I always have friends who ask me which watches are fashionable and high-grade, so that others can know at a glance that you can't climb the look, and I can't help but collect some classic and complicated watches to share with you. Everyone should know the four major complications of watches, tourbillon, perpetual calendar, minute repeater, and enamel. Today I would like to share with you the tourbillon.
Patek Philippe is a magnificent old watchmaking brand with an extraordinary history in complications. Today, it remains one of the top complication brands, with Nautilus and ultra-complication watches (such as annual calendars and perpetual calendar chronographs) coming to mind first.
Today we would like to introduce the Patek Philippe 10 Days Tourbillon (ref5101P), which is the world's first tourbillon watch with a decadal power reserve, is currently hard to find in the collector's market. With a "gondolo" rectangular case, it is a rather understated but pleasant piece. The tourbillon can only be seen through the back of the exhibition case, so it is very discreet.
Patek Philippe then went one step further, spending three years developing the new calibre 28-20 222, with a focus on a new decameron. In order to prevent the minute or third gear from obstructing the angle of view of the tourbillon, the entire gear set was reset on the side of the surface. In this regard, the focus of the watch is on the tourbillon, an important part of the bridge. The jeweled glass case back is visible through the caseback: the base plate and its circular brushing, the bridges decorated with Côtes de Genève stripes, the six jewels set in gold holders, the mirror-polished tourbillon bridges, and the tourbillon mechanism that houses the Gyromax balance.
The tourbillon assembly consists of 72 parts with a mass of only 33 grams. After one minute of rotation, the escapement operating at a frequency of <3> Hz is activated.
This watch is a chronometer and bears a certificate issued by the Swiss Official Chronometer and Measurement Bureau and is stamped with the Geneva Quality SealThe case is made of platinum (950) and features a small diamond set between the lugs at 6 o'clock. It is curved so that the 52 mm long body can still be ironed to the wrist;The three-tiered design on the side of the watch gives this watch its elegant lines. The 18-carat gold quaint rose toned surface pays homage to the style of the 1930s. It is numerals in black anomedized Gembell, with a small three-hand disc at 6 o'clock and a 10-day power indicator at 12 o'clock, and is water-resistant to 25 metres.
In addition, the case and dial of the 5101 exude the charm of its own brand. It's a large watch that doesn't fit into a petite wrist, but it makes the most of its expansive space, with an arched case and layered wings. Being a wearable embodiment of high Art Deco is like strapping the Chrysler Building around your wrist.
On the dial side, the willow-shaped gold hands are complemented by Breguet-style Arabic numerals, highlighting the retro-cool simplicity.
The simple "rail" minute scale is clearly visible on the dial. The lower subdial of all models has a dial-side serial number: a serial number starting with a "5" indicates a model bearing the Patek Philippe sealThe "1" or "3" denotes the iconic Geneva movement.
Instead of hundreds, the annual production of any 5101 model is dozens, not hundreds, and the Patek Philippe Decameron Tourbillon Chronometer may produce less than 1,000 pieces.
Platinum 5101P is the original, most widely known, and most prolific model, with probably 300-500 pieces produced. ref.The 5101 is now discontinued and occasionally appears on the secondary market, with estimates starting at $170,000. This particular Patek Philippe is luxurious due to its rarity.
In 2013, the Gondolo 5200 was introduced, marking the end of the Reference 5101 series. While theoretically the successor to the 5101 and 5100, the 5200 is otherwise worth mentioning lacks the opulence, exclusivity, and elegance of its predecessor.
In the past, the Reverso series was one of the regular teams for the Hybris Mechanica to show its talents, after all, its flipping design provided the brand with a stage to show off multiple complications, but in the past, the Reverso Hybris Mechanica was at most flipping three sides of the case to display various functions, but in 2021, the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre For the first time, the 185 pushes the display function of the Flip series to a new level, as it is the first large complication watch in the world that can be displayed on all four sides.
In celebration of the 90th anniversary of the Flip Collection, Jaeger-LeCoultre spent six years creating the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185, which is the brand's signature for this year, both in terms of complexity and multi-faceted display.
