured stones, diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. Perhaps the ultimate example of the matched set is the most complicated Patek Philippe watch, the Calibre 89, that was originally launched as a set of four in yellow, rose, and white gold, and platinum. Unfortunately, many of these sets have since been split up. Can these three escape that fate? Lots 858 to 862 – Concord Saratoga Splendour Set Concord was one of a few brands that saw great, but ephemeral, success during the 1980s and 1990s, in the same vein as Gerald Genta, Ebel, and Corum. In 1995 Concord launched the Saratoga Exor, a minute repeating tourbillon with perpetual calendar and bimetallic thermometer, set with 15.85 carats of baguette diamonds. With a price tag of CHF2 million, it was probably the second most expensive w...

First Look – The New Daniel Roth Tourbillon Platinum Edition

It’s revival season in the watchmaking world, as revered names like Gérald Genta and Daniel Roth find a new lease in the capable hands of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton (LFTLV) manufacture. A pivotal figure in the rebirth of Breguet and the return of high-end mechanical watchmaking, Daniel Roth’s story makes for a fascinating […]

Heavyweight Revival: The Daniel Roth Tourbillon Platinum

Daniel Roth continues its thoughtful return with the Tourbillon Platinum, a contemporary take on the brand’s signature double-ellipse design. While the design remains faithful to the original, the latest version elevates every element, from the crisp pinstripe guilloche to the slightly thinner case. The first platinum model in the brand’s recent history, the watch features the same purpose-built DR001 movement we’ve seen previously, which encapsulates the blend of traditional craft and contemporary styling that defines the brand. Initial thoughts The rebirth of Daniel Roth under the aegis of La Fabrique du Temps (LFT) is something that I’ve followed with interest. With a team led by Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini, contemporaries and friends of Mr Roth, LFT has pulled off the rare feat of a remake that, at least in a tangible sense, exceeds the original. While the romance of a founder-led operation is impossible to fully replicate, it’s difficult to point to any single aspect of the Tourbillon Platinum that isn’t substantively improved compared to the original C187 of 1988. This speaks to the vast resources of LFT, which was able to design a form movement from the ground up to fit the brand’s supremely elegant double-ellipse case. This bespoke development cycle differs from what Mr Roth had to deal with when he became the first independent watchmaker to produce a tourbillon wristwatch in series. By starting over from scratch, LFT was able to produce a thinn...

Eye on the tiger: Gerald Charles unleashes Maestro 9.0 Tourbillon Tiger’s Eye & Maestro 2.0 Ultra-Thin Tiger’s Eye