On 26th June 1801, Abraham-Louis Breguet filed a patent for the creation of the first tourbillon. To mark this date, Swiss luxury watch brand Breguet unveils a special timepiece from the Tradition collection.
Tourbillon is one of the most greatly appreciated horological mechanisms as it reveals the heart of the watch. The new Breguet Tradition Tourbillon 7047 watch in platinum houses the fusée-chain tourbillon transmission mechanism for optimising the regularity of the watch’s operation by guaranteeing its constant torque, whatever its winding level is.
When the barrel is fully wound, it delivers its maximum force. The chain then acts on the top of the fusée and therefore on its smallest circumference. As the chain unwinds, its torque decreases yet acts in parallel on the widest part of the fusée – its base – thus ensuring the constant force of the energy is delivered.
The fusée-chain tourbillon mechanism appears sprinkled with touches of blue. Various treatments have been used on all the components in order to achieve visual uniformity: the tourbillon carriage and the dial are covered with blue coatings, while the chain links are thermally blued. This new feature reflects the aesthetics of the Tradition Quantième Rétrograde 7597 launched in May and elegantly plays with blue and slate grey contrasts.
The new Tourbillon 7047 boasts the “Clous de Paris” guilloché pattern on its off-centre gold dial, the traditional Roman numerals and the open-tipped hands. Like the watches that inspired it, its dial is secured by three screws.
This 41 mm platinum watch houses the Calibre 569, a rhodium-plated hand-wound movement housing 542 components. It is equipped with an inverted in-line lever escapement featuring horns made of silicon, as too is the Breguet balance-spring.
The balance of the Tradition Tourbillon 7047 oscillates at a frequency of 2.5 Hz. This movement provides a 50-hour power reserve.
The new Tradition Tourbillon 7047 watch is fitted with a midnight blue alligator leather strap secured by a triple-blade platinum folding clasp.
Technical details
Model: Breguet Tradition Tourbillon 7047 Platinum
Case
Platinum
Diameter: 41 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Water resistance: 3 bar (30 m)
Dial
Off-centred blue dial in hand-guilloché gold
Movement
Calibre 569
Hand-wound
Balance-spring: Breguet type, in silicon
Carriage: Titanium
Frequency: 2.5 Hz
Power reserve: 50 hours
Components: 542
Hermès has created a unique tourbillon minute repeater pocket watch that combines artistic techniques like engraving and enamelling with complex horological mechanisms.
The unique Arceau Pocket cheval punk reveals a playful alliance of craftsmanship and fine watchmaking. Its open-worked white gold cover, adorned with an engraved equestrian profile painted in miniature enamel, frames a champlevé enamelled dial and a Hermès tourbillon minute repeater movement.
The punk horse motif is drawn from a men’s silk scarf designed by Daiske Nomura in 2021. The Japanese designer illustrator, who loves to divert and stage the company’s emblems, was inspired by a figurine from the Emile Hermès collection: a horse whose thick mane evokes a punk crest.
The artist has mixed in numerous elements from the museum in a whimsical and futuristic interpretation of the Hermès universe.
Fashioned in white gold, the horse with its flamboyant crest, harness and tattoo combines several demanding techniques and gives a glimpse of movement. Hundreds of hours of meticulous work bring the silhouette to life beneath under the burins and chisels of the master engraver, before being painted in miniature enamel.
Its slim cut-out then reveals an equally meticulous creation: a crisscrossed gold dial crafted in champlevé enamel. To achieve this, the artisan applies several layers of coloured glass powders mixed with natural oils to the engraved cavities, which are successively dried and fired in the kiln.
The cheval punk watch comes in an elegant round white gold case measuring 48 mm in diameter. It is equipped with the Hermès H1924 tourbillon minute repeater movement. An abyss blue alligator strap is attached to the rectangular stirrup and highlights the deep nuances of the decoration.
Technical details
Model: Hermès ARCEAU Pocket cheval punk
One-of-a-kind creation
Movement
Manufacture Hermès H1924 movement
Mechanical hand-wound, Swiss made
Diameter: 30 mm (13 ¼ ‘’’)
Thickness: 6.1 mm
Power reserve: 90 hours
Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz)
Functions: minute repeater, hours, minutes
Case
Shape/size: Round, 48 mm diameter
Material: White gold
Glass: Anti-glare sapphire crystal and case-back
Water resistance: q3 bar
Cover
Cover in engraved and miniature-enamel painted white gold
Dial
Dial in champlevé enamelled white gold
Orange transferred saddle-stitched motif
Issued in a numbered 24-piece limited series, the Arceau Lift tourbillon répétition minutes so black watch by Hermès features a black grand feu enamel dial revealing part of its captivating mechanism.
It combines two magnificent horological complications. The complex mechanism of the double-gong minute repeater can be admired through the horse-shaped dial cut-out. The flying tourbillon is revealed through a round aperture at 6 o’clock.
The double-H tourbillon structure of the ARCEAU Lift Tourbillon Répétition Minutes So Black watch is inspired by an emblematic motif of the Hermès boutique in the Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. This distinctive design surmounting the carriage and barrel bridge echoes the shape of the wrought iron adorning the entrance, railings, staircase and elevator of the Parisian establishment.
The dial cut-outs and the sapphire case-back reveal the Manufacture Hermès H1924 mechanical hand-wound movement ensuring a crystal-clear chime for the minute repeater. The titanium case measuring 43 mm in diameter is fitted on a matt black alligator strap.
Technical details
Model: Hermès ARCEAU Lift Tourbillon Répétition Minutes So Black
Edition
Numbered 24-piece limited edition
Movement
Manufacture Hermès H1924 movement
Mechanical hand-wound, Swiss made
Diameter: 30 mm (13 ¼ ‘’’)
Thickness: 8.89 mm
Power reserve: 80 hours
Frequency: 21,600 vph (3Hz)
Functions: minute repeater chiming on two gongs, hours, minutes
Distinctive feature: flying tourbillon
Case
Shape/size: round, 43 mm in diameter
Material: titanium
Glass: anti-glare sapphire crystal and case-back
Water resistance: 3 bar
This ArtyA Complication watch comes with a fully 18k gold case with the exclusive Double Barrel Manufacture Flying Tourbillon movement. This magnificent mechanism was created in collaboration with Franck Orny.
As an expression of ArtyA’s horological grammar, the Purity Tourbillon displays a technical inventiveness that combines a maverick style with visual clarity. A beautifully balanced architectural ensemble, the manually wound caliber features an over-sized flying tourbillon with a diameter of 17 mm which is at least 50% larger than most existing tourbillons.
Since the ArtyA Purity tourbillon beats at a rate of 4 HZ, extraordinary accuracy and greater stability are achieved through a much higher frequency than many other high-end Swiss tourbillons (usually 2 or 3HZ).
The two barrels connected in parallel provide a power-reserve of 70 hours. The movement operates the central hour and minute hands while the indication of the seconds is elegantly displayed on the flying tourbillon that rotates 360 degrees in 60 seconds.
Mounting the barrels in parallel reduces the thickness of the spring for more stable torque. But also improves the delta of the barrel spring curve, with an ideal ratio between power reserve, performance and regularity.