Jaeger-LeCoultre crafts the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 from white gold, and measures 51The 2x31mm case, the blue alligator leather strap, and the three horizontal notches on the top and bottom of the case are all familiar settings of the Reverso, and even the front dial of the watch is decorated with Clou de ParisHowever, it is not your average reverso, its flip case has a wonderful side on every side, there is no room for any idle or white space, in a nutshell, Jaeger-LeCoultre has introduced 12 patented technologies into this watch, which allows it to display 11 complications, if you look at the complications contained in a single watch, the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre The 185 is definitely not the limit of Jaeger-LeCoultre's watchmaking expertise, but the creativity of spreading so many functions across four sides is definitely something the brand has never seen before, so let's take a look at what Jaeger-LeCoultre has to offer as a milestone tribute to Reverso's 90th anniversary
First side: Perpetual calendar Flying tourbillon
First of all, the front side of the watch is densely covered with many turntables and windows, the first thing that catches the eye is probably the flying tourbillon at 7 o'clock, reverso is not new to configure the tourbillon, it used to even accommodate the ball tourbillon, this time the flying tourbillon is relatively subtle, but it is still very powerful to improve the accuracy and visual appeal of the watch. As for the other display windows, you can see that there is a large date display next to the tourbillon, a day and month display at 12 o'clock, and a rectangular day and night display and leap year display in the upper left and right corners of the dial.
The second side: Minute repeater mechanism The time of the two places is displayed
The second side of the dial on the back of the model looks no less complex than the first, and several of the components that demonstrate the minute repeater mechanism are here, which can be activated by the wearer via the push-button on the right side of the case. reverso hybris mechanica calibre The 185 is the culmination of Jaeger-LeCoultre's past chiming clocks, such as its crystal gongs fixed to the sapphire crystal, the square facets of the gongs themselves, and the articulated Trébuchet Libra hammer striking the gongs, all of which are unique to Jaeger-LeCoultre's design to make the watch sound clearer and louder. Pauses in time units such as quarter-hours and minutes help to optimize the listening quality of the question watch. In addition to the complex striking components, the right half of the second side also features an off-centre dial with a momentary aperture indicating the hours in the second time and the minutes in the second time in a red indicator.
Third side: Northern Hemisphere moon phase, lunar node cycle and moon perixie cycle, plus month and year
The inside (third side), which was originally used to add some polished decoration to the inside of the case, is now also incorporating astronomical complications. The upper half of the third side is the night sky of the Northern Hemisphere decorated with latitude and longitude, and in the center of this is a laser carved moon pattern, the moon pattern** contains a blue lacquered disc, which will cover the laser moon pattern according to the change of the moon's age, showing the moon's conjunction cycle (that is, what we generally call the moon phase display), the moon phase display of the watch is particularly accurate, and there will only be a one-day error every 1111 years, which means that the next time the moon phase needs to be adjusted is several generations later.
There is a disc in the lower left corner of the third side, with a three-dimensional miniature carved rose gold sun in the center, and a hemispherical moon revolving around it below, the main function of the display here is to indicate when the moon will intersect with the Earth's orbit around the sun, whenever the moon, the earth and the sun are in the same straight line, and the moon is in a new moon or full moon state at that time, there will be a solar eclipse (crescent state) or lunar eclipse (full moon state), which is called the moon's intersection cycle in astronomy.
There is also a disc in the lower right corner of the third side with an enamel dome-shaped earth pattern in the center, and there is an eccentric oval-shaped lunar orbit around the earth, and there is a moon pattern in the orbit, from which it can be seen when the moon will be closest or farthest from the earth, if the former is the former, when the moon is full at that time, there will be the so-called supermoon spectacle (the moon will appear to be 14% larger than the usual full moon), which shows the distance between the earth and the moon as the periaeum period of the moon.
The Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 has set a new record for the three cycles of the moon at the same time, and it not only contains the various cycles of the moon at the same time, but also the month and year below, echoing the perpetual calendar function on the dial.
Fourth side: Southern Hemisphere moon phase
As for the Reverso watch, the back of the case (the fourth side) is usually used for protection, at most with some lettering or patterns to add visual beauty, but in this case, the southern hemisphere moon phase is specially placed to echo the third side, which is shown in a blue gradient lacquer surface, painted with latitude and longitude lines and a starry sky pattern, and only the more traditional round moon phase window is set up near 12 o'clock. The moon phase function of a watch is usually based on the northern hemisphere, so it is relatively rare to have a design that can observe the moon phase of both the southern and northern hemispheres on the same watch.
Jaeger-LeCoultre's watchmaking prowess is on full display in this watch, which has so many complications that the brand has even created its own box through which the owner can quickly set the time information of the watch, even if it has not been used for a long time.
A watch has a four-sided display, at first it would be thought that Jaeger-LeCoultre is not putting two movements in the upper and lower cases, but in fact, the watch only has 185 hand-wound movements, which will protrude from the inside of the case at midnight to trigger the relevant components inside the sub-case, driving all the display mechanisms of the watch, these designs are hidden inside the case, the point is that it does not look particularly heavy, which once again shows Jaeger-LeCoultre's watchmaking skills, but the real-time skills are as deep as Jaeger-LeCoultre, and it took them 6 years to make the reverso The Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 is a watch that is super gorgeous and complex to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the collection.
reverso hybris mechanica calibre 185
18-carat white gold 185 hand-wound calibre minute repeater perpetual calendar moon phase display in the northern and southern hemispheres Lunar cycle display at the intersection point Lunar cycle display at the periapsis point Sapphire crystal water-resistant to 30 meters Diameter 512x31mm limited edition of 10pcs.
Imhof from La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, is in the process of transitioning from clocks to watches. Little known today, this legendary brand is once known for its high-quality clocks, which are displayed on desks, fireplaces and sideboards for admiration.
Collectors who often wander through auction houses and antique shops in search of watch treasures will be familiar with the name imhof.
IMHOF's timepieces encompass a wide range of world timers, perpetual calendars, mystery clocks, ocean-themed astronomical clocks, elaborately decorated enamel clocks, and later alarm clocks and travel clocks. It all stems from Frédéric Imhof's watchmaking dream and the savoir-faire that his family has passed down from him.
Arthur, the founder, sought inspiration for clock design from different historical periods, including the Renaissance, the Baroque, Louis XV and the Empire.
From the 30s to the 60s of the 20th century, the company expanded from a studio of just a few people to a few hundred people. IMHOF also manufactures and services other brands, producing timepieces for some of the biggest names such as Cartier, Bulgari and Bucherer, which is a testament to its reputation for excellence and trustworthiness.
Although IMHOF was gradually withdrawn from production in the 90s of the 20th century, interest in IMHOF timepieces continued unabated. After that, IMHOF continued to work on the restoration and repair of the clock.
The enthusiasm for the IMHOF Manufacture and its products has also led to a revival of the IMHOF brand. In order to maintain the high standards of the IMHOF family, the new team at IMHOF set out to design the first collection of watches as a tribute to the company's founder, Arthur. Based on Swiss state-of-the-art watchmaking technology, they carefully selected two watches for design inspiration from historic timepieces. The two watches feature the family's signature blue and green themes, and feature a unique diamond-shaped dial pattern from the IMHOF family crest, giving you a sense of the brand's unique charm at a glance.
In doing so, the new team has been pushing the brand's design and history into the future with a philosophy that respects its design and history. They believe that only by in-depth understanding of the brand's history and culture can they better inherit and develop this legendary brand.
Carl F. Bucherer and H. Moser & Cie. have collaborated to develop three timepieces: two different versions of the Pioneer Aventurine Tourbillon Concept and the Endeavour Minute Repeater Tourbillon Aventurine Concept.
Carl F. Bucherer, a well-known Swiss retailer with a global presence, was recently acquired by Rolex to make the blue dial a signature feature of its collaboration. While most Carl F. Bucherer exclusive watches feature blue metal dials, these three models feature aventurine glass (also known as goldstone) dials. It is essentially glass with metallic inclusions, giving it a speckled, glittering appearance reminiscent of the night sky.
The combination of red gold and dark blue dials subtly matches the respective aesthetics of Carl F. Bucherer and Moser. The collaboration continues the retailer's tradition of unique blue-themed exclusives, which are variations of familiar models.
It is worth noting that all three timepieces are derived from models from Moser's existing product range, which includes aventurine dials. In addition, the movements, namely the HMC 904 and HMC 804 tourbillons with interrogators, remain unchanged. While this reflects the collaborative effort between Carl F. Bucherer and Moser, it raises the question of whether the two entities can explore greater imaginative potential.
That said, the aventurine dials are attractive, although their ** is also very high. For example, the Pioneer Aventurine Tourbillon Concept is priced at $71,500, while the standard version without an aventurine dial costs $65,900. For the Ende**Our Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon, the difference is minor at just $9,000.
Bucherer launched the first Carl F. Bucherer Blue collection in 2016, a major move for the watch industry. At the time, the plan involved working with nine watchmakers to create timepieces in this unique hue, exclusively in Carl F. Bucherer boutiques**. A recent collaboration with Moser has resulted in three watches, each with a fascinating feature – the dial is made of midnight blue aventurine glass without any branding.