ArtyA has chosen to manufacture this timepiece with a free-sprung balance with variable inertia. This type of balance wheel represents the ultimate in innovation. It guarantees greater reliability when subjected to shocks and during movement assembly or disassembly, hence better chronometric results over time.
Each part of the movement is delicately beveled and polished by hand for an extreme skeletonizing.
The skeletonized bridges were subjected to intensive and complete validation tests to optimize their resistance capacities.
Technical details
Model: ArtyA Gold Purity Tourbillon
Movement
ArtyA Exclusive Double Barrel Tourbillon movement
Skeletonized design
Very high chronometric reliability due to the torque of the double barrels 4 H
The Tourbillon is 50% bigger than most of the other brands, with a diameter of 17 mm
Power reserve: 70h
Functions
Hour, Minutes, Seconds on flying tourbillon
Case
18k gold
Size: 44 mm
Case back: open and screwed
18k gold crown
Water resistance to 30 meters
With the Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon Aqua Blue, H. Moser & Cie. presents one of the most traditional and romantic watch complications and combines it with a magnificent flying tourbillon.
Drawing attention to the minute repeater mechanism, it has taken the bold decision to position the two shaped gongs and the hammers on the dial side, in a brand-new design. This involved overcoming many technical challenges. In particular, the chimes had to be curved so as not to interfere with the flying tourbillon and keep the design understated.
The H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon Aqua Blue watch features a 40 mm diameter case in red gold or titanium. This specially designed case architecture optimizes the sound and achieves the perfect balance between volume, resonance and harmony. The case middle has been widened to the maximum in order to accommodate the movement while allowing enough space to create a soundbox.
This amplifies the chiming of hours, quarter-hours and minutes by two gongs, onto which fall two hammers that are raised based on information provided by different feeler-spindles.
The Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon Aqua Blue has been designed to retain classic, perfectly balanced dimensions and proportions.
At six o’clock, the one-minute flying tourbillon is visible behind a skeletonised bridge. Boldly contemporary, the tourbillon appears to float weightlessly above the “Grand Feu” enamel dial.
Starting with a pattern engrained onto a gold base, as if hammered, four different colour pigments are washed, finely crushed, then applied to create an ombré effect. It took approximately one hour of careful work for the master enameller to painstakingly apply the pigments, adding them one by one so that the colours oxidise and meld together when heated in the furnace, without any pixellation. A translucent “Grand Feu” enamel dial must be fired twelve times in total to create the signature H. Moser & Cie. fumé effect.
Each dial is unique and has a particularly striking texture and an intense Aqua Blue hue. The watch dial comes with no logo or indices. The magnificent HMC 904 hand-wound calibre can be admired through the sapphire crystal case back.
Technical details
Model: H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon Aqua Blue
References
Reference 1904-0400, 18-carat red gold model, Aqua Blue fumé dial, brown alligator leather strap, limited edition of 20 pieces
Reference 1904-0500, titanium model, Aqua Blue fumé dial, black alligator leather strap, limited edition of 20 pieces
Case
18-carat red gold or titanium
Diameter: 40.0 mm/height: 13.5 mm
Sapphire crystal
Sliding bolt with runner made from Teflon
See-through sapphire crystal case back
Crown adorned with an “M”
Dial
Aqua Blue fumé “Grand Feu” enamel with hammered texture
Hammers and chimes on dial side
Leaf-shaped hour and minute hands
Movement
HMC 904 hand-wound calibre, partially skeletonised
Diameter: 33.0 mm/height: 9.62 mm
Frequency: 21,600 Vib/h
35 jewels
Power reserve: 90 hours
Double Moser stripes on the plate and bridges
Movement and components hand-finished and decorated
One-minute flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock with skeletonised bridge
Minute repeater
Functions
Hours and minutes
Minute repeater with hour, quarter-hour and minute chimes
Strap
Hand-stitched alligator leather
Red gold or titanium pin buckle, engraved with the Moser logo
With this new skeleton watch, Schaffhausen-based Manufacture H. Moser & Cie. has taken a new approach to its cylindrical tourbillon movement.
Made of stainless steel, the Pioneer case measures 42.8 mm diameter. Fitted with sapphire crystal glasses on the front and back, the Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton showcases the magnificent HMC 811 three-dimensional Manufacture calibre.
This large, fully skeletonised movement with a 34 mm diameter incorporates the one-minute flying tourbillon, equipped with a cylindrical hairspring at 6 o’clock. Invented in the 18th century, the cylindrical hairspring rises perpendicularly around the upper stem of the balance spindle.
A frequent feature on marine chronometers at the time, it offers the advantage of developing concentrically. Thanks to the cylindrical hairspring, fitted with two Breguet curves attached at two points, friction on the pivots is reduced and the isochronal properties improved, even more when the hairspring is combined with a tourbillon as is the case here.
The cylindrical hairsprings used with this collection have been manufactured by Precision Engineering AG, H. Moser & Cie.’s sister company. Each cylindrical hairspring is shaped by hand, taking ten times longer to produce than a traditional hairspring.
At 12 o’clock, a small, domed sub-dial reflects the curve of the sapphire crystal and features the company’s signature colour, Funky Blue fumé. The white H. Moser & Cie. logo has a certain subtlety about it, while the indices are much bolder: created using Globolight®, a ceramic-based material containing Super-LumiNova®, these add to the three-dimensional nature of the piece, as do the inserts which top the hour and minute hands, also in Globolight®.
A skeleton model of the new HMC 811 calibre is used here, on both the front and the reverse side, where a large, gold and fully open rotor oscillates. The flying tourbillon twirls gracefully under the domed sapphire crystal.
The Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton represents an important step for H. Moser & Cie., as it enters the skeleton watch segment and defines its own principles for this type of watchmaking.
The H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton model features a black alligator leather strap, but can also be worn with a steel, rubber, textile or kudu leather strap, providing a variety of options. The watch is water-resistant to 12 ATM.
Technical details
Model: H. Moser & Cie. Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton
Reference 3811-1200, steel model, Funky Blue fumé domed sub-dial, black alligator leather strap
Case
Steel topped by a slightly domed sapphire crystal
Diameter: 42.8 mm
Height without sapphire crystal: 11.7 mm
Height with sapphire crystal: 15.3 mm
Screw-in crown adorned with an engraved “M”
See-through case back
Water-resistant to 12 ATM
Dial
Funky Blue fumé domed sub-dial with sunburst pattern at 12 o’clock
Skeletonised dial
Indices in Globolight®
Hour and minute hands with Globolight® inserts
Movement
Fully skeletonised HMC 811, self-winding, three-dimensional Manufacture calibre
Diameter: 34.0 mm or 15 lignes/height: 5.5 mm (without hands or tourbillon)
Frequency: 21,600 Vib/h
28 jewels
171 components
Automatic bi-directional pawl winding system
Gold, fully skeletonised oscillating weight
Power reserve: minimum 74 hours
Cylindrical hairspring with 2 Breguet curves
One-minute flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock with skeletonised bridge; hand-bevelled balance bridge
Diamond bevelling
Main plate and bridges with anthracite PVD finish
Functions
Hours and minutes
Strap
Black alligator leather strap, hand-stitched
Steel folding clasp, engraved with the Moser logo
Chopard expands its L.U.C Haute Horlogerie collection by introducing a multi complication timepiece incorporating the brand’s emblematic striking minute repeater mechanism and tourbillon. Limited to 20 pieces, this watch features an ethical 18-carat rose gold case.