Limited to 18 pieces worldwide, the Pioneer Tourbillon Concept Aventurine features a case made from 18k red gold and DLC-coated titanium to match the midnight blue dial. The bimetallic case has a similar visual effect to rose gold and tantalum, but is lower.
The flying tourbillon features a skeleton bridge at six o'clock and completes a full rotation every 60 seconds. The leaf-shaped hands with Super-LumiNova's luminous material ensure legibility, especially on a clean dial.
Limited to two pieces, the Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon Aventurine has an understated yet striking design.
Equipped with a minute repeater and a tourbillon, this movement is a fine example of Moser's precision watchmaking, all with the help of complication specialist Manufactures Hautes Complications (MHC). The integration of a minute repeater into the dial is in keeping with the company's minimalist philosophy, while the movement boasts an impressive 90-hour power reserve.
The standout of the trilogy is the unique Ende**Our Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon Aventurine Diamond Watch, which features an 18k white gold case adorned with 85 baguette-cut diamonds totalling 495 carats. The diamond-encrusted crown adds an extra touch of luxury to this unique timepiece, which is powered by the same HMC 904 calibre as the aforementioned watch.
a new swing on the inclined tourbillon.
A new oscillation on a tilting tourbillon.
Earlier this summer, Greubel Forsey announced his eighth "fundamental invention", followed by the introduction of the tourbillon universal wheel, which features a 16-second tilting tourbillon suspended from a set of gimbal joints. For nerds: the tourbillon is suspended in a mechanized gimbal, driven by a tourbillon for fixed oscillations, instead of a free-spinning gimbal, with differential gears.
Although attention has recently focused on sports watches, the Tourbillon Gimbal is a reminder that no one can produce oversized, overengineered watches like Greubel Forsey. The tourbillon gimbal feels like a bridge between the brand's past and its future, indicating that the tourbillon gimbal has been in development for several years.
The tourbillon's sportiness and visual appeal, large size and traditional case shape are reminiscent of Greubel Forsey of the past few years, while the minimalist aesthetic and choice of titanium case material are clear signs of the brand's future trajectory.
As impressive as impressive, a rotating tourbillon is not an entirely new idea. Zenith's catalogue used to include a dual-axis gimbal escapement, which was more complex than the tourbillon gimbal, but because of this complexity it led to mediocre reliability.
Greubel Forsey designed the gimbal in a more concise way, oscillating in a fixed motion by the rotation of the tourbillon. This eliminates the need for the free rotation aspect of differential gears, so this execution seems more robust in terms of functionality, but also simpler.
Priced at CHF 470,000, the tourbillon spinner is at the top of Greubel Forsie's current collection. At this level, "value" is not the first word that comes to mind, but as an expression of the highest technical watchmaking, a watch like the tourbillon gimbal has few rivals. While not strictly a limited edition, production will be limited to 11 pieces per year for the next five years.
The tourbillon spinner is huge in size and impressive both technically and aesthetically. It comes in a titanium case with a bezel size of 46mm and a thickness of 18 including the domed sapphire crystal glass15 mm (case height is 13.)81 mm thick).
Of course, the tourbillon gimbal is inspired by the Greubel Forsey brand, which is a combination of traditional methods and contemporary aesthetics. Despite its monochrome appearance, the movement offers a satisfying array of contrasting textures, from a hand-brushed titanium motherboard to a barrel-polished arch on a tourbillon cageThis arch alone requires 30 hours of hand polishing.
However, the raison d'être of this large watch is precisely what the brand calls its eighth fundamental invention: a pair of gimbals arranged at 90°, tilted back and forth every 48 seconds, driven by the rotation of the tourbillon to optimize the position of the brand's signature 30° high-speed tourbillon.
Unlike conventional gimbals, which keep the object level, they oscillate between +30° and -30° and are synchronized with the position of the tourbillon. Since the upper tourbillon bridge is movable and tilts back and forth in the swivel, it gives the tourbillon a unique aesthetic reminiscent of the brand's first fundamental invention: the double tourbillon 30°.
For any new technological innovation in watchmaking, it is reasonable to question its practical benefits. In other words, does the increase in timing performance compensate for the extra complexity?Tourbillons, in particular, increase the inertia of the system, consuming energy that could otherwise be allocated to heavier or higher frequency oscillators. For fast-rotating cages, these effects are more complex.