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the L.U.C collection, the L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon model is one of the most sophisticated and most innovative Grand Complication watches ever created to date.
It follows in the footsteps of Chopard’s L.U.C Full Strike minute repeater timepieces, of which the first ethical rose gold edition was awarded the “Aiguille d’Or” best-in-show award at the 2017 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. These timepieces feature a unique Chopard-patented system in which the gongs and sapphire crystal form a single entity, which resonates in its entirety to produce the chime.
Dressed in a 42.5 mm diameter and 12.58 mm thick case, the L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon is distinguished by well-balanced proportions contributing to the characteristic elegance of the L.U.C collection. With its interplay of grey and gold colours between the case and strap, dial and hands, as well as between the movement’s steel and nickel silver components, this watch flaunts its aesthetic perfection at every level.
For the first time in the history of the Full Strike, the L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon model has an almost entirely solid dial. Instead of broadly revealing the watch’s internal mechanisms, it reserves its openings for the two horological complications that make this piece so special.
The first cut-out between 9 and 11 o’clock, highlights the two mirror-polished steel hammers whose striking generates the chime. The other, at 6 o’clock, reveals the tourbillon of the L.U.C 08.02-L calibre.
Thanks to a cross-through sapphire crystal tourbillon bridge, nothing obscures the view of the spiral-shaped carriage bridge. The final touch, made possible by the use of sapphire with its multiple properties, lies in the four rounded notches. This L.U.C signature tourbillon bridge is derived from a design by the founder of the Maison, Louis-Ulysse Chopard.
The dial is made from a base plate in solid gold and this material remains visible along the openings, featuring mirror-polished edges. It also features a hand-guilloché radiating floral pattern belonging to the collection’s aesthetic repertoire that is then ruthenium grey-coloured by means of a galvanic treatment.
It is complemented by applied Roman numeral hour-markers and hands, all of which are gilded in a rose gold matching the case. The latter, like all Chopard’s watch and jewellery creations since 2018, is crafted from ethical gold.
Chopard Manufacture watchmakers have placed the tourbillon of the L.U.C 08.02-L calibre at 6 o’clock, beneath the seconds hand. Its high-quality steel carriage picks up the distinctive spiral design – a signature of L.U.C tourbillons.
This regulator further enhances the precision of the movement, a subject to which Chopard’s Co-President, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, takes a resolutely uncompromising approach. It combats the adverse effects of gravity on the balance-spring and escapement by placing them in a variety of spatial positions.
The tourbillon placed on the Chopard Manufacture minute repeater mechanism thereby contributes to the extreme precision of L.U.C Calibre 08.02-L as well as to the obtention of chronometer certification from the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute.
The L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon is not a mere modification of the L.U.C Full Strike. Moving from a calibre comprising 533 components to one with 568 is not an addition, but a revolution. The decision to include a tourbillon regulator required a complete development process that involved rethinking interactions and layouts.
With such a delicate complication subject to as many parameters as the minute repeater, the Chopard Manufacture workshops had to ensure that this tourbillon would not in any way modify the acoustic qualities of the chime.
This equilibrium is preserved by the sapphire gongs that are all-of-a-piece with the watch glass, which acts as a resonator. Moreover, the fact that the minute repeater has its own barrel naturally eliminates any energy-related interference, while the presence of the tourbillon does not alter the striking reserve.
L.U.C Calibre 08.02-L inherits the unprecedented advances featured in the L.U.C 08.01-L: the first minute repeater movement introduced by Chopard Manufacture in 2016. In addition to its resonant structure, whose role is taken on by the sapphire crystal, several innovative technical systems have been added.
It also benefits from the innovations introduced in L.U.C Calibre 02.01-L in 2003. A total of seven are the subject of patents. In a minute repeater mechanism, the energy used by the strikework is provided each time the arming lever is activated.
Here, the energy comes from a separate, dedicated barrel wound directly by the crown. It enables the L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon to chime a maximum of 12 times the most complex and energy-intensive time: namely 12 hours and 59 minutes.
This exceptional power reserve is due to several factors. Benefiting from a patented clutch-lever device, it ensures that the strikework gear train is blocked to avoid losing power reserve during the information capture that controls the minute repeater.
Keen to preserve the user-friendliness of the minute repeater and to make its operation as secure as possible, Chopard Manufacture has introduced a number of innovative systems. Thus, if the barrel no longer has sufficient force to power the minute repeater, a safety mechanism blocks its release. In addition, Chopard has filed a patent for a new strikework-activation device. As soon as it is activated, the pusher is disengaged, thereby making it impossible to disturb the running of the minute repeater or to damage it.
So as to optimise and perpetuate the acoustic richness of the monobloc sapphire crystal/gong system derived from the L.U.C Full Strike, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele has initiated a new approach. In 2018, while attending a concert given by violinist Renaud Capuçon, he realised that a minute repeater watch should be designed as a musical instrument and should deliver something more – namely emotion.
Renaud Capuçon is a virtuoso of his time as well as a specialist in acoustics and sound – just like his brother, cellist Gautier Capuçon. Both play instruments that are several hundred years old and which embody a perfection and uniqueness that have stood the test of time.
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele decided to call upon the two soloists to join forces with Professor Romain Boulandet – head of the Applied Acoustics Laboratory at Geneva’s HEPIA engineering school – whose work in an anechoic chamber perfectly isolated from noise pollution has demonstrated that the sound of Chopard’s minute repeater is powerful, harmonious and crystal clear.
Together, these experts have combined their skill and knowledge to conduct an analysis that goes beyond the purely measurable criteria of acoustics to enter another dimension: that of sound as perceived by the listener. The L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon timepiece benefits from their analysis and their contribution, both scientific and emotional.
Thanks to Chopard’s unalterable sapphire gongs, the sound of the L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon is unchanging, stemming from the orchestration of complementary talents: Karl-Friedrich Scheufele for watchmaking precision; Renaud and Gautier Capuçon for artistic and emotional endorsement; and Romain Boulandet for scientific expertise.
Technical details
Model: Chopard L.U.C Full Strike Tourbillon
Ref. 161987-5001
Edition
Numbered 20-piece limited edition in ethical 18-carat rose gold
Case
Ethical 18-carat rose gold
Total diameter 42.5 mm
Thickness 12.58 mm
Crown with integrated strikework pusher in ethical 18-carat rose gold with L.U.C logo 8.80 mm
Vertical satin-brushed caseband
Polished bezel and case-back, hand-engraved case-back
Exhibition back with sapphire crystal
Movement
Mechanical hand-wound L.U.C 08.02-L
Number of components: 568
Total diameter: 37.20 mm
Thickness: 8.90 mm
Number of jewels: 61
Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 50 hours
Mainplate and bridges in untreated nickel silver
Bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève motif
Chopard-patented one-minute tourbillon regulator equipped with a Chopard-patented monobloc pallet-lever
Minute repeater
Chopard-patented monobloc sapphire crystal and gongs
Chopard-patented variable-inertia balance
Chopard-patented clutch-lever device serving to block the strikework so as to avoid losing power reserve during information capture
Chopard-patented dedicated ratchet-driving mechanism serving to avoid pauses during chiming
Strikework-activation device serving to act on the pusher whether while it is chiming or not, in normal, low, continuous or fast mode (Patent pending)
Balance-spring with Phillips terminal curve
Chronometer-certified by the COSC
Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark
Dial
Dial in ruthenium grey hand-guilloché 18-carat rose gold
Chapter ring with snailed concentric circle pattern
Applied gilded Roman numerals
White transferred power-reserve graduations
Gilded Dauphine fusée-type hours and minutes hands
Gilded baton-type small seconds hand
Gilded baton-type power-reserve and strikework power-reserve hands
Railway-type minutes track engraved on the sapphire crystal
Tourbillon bridge in glare-proofed sapphire crystal
Functions
Minute repeater striking sapphire gongs (Chopard-patented system)
Tourbillon with small seconds display at 6 o’clock
Central display of the hours and minutes
Concentric display of the watch and strikework power reserves at 2 o’clock
Stop-seconds function
Strap
Strap in hand-sewn grey alligator leather with grey alligator lining
Folding clasp in polished and satin-brushed ethical 18-carat rose gold
The Excalibur Knights of the Round Table is an iconic watch collection from the Geneva based Hyper Horology atelier Roger Dubuis. Inspired by the medieval legend, this series combines combine artistic mastery, horological craftsmanship and contemporary design. It now welcomes a new edition endowed with the emblematic Monotourbillon mechanism.
The very recognizable face of the Excalibur Knights of the Round Table watch is made of twelve micro-sculptures – the Knights – placed around a dial – the Table. The Knights are handcrafted in Pink Gold 750/1000 and represent the 12 characters involved in the quest. Each knight is just 6mm tall, created with his own personality and equipped with armour.
The table is made of gems or precious materials or materials requiring specific techniques, and symbolizes the unity and equality of the Knights. The watch houses an exceptional automatic calibre, manufactured in the Roger Dubuis workshops and certified by the Poinçon de Genève, one of the most demanding certifications in Haute Horlogerie.
In this new watch, the Knights of the Round Table levels up by offering a central monotourbillon calibre. The monotourbillon emerges from the center table. It is a new calibre specifically developed for this timepiece and certified by the Poinçon de Genève.
The centre table is made of crystal sapphire with color blocks in purple hues. The hands are also made of rotating crystal sapphire discs. The two gold markers indicate the position of the minute and hour with perfectly centred rotating discs. The translucent purple blocks are carved from Murano glass. They appear to levitate around the Monotourbillon. The double surfaced flange is carved from a single block of Murano glass too.
In keeping with the design, and to respect the position of the knight at 3 o’clock, the setting system is decentred to a position at 2 o’clock. Push down on this function and a small red flag indicates that the timepiece has moved from winding to setting mode.
The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Knights of the Round Table Monotourbillon features a 45mm diameter Pink Gold 750/1000 case sealed by a notched bezel. The timepiece comes with an embossed black calf-leather strap.
Technical details
Model: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Knights of the Round Table Monotourbillon
RDDBEX1025 – KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE MT/X
Movement
Caliber RD115
Manual-winding mechanical movement with flying Monotourbillon
Central flying monotourbillon with variable inertia balance wheel, including 72 hours of power reserve
Finishing: Shot-blasted, trued-up and circular grained plate and bridges with NAC coating
Frequency: 3 Hz / 21’600 Vibrations per Hour
Power reserve: 72 Hours
Diameter lines: 16
Thickness: 12.2 Millimeters
Number of pieces: 277
Number of rubies: 29
Functions
Hour, minute
Flying Monotourbillon
Case
Pink gold case with sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
Pink gold open case back with sapphire crystal and metallization
Pink gold bezel with sapphire crystal ring
Pink gold crown with Murano glass ring
Diameter: 45 Millimeters
Water resistance: 3 BAR (30m)
Dial
Sapphire crystal centre table with color blocks made of Murano glass
12 micro-sculpted knights in pink gold, representing the 12 knights involved in the Quest
Double surface flange in Murano glass with polished pink gold hour markers
Rotating sapphire crystal discs with golden blocks as hour and minute hands
Strap
3D calf leather strap, interchangeable with Quick Release System – QRS
Buckle
Pink gold cover 750/1000 with titanium blades, triple folding, interchangeable with Quick Release System – QRS
Edition
Limited edition of 8 pieces
Boutique Exclusive
In 2021, Roger Dubuis introduced the new evolution of the Excalibur Double Tourbillon watch. Now, the Geneva based high horology Maison unveils its latest variation in radiant black ceramic.
This new ceramic watch is driven by the Roger Dubuis RD108 mechanical calibre. Boasting two signature tourbillons, this enhanced horological engine represents a feat of enhanced precision and technical prowess. Both tourbillons are rebuilt with lighter materials and an enhanced differential to maximise the transmission of energy.
Its tourbillon lower carriage is made in titanium for improving energy efficiency and upper tourbillon carriage in cobalt chrome for better finishing: mirror polish. Both titanium and cobalt chrome are anti-magnetic. Manually wind, the RD108 calibre offers an impressive power reserve of 72 hours.
This extremely complex mechanical skeleton movement’s sense of transparency and 3D depth is heighted by the Roger Dubuis star levitating freely above the barrel. Clean cut lines on both the 45mm case and movement create its strong visual identity and give the impression of a thinner look and feel.
This dynamic aesthetic is amplified by its decorations, hand-finished with precision and rewarded with the Poinçon de Geneve; one of the most demanding signatures in fine watchmaking.
Hyper durable and expressive, the latest variation of the Excalibur Double Tourbillon debuts with a radiant black ceramic case, striking in its intensely high scratch-resistance.
Limited to just 28 pieces, this timepiece comes with a black calf-leather strap with versatile Quick Release System.
Technical details
Model: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Double Tourbillon Black Ceramic
RDDBEX0820 – EXCALIBUR – EXCALIBUR DT
Movement
Caliber RD108
Manual-winding Skeleton double flying tourbillon movement: manufactured in the Roger Dubuis workshop in Geneva. Re-engineered and improved performances with a power reserve of 72 hour, better resistance to magnetism thanks to tourbillon carriages made in titanium and cobalt-chrome. Two tourbillons linked with a differential directly connected to the second wheel of the gear train for a better transmission of the energy. Poinçon de Genève certified, one of the most demanding certifications in the world of Haute Horlogerie
Finishing: Shot-blasted, trued-up or circular-grained main plate and bridge with NAC coating
Functions: Hours, minutes
Frequency: 3 Hz / 21’600 Vibrations per Hour
Power reserve: 72 Hours
Diameter lines: 16 3/4
Thickness: 7.35 Millimeters
Number of pieces: 319
Number of rubies: 32
Case
Black ceramic case
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
Black titanium DLC open case back with sapphire crystal
Diameter: 45 Millimeters
Water resistance: 5 BAR (50m)
Dial
Grey double surface flange with engraved minute track and transferred texts, polished and Rhodium plated hour markers with SLN in the center
Hands
Grey double surface flange with engraved minute track and transferred texts, polished and Rhodium plated hour markers with SLN in the center
Strap
3D calf leather strap, interchangeable with Quick Release System – QRS
Buckle
Black DLC titanium cover, titanium blades, triple-folding, interchangeable with Quick Release System – QRS
Jacob & Co. unveils a unique Astronomia Tourbillon watch in collaboration with Bucherer and Sotheby’s.