The brand overcame this challenge with strength and skill. In terms of power, Greubel Forsey engineers are equipped with four coaxial tandem barrels that provide 80 hours of stable energy. These barrels spin fast every 2One full turn in 7 hours. This reduces the adhesion of the mainspring, resulting in a smoother power transfer. As a feature of the brand's movements, a barrel is equipped with a sliding mainspring to prevent accidental damage from overwinding;A welcome security feature.
In terms of fineness, the tourbillon cage has been reduced to just 092 grams;This is an impressive number, as it contains 1. developed for the Signature 12Large 6 mm balance. The proprietary balance wheel is manufactured in-house according to the brand's own design, supplied with 189 mg.CM2 of inertia, suitable for a healthy balanced power of 198 microwatts.
Although we have not yet verified the chronograph data of the tourbillon gimbal, the technical characteristics of this movement are very promising and show that it has excellent real-world performance. In addition, Greubel Forsey attached great importance to chronometric technology, and in 2011 won the short-lived Concours de Chronométrie competition with a watch of equal complication.
When the Breguet unveiled the Marine Tourbillon 5577, many people's first reaction was probably this: Hey, haven't there been tourbillons in the Marine collection before?The Marine Tourbillon Équation Marchante 5887, which debuted in 2017 as the first wave of the Marine collection, is a complication that combines a perpetual calendar and a tourbillon with the equation of time, and is also a representative of the introduction of a new generation of sporty style to the collection. The new Marine Tourbillon 5577 is the first pure tourbillon watch in the series, and it can also be seen as another tribute to the invention of the tourbillon by the brand's founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet.
Platinum Calibre 581 Automatic Hours, Minutes, Small Seconds Tourbillon Mechanism Sapphire crystal, transparent caseback, Water-resistant to 100 metres, Diameter 425mm
18-carat rose gold Calibre 581 Automatic Hours, minutes, small seconds Tourbillon mechanism Sapphire crystal, transparent caseback, Water-resistant to 100 metres, Diameter 425mm
Instead of the machine-engraved wave pattern common to its predecessors, the new dial follows the sunburst gold dial introduced by Breguet in earlier years, with a navy blue dial in platinum and an anthracite grey dial in 18-carat rose gold, with luminescent indices and skeleton gold Breguet hands. This design is more dynamic and highlights the simplicity of the style, leaving the focus of the eye on the off-centre tourbillon at 5 o'clock.
The two new models feature a sunburst gold dial with a clean and simple look that leaves the focus of attention to the off-centre tourbillon at 5 o'clock.
As we all know, the tourbillon was invented on June 26, 1801 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, also known as Monsieur Breguet. By mounting the entire escapement on a freely movable cage and allowing the cage to rotate once per minute, he counteracts the interference of gravity with the regular movement of the watch movement. It was on this basis that he eventually invented the world-famous tourbillon.
On this case, the tourbillon at 5 o'clock rotates every 60 seconds to display the small seconds, and the hours and minutes are also driven by the automatic 581 movement. This movement is made up of 334 parts, oscillates at a frequency of 4 Hz, has a power reserve of 80 hours, and features an outer ring rotor with a thickness of only 3 mm, which also makes the entire watch only 935mm thickness. The collection's characteristic numismatic pattern can also be seen on the side of the case, which is full of delicate texture.
The 581 automatic calibre is equipped with an outer ring rotor with a thickness of only 3 mm, resulting in an ultra-thin design of only 9Case thickness of 35mm.
Of course, the marine theme of the Marine collection has also been retained on this watch, but in the form of a hidden interior on the side of the visible movement. The sapphire crystal case back reveals the movement's delicate finishes, including the compass rose motif on the barrel and the straight stripes on the bridges, reminiscent of the wooden decks of a sailboat. In addition, this movement features Breguet's innovative technology, a silicon-made cage and balance spring, which are resistant to corrosion, wear and magnetic fields.
The sapphire crystal case back reveals delicate finishes such as the compass rose motif on the clockwork drum and the straight stripe pattern on the bridges.
In addition to the sporty midnight blue or brown rubber straps, the two new models can be fitted with a generous alligator leather strap of the same colour, or a versatile platinum or rose gold bracelet for a different look.
The platinum version can be paired with a midnight blue rubber strap, an alligator leather strap or a platinum braceletThe pink gold version is available with a brown rubber strap, an alligator leather strap or a rose gold bracelet.