The Jacob & Co. Astronomia Tourbillon Bucherer BLUE is a marvel of Swiss craftsmanship and the decorative arts. Moreover, this unique timepiece was the first triple axis tourbillon to leave the Earth’s atmosphere.
On April 8, from the Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Axiom Space launched a four-person team to and from the International Space Station (ISS). The flight named AX-1, returned off the Florida coast on Monday, April 25.
A crew member on this historical mission was Eytan Stibbe, an impact investor and philanthropist, leading the Israeli designed Rakia mission to space. He had carried the Jacob & Co. Astronomia Tourbillon Bucherer BLUE watch during the space journey.
The Rakia mission, along with the Astronomia Tourbillon Bucherer BLUE, spent 17 days 1 hour and 37 minutes in space, as the space crew orbited the Earth 273 times at an altitude of 250 miles at nearly 17,500 mph, traveling over 7 million miles in total.
With its return from space, the Jacob & Co. Astronomia Bucherer BLUE is set to embark on a public exhibition tour in New York City, first stopping at the Bucherer 1888 TimeMachine from July 11 – 17. From there, moving to exhibition at Sotheby’s New York galleries from July 21-25, before heading to the auction block in a single-lot dedicated live auction on July 26.
On offer with no reserve- and bidding starting at $1- proceeds will be donated to benefit charities, with further details to be announced at a later date.
The Jacob & Co. Astronomia Bucherer BLUE incorporates a complex movement with a gravitational triple axis tourbillon.
The dark blue starry background mirrors the deep, captivating color of the firmament (“Rakia” in Hebrew) and the pronounced domed case, made of anti-reflective sapphire crystal, essentially features a microcosm: four satellites turn in constant motion, including the dial, tourbillon cage, a spherical diamond that reflects the moon, and a magnesium lacquered globe that reflects the Earth. All finished in the Bucherer BLUE color scheme, this timepiece is galactic to the core.
According to crew member, Eytan Stibbe, the Astronomia Tourbillon Bucherer BLUE timepiece continued to accurately display the time during the launch and return to earth, enduring extremely high G-forces and also micro-gravity while in space.
Chopard Alpine Eagle is a line of contemporary sporty-chic watches featuring a pure design and sophisticated mechanics.
Now the collection welcomes its first complication watch to bear the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark thanks to an innovative flying tourbillon movement. Boasting an attractive Aletsch Blue dial, this timepiece in Lucent Steel A223 houses the ultra-thin L.U.C 96.24-L self-winding calibre developed by Chopard Manufacture.
The Chopard Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon one of the very few flying tourbillon watches to bear double Chronometer and Poinçon de Genève certification.
Dressed in a case measuring 41 mm in diameter and an integrated bracelet, it is made entirely in the Maison’s workshops from Lucent Steel A223, an exclusive, ultra-resistant and remarkably brilliant alloy. A 6 o’clock opening on its textured Aletsch Blue dial reveals a transparent and light tourbillon mechanism that endows the entire creation with its elegantly sophisticated character.
Inspired by a historical Chopard model reinterpreted by three generations of men from the Scheufele family, the Alpine Eagle collection has been constantly enriched since its launch by new innovations. The latest is a flying tourbillon movement developed thanks to the watchmaking expertise of Chopard Manufacture, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2021.
The L.U.C 96.24-L flying tourbillon movement is based on the development of Chopard Manufacture’s first calibre (L.U.C 96.01-L presented in 1997) and is similarly slim, at only 3.30 mm.
This ultra-thin movement made it possible to optimise the size of the Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon watch: the case has been reduced to just 8 mm thick, and the flanks and bezel have been trimmed down compared to a classic Alpine Eagle Large model, offering a wider dial aperture. These well-balanced proportions, a signature feature of the collection, endow the timepiece with an elegant and graceful appearance entirely suited to the lightness of the complication.
The L.U.C 96.24-L movement is equipped with a stop-seconds function enabling precise time setting. This precision is certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute, evidenced by the “Chronometer” inscription on the dial below the logo.
Among the flying tourbillon watches on the market, those by Chopard are the only ones to receive both Chronometer certification and the prestigious Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark.
The latter guarantees the fine craftsmanship and smooth operation of the timepieces assembled within the Canton. Stamped on the case-back of the watch, it depicts the city of Geneva’s coat-of-arms composed of a golden key and above all of an eagle: a symbol reminiscent of the original inspiration behind the Alpine Eagle collection.
Thanks to its two stacked barrels based on Chopard Twin technology, the movement guarantees a 65-hour power reserve, and its automatic winding is driven by a 22-carat gold micro-rotor whose density contributes to the slenderness of the movement. Finely crafted by the artisans of the Maison, each of its components is adorned with a Côtes de Genève motif recalling the attention to detail cultivated by Chopard Manufacture.
With its pure and assertive design, the Alpine Eagle collection reflects Chopard’s creative richness and visionary spirit as well as drawing inspiration from the power of Nature.
The Chopard Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon model is faithful to this aesthetic: a round case with stylised sides, a crown engraved with the compass rose, a bezel with eight functional screws set at a tangent, a stamped dial featuring deep colours, luminescent indications, and finally a metal bracelet that is particularly comfortable on the wrist.
The Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon is made from Lucent Steel A223, an innovative steel alloy developed by Chopard for its anti-allergenic properties, its robustness and its incomparable brilliance obtained through a meticulous re-smelting process.
Its Aletsch Blue dial is finely textured on a solid gold base according to a pattern inspired by the eagle’s iris. Centred on the tourbillon at 6 o’clock, this radiant design highlights the mechanism by emphasising its perfect transparency.
The collection’s aesthetic codes are also picked up on the arms of the tourbillon carriage, specially redesigned in the same shape as the gold hands on the dial, while the tourbillon carriage bears the small seconds hand, which has been meticulously coated with SLN X1 by the artisans of the Manufacture.
Case
Material: Lucent Steel A223
Total diameter: 41.00 mm
Thickness: 8 mm
Lucent Steel A223 crown with compass rose 665 mm
Vertical satin-brushed case middle with polished bevels
Lucent Steel A223 bezel with eight screws set at a tangent
Glare-proofed sapphire crystal
Exhibition case-back with glare-proofed sapphire crystal
Water resistance: 100 metres
Movement
Mechanical with automatic winding L.U.C 96.24-L via an engraved 22-carat gold micro-rotor
Number of components: 189
Total diameter: 27.40 mm
Thickness: 3.30 mm
Number of jewels: 25
Frequency: 25,200 vph (3.5 Hz)
Power reserve: 65 hours
Two stacked barrels – Chopard Twin technology
Flying tourbillon rotating at a rate of one minute
Bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève motif
Variable-inertia balance
Chronometer-certified (COSC)
Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark
Dial and hands
Dial featuring an Aletsch Blue colour obtained by galvanic treatment, crafted in gold stamped with a radiating pattern centred on the tourbillon
Applied white gold hour-markers and numerals enhanced with Grade X1 Super-LumiNova®
White gold baton-type hours and minutes hands enhanced with Grade X1 Super-LumiNova®
White gold triangle-tipped small seconds hand enhanced with Grade X1 Super-LumiNova®, attached to the flying tourbillon cage
White transfers
Functions
Central display of the hours and minutes
Small seconds at 6 o’clock on the flying tourbillon carriage
Stop-seconds function
Bracelet and clasp
Lucent Steel A223 tapering bracelet with satin-brushed wide link and sides, polished central cap
Lucent Steel A223 triple folding clasp
Chopard has added a new flying tourbillon watch to its IMPERIALE collection.
Issued in an eight-piece limited edition, IMPERIALE Flying Tourbillon watch features a diamond-set case in ethical 18-carat white gold, and a sparkling aventurine dial ‘embroidered’ with a mother-of-pearl marquetry lotus blossom.
Introduced in 1994, the Chopard IMPERIALE collection welcomes its first-ever flying tourbillon movement, L.U.C Calibre 96.24-C. Entirely designed and crafted by Chopard, this exclusive mechanism is one of the only ones on the market bearing both Chronometer-certification and the Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark.
Entirely crafted in the Manufacture’s workshops, Chopard’s flying tourbillon was launched in 2019 in the men’s L.U.C FlyingT Twin watch. Since then, this tourbillon mechanism has also been available in ladies’ limited series.
It now benefits from all the technical innovations developed over the last 25 years by Chopard Manufacture. Its remarkable slenderness–at barely 3.30mm thick for 194 components– ranks it among the thinnest in contemporary Haute Horlogerie.
L.U.C Calibre 96.24-C is equipped with a stop-seconds function. This technical feature, which is extremely rare in a tourbillon, enables even more accurate time-setting, and the IMPERIALE Flying Tourbillon is indeed chronometer-certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC).
This exceptional watch has earned the Poinçon de Genève, the prestigious hallmark that has been awarded since 1886 in recognition of the highest level of production quality for each component. Finally, Chopard Twin technology ensures that the IMPERIALE Flying Tourbillon has a 65-hour power reserve.
A tribute to the great historical empires, the style codes of the IMPERIALE collection are reflected in the dagger-shaped hands and the case lugs reminiscent of ancient columns. On the back of the model, a sapphire crystal reveals the Côtes de Genève motif as well as the diamond-paved platinum micro-rotor.
The case and lugs in ethical 18-carat white gold are adorned with sparkling diamonds. Their brilliance lights up the glittering midnight-blue sky of the aventurine glass dial on which a lotus flower in mother-of-pearl marquetry has blossomed.
Its wonderfully curved petals open on to a second flower, this time paved with diamonds. In place of the pistil, the flying tourbillon adorned with four petals also acquires a plant-like allure, thus instilling new poetry into the rotations of its infinitely small mechanism.
Edition
Eight-piece limited edition in ethical 18-carat white gold set with diamonds
Available exclusively from Chopard boutiques
Case
Ethical 18-carat white gold
Total diameter: 36.00 mm
Thickness: 9.12 mm
Water resistance 50 metres
Crown shaped like a lotus flower in ethical 18-carat white gold set with a diamond 5 mm
Case middle, bezel and lug cover in ethical 18-carat gold set with diamonds
Glare-proofed sapphire crystal
Exhibition case-back with glare-proofed sapphire crystal
Movement
Mechanical self-winding movement L.U.C 96.24-C
Winding via a diamond-set platinum micro-rotor
Number of components 194
Total diameter 27.40 mm
Thickness 3.30 mm
Number of jewels 25
Frequency 25,200 vph (3.5 Hz)
Power reserve 65 hours
Two stacked barrels – Chopard Twin technology
Flying tourbillon making one rotation per minute
Bridges adorned with the Côtes de Genève motif
Variable-inertia balance
Chronometer-certified by the COSC
Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark
Dial and hands
Blue aventurine dial with IMPERIALE flower-shaped tourbillon set with diamonds and mother-of-pearl
Rhodium-plated sword-shaped hours and minutes hands IMPERIALE Flying Tourbillon – Rhodium-plated IMPERIALE flower with blue small seconds index
Functions
Central display of the hours and minutes
Small seconds display at 6 o’clock on the flying tourbillon carriage
Stop-seconds function
Strap and buckle
Strap in shiny blue alligator leather
Pin buckle in ethical 18-carat white gold set with diamonds
Angelus presents Gold & Carbon Flying Tourbillon, a limited edition timepiece that fuses it technicality with precious materials and finishes.
Limited to 18 pieces, this sporty flying tourbillon watch features a 42.5 mm diameter case in carbon composite and red gold. The A-250 calibre gives it a three-dimensional skeletonised look with its array of bridges in relief.
For this model, Angelus has introduced a new case design with sleek and dynamic lines to harmonize with the extreme technicality of this supremely graphic timepiece.
The red gold crown with wide notches has a rubber insert for improved grip and is protected by an asymmetrical guard projecting from the lugs. The crenellated bezel presents Angelus’ signature slight angular grooves.
The A-250 skeletonised flying tourbillon calibre is surrounded by an ultra-rigid and ultralight carbon composite container. It is held within an open-worked 18K 5N red gold case middle.
The bridges of the Gold & Carbon Flying Tourbillon form its face. In the absence of a dial, these components play an expressive role in any skeleton movement. And since the main plate of the A-250 calibre is made from woven carbon composite, it is black, accentuating the contrasting 18K red gold bridges. Their volume is also emphasised by their placement above the carbon, arranged in pivotal positions on a higher level.
The bridges are hollowed out, as are the arms of the wheels. The aim of this skeletonisation is to reduce the physical weight of the piece and to lighten the aesthetic impression. After being pared down, these miniature sculptures are chamfered by hand along all their edges. Their flat surface, measuring less than half a millimetre across, then undergoes careful horizontal satin-brushing to give a matte finish. To put the final flourish on these bridges, Angelus has attached them to the main plate using Angelus screws with a proprietary head.
The flange, which marks the transition between bezel and watch interior, is finished with a matte black PVD treatment. It is then graduated with sets of five increments, separated by three-dimensional white gold hour-markers filled with a luminescent substance. Since this flange is placed level with the bezel, it creates a sunken effect that accentuates the feeling of depth in the A-250 calibre.
The tourbillon is situated at 6 o’clock, next to a bridge that does not hold it in place and instead supports the first wheel in the gear train. The tourbillon is only fixed in place from below, making it a flying tourbillon. It is attached directly to the carbon main plate, which is pierced in this spot to give a transparent effect, accentuating the sense of levitation and highlighting the tourbillon’s rotation.
Meanwhile, the balance oscillating within it also has a pared-down construction. Instead of being a ring like most balances, it is a cut, non-circular flywheel. Lighter and more efficient in terms of drag, it further enhances the innate timekeeping performance of an Angelus tourbillon.
The workings are housed within a vast sapphire crystal glass box. This transparent component is angled – almost vertically where it touches the bezel – to provide a large, flat surface for the Gold & Carbon Flying Tourbillon’s spectacular display.
The Angelus Gold & Carbon Flying Tourbillon watch comes with a black ballistic-style rubber strap, featuring an interchangeable system and a red gold and titanium folding clasp.
Movement
Calibre A-250, skeletonised, hand-wound mechanical, one-minute flying tourbillon
Jewels: 18
Diameter: 32.60 mm
Thickness: 5.78 mm
Power reserve: 90 hours
Frequency: 3 Hz / 21,600 vph
Finishes
Main plate: carbon fibre
Bridges: 18K red gold (5N), satin-finished
Wheels: circular-grained
Screws: Angelus design
Tourbillon carriage: chamfered and hand-polished
Dial
Flange: Black PVD treatment
18K white gold hour-markers with Super-LumiNova
Hands rhodium-plated, with Super-LumiNova
Case
Material: 18K red gold (5N) and carbon composite
Diameter: 42.50 mm
Thickness: 11.70 mm
Crystal: Sapphire box, anti-reflective coating on both sides
Back: Sapphire, anti-reflecting coating
Water resistance: 30 metres/3 ATM
Strap
With interchangeable system
Material: black “ballistic” rubber
Buckle: Folding clasp, 18K red gold (5N) and titanium
Edition
Limited edition of 18 pieces
Retail price (in Switzerland)
CHF 68,900 tax included
Incorporating the complex tourbillon mechanism and a hand-wound mechanical skeleton caliber, the Angelus U53 is a versatile, masculine, and ultra-modern timepiece.
This 25-piece limited series spotlights an asymmetrical design with khaki green theme. It also meets all the criteria for watches intended for underwater use.
The khaki shade is visible on the U53’s rotating flange, strap and hands – a bold statement for a sports watch which also works effortlessly in more formal settings, offering a casual, chic look.
Made of grade 5 titanium, the 46 mm diameter case is water-resistant to 300 metres. The 60 minute-graduated rotating flange only turns anticlockwise. Its hands and indices are luminescent. It is equipped with a helium valve, to allow saturation diving. The Angelus U53 is also resistant to magnetic fields and scratching. Grade 5 titanium is a light, comfortable metal which is very well tolerated by the skin even in high moisture conditions yet is hard enough to withstand most scratches.
At 9 o’clock, the watch incorporates the helium valve. The screw-down crown at 2 o’clock controls the rotating flange. A second screw-down crown located at 4 o’clock allows for winding and setting the time.
The outer bezel boasts a powerful design. Its deep indents, in a distinctive shark fin design, immediately draw the eye; the motif is repeated on the flange, also in green and graduated with Arabic numerals.
U53 showcases its movement in spectacular fashion. The Angelus A-300 is a hand-wound mechanical skeleton calibre characterised by its large bridges. The openwork in the centre specifically evokes the design of Angelus’ calibres.
The other signature feature is the modern and highly technical Tourbillon Volant Une Minute complication. The A-300 movement also stands out with slightly asymmetric placement of all its vital components: the barrel at 1 o’clock, winding at 4 o’clock, tourbillon at 6.30, small seconds at 9.30. These unusual locations are dictated by the design of the U53.
This diving watch is mounted on a rubber strap and complimentary hand-stitched.
Technical details
Model: Angelus U53
Reference 0.TDDT.G01A.T008G
Functions
Hours, minutes, small seconds, 60-minute unidirectional flange
Movement
Calibre A-300, mechanical, hand-wound, Tourbillon Volant Une Minute
Jewels 23
Diameter 32.80 mm
Thickness 4.30 mm
Power reserve 60 hours
Frequency 4 Hz / 28,800 vph
Finishes plates and bridges: sandblasted wheels: circular-grained tourbillon cage: bevelled and polished
Dial
Rotating flange 60-minute graduation, lacquered, in green
Flange indices coated with Super-LumiNova
Hands coated with Super-LumiNova
Case
Material: Grade 5 titanium
Diameter: 46.00 mm
Thickness: 12.47 mm
Bezel: Grade 5 titanium, microbead blasted
Crystal: Sapphire crystal box, anti-reflective coating on both sides
Back: Sapphire crystal, anti-reflective coating
Water resistance: 300 metres/30 ATM
Strap
Rubber, green (+ complimentary NATO strap in green, hand-stitched)
Buckle: Pin buckle, grade 5 titanium
Edition
Limited edition of 25 pieces
Global retail price
CHF 39,400 excl. tax (subject to change)
In 2020, Bulgari achieved a sixth consecutive world record in ultra-thin watch segment with the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Chronograph Skeleton Automatic.
Its self-winding skeleton movement with a monopusher chronograph and tourbillon functions is housed within a thickness of only 3.5 mm. This extremely thin high complication watch is now available in a new platinum interpretation.
Its 43 mm case, topped by a white gold and ceramic crown, frames an elegant open-worked dial with two grey chronograph counters, entirely revealing the BVL 388 skeletonised in-house calibre and its tourbillon at 6 o’clock.
The watch face is swept over by blue hands matching the alligator leather strap secured by a platinum buckle.
Movement
Mechanical ultra-thin Manufacture automatic-winding skeletonized movement with tourbillon and single push-piece chronograph – Calibre BVL 388 (3.50 mm thick). 52-hour power reserve, 21’600 VPH (3 Hz) frequency.
Case and dial
43 mm platinum case with transparent caseback, 7.40 mm thick, white gold crown with black ceramic insert and white gold push-buttons; open-worked dial with grey chronograph counters and blue hands. Water resistant to 3 ATM.
Bracelet
Blue alligator bracelet with platinum buckle.
The new Octo Roma complication watch by Bulgari unites modern interpretations of two traditional complications: Tourbillon and Carillon.
Redefining watchmaking tradition in a resolutely modernist approach, this timepiece features a highly graphic skeletonised movement with blue bridges. The platinum case is encircled by a blued titanium caseband.
It has been designed to amplify the sound rendition and clarity, which is the primary parameter governing the construction of a striking watch. The Octo Roma Carillon Tourbillon movement with three hammers, hand-wound calibre BVL428, measures 35 mm in diameter, 8.35 mm thick and comprises a total of 432 components. It is entirely manufactured in-house.
The generous proportions of the case are designed to maximise sound propagation, enabling increased torque from the three-tone construction and greater sound power production. In particular, the caseband is designed to maximise sound and allow it to spread as much as possible. It has cavities inside the design to reduce the amount of metal between the inside and outside, and three openings on the caseband that correspond to the three gongs, thus allowing the sound to exit the chamber.
The gongs are attached directly to the body of the case for the most efficient sound transmission and the middle-case is made of titanium to ensure the clearest possible sound diffusion. The back is also hollowed out and redesigned with a titanium grid that protects this resonant area and enables outward transmission of the sound.
The gongs on the watch are hand-crafted in several stages. They are bent and formed by hand before being annealed, or hardened, at a temperature of 900 degrees Celsius, then cleaned before being reheated in a 500-degree kiln, a process that endows the metal with its crystal-clear resonance. Like some components of the striking mechanism, they are drawn out with a file, in order to refine the chords of the chime.
The melodic sequence of this chime with three hammers striking three tones plays the note C for the hours, the notes E D C for the quarters and the note E for the minutes. The mechanism is activated by a pusher on the left side of the caseband.
The movement is equipped with one classical barrel ensuring the power reserve of at least 75 hours for the movement at full charge, meanwhile the functioning of the sound mechanism is ensured by a spring which is contained in a barrel-shaped container drilled directly in the bridge.
The architecture of the BVL428 calibre, the cut-out of the bridges and the positioning of the various components are original, contemporary and contrasted in order to reveal the beauty of the mechanism.
The hammers, gongs, tourbillon cage and perforated surfaces are made of alternating polished steels, while the finely worked mainplate and bridges feature an ALD treatment. The high-tech carbon-based vacuum-deposition coating is an elegant deep blue.
Secured with a transparent sapphire crystal caseback, its 44mm diameter case is water-resistant to three atmospheres.
The Bvlgari Octo Roma Blue Carillon Tourbillon comes with a blue alligator leather strap secured by a platinum triple-blade folding clasp. This timepiece is available in a limited edition of 30 pieces.
Technical details
Model: Bvlgari Octo Roma Blue Carillon Tourbillon, reference 103627
Movement
Manufacture mechanical manual winding BVL428 calibre, minute repeater, three-hammer carillon tourbillon and power-reserve indicator; 75-hour power reserve, 21,600 VpH, 36 jewels, movement and blue-treated bridges; 35.00 mm diameter, 8.35 mm thick.
Case and dial
44 mm platinum case; open-worked titanium middle-case, specially conceived to enhance sound performances; white gold crown, set with a black ceramic insert; white gold pusher to activate the chime; 12.83 mm thick.
Strap
Blue alligator strap with platinum triple-blade folding clasp.
In collaboration with its partner Mercedes-AMG, IWC Schaffhausen has created the Big Pilot’s Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition “AMG ONE OWNERS”.
Available exclusively for future owners of the performance hybrid Mercedes-AMG ONE, this horological masterpiece features the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer’s patented constant-force mechanism, which transmits completely even impulses of force to the escapement.
The case is made of titanium aluminide (TiAl), an advanced high-tech material that is extremely challenging to machine. Thanks to its high temperature resistance, this intermetallic compound is also used for components of high-performance engines in motorsport. The striking design features details and colour codes are directly inspired by the Mercedes-AMG ONE hypercar.
The German performance and sports car manufacturer is planning to kick start the production of the Mercedes-AMG ONE. This two-seater hypercar will transfer the latest and most efficient Formula 1™ hybrid technology almost one to one from the racetrack to the street for the first time.
The performance hybrid will produce over 1,000 horsepower at a maximum speed of over 350 km/h. To accompany its launch, IWC has engineered a timepiece that combines the Swiss brand’s technically most advanced movements and complications with high-performance materials such as titanium aluminide (TiAl) and Ceratanium.
The Big Pilot’s Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition “AMG ONE OWNERS” (Ref. 590502) features IWC’s patented constant-force mechanism. This complication disengages the escapement from the direct flow of power through the wheel train and transmits completely even impulses of energy to the escape wheel.
As a result, even as the torque in the mainspring diminishes, the balance wheel oscillates with virtually the same amplitude. In combination with the tourbillon, which compensates for the negative influences of gravity, this ensures a highly exact rate.
The IWC-manufactured 94800 calibre is manually wound and stores a power reserve of 96 hours in its twin barrels. The fully blackened movement is visible through the sapphire glass back. The case back is made of Ceratanium®. Based on a special titanium alloy, this IWC-developed material is as light and rigid as titanium and, at the same time, almost equally as hard and scratch-resistant as ceramic.
The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition “AMG ONE OWNERS” reflects the unique competence acquired by the Schaffhausen based manufacture in machining titanium since the 1980s. The case is made of titanium aluminide (TiAl).
TiAl is lighter and harder than conventional titanium, highly resistant to corrosion, and biocompatible. This high-tech material belongs to the group of intermetallic compounds. Due to the specific mixing ratio of titanium and aluminium, atoms and electrons arrange themselves in a particular way. This causes the material to have certain nonmetallic properties in addition to the classic properties of a metal.
In the case of TiAl, it is its high temperature resistance that stands out. For this reason, the material is used for the turbine blades of modern jet engines, where lightness and temperature resistance are essential requirements. Its specific properties also make it the ideal choice for components of high-performance engines in motorsport.
Because titanium aluminide has a difficult machining behaviour, manufacturing a TiAl watch case is a real engineering feat. In addition, the requirements for the purity of the raw materials are very high, and the production of the titanium aluminide alloy is costly and complex.
Today, IWC is one of the few watch manufacturers capable of producing a titanium aluminide case. The case of the Big Pilot’s Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition “AMG ONE OWNERS” is elaborately finished with polished and sandblasted surfaces.
In addition to the constant-force tourbillon at 9 o’clock, the black dial also features a double moon phase display for the northern and southern hemispheres and a power reserve display at 4 o’clock, reminiscent of a tachometer.
The louvred, ring-shaped structure of the outer dial ring takes inspiration from the air inlets that dominate the front of the Mercedes-AMG ONE.
The design also features details in Petronas green – the signature colour of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One™ team, whose plug-in hybrid technology the new car brings to the street. A thin ring in Petronas green, for example, marks the transition between the polished and sandblasted parts of the case. Details in Petronas green can also be found on the dial and on some of the movement components.
The IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition “AMG ONE OWNERS” is fitted with a two-tone rubber strap. Manufactured using the so-called multi-component injection moulding process, it is black on the outside and green on the inside. Numerous Mercedes stars in Petronas green are visible on the outer side of the strap.
The Big Pilot’s Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition “AMG ONE OWNERS” will be available exclusively to the future owners of the Mercedes-AMG ONE.
Technical details
Model: IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot’s Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition “AMG ONE Owners” Ref. IW590502
Case
Titanium aluminide (TiAl) case
Diameter: 46.2 mm
Height: 13.5 mm
Screw-in crown in titanium
Glass: Sapphire, convex, antireflective coating on both sides
Glass secured against displacement by drops in air pressure
See-through sapphire glass back with Ceratanium® case back ring
Water-resistant 6 bar
Movement
IWC-manufactured calibre 94800
Hand-wound mechanical movement
Frequency: 18,000 vph / 2.5 Hz
Jewels: 41
Power reserve: 4 days (96h)
Functions
Power reserve display
Tourbillon with integrated constant-force mechanism
Perpetual moon phase display for both northern and southern hemispheres
Dial
Black dial with rhodium plated hands
Strap
Integrated black and green rubber strap
Edition
Available exclusively to Mercedes-AMG ONE owners
Parmigiani Fleurier has launched a limited edition Tonda PF Flying Tourbillon watch in platinum.
Boasting a highly sophisticated horological complication, this prestigious timepiece provides an undeniably authentic expression of the brand’s identity in its all-platinum interpretation with a sandblasted full platinum 950 case and dial. It houses the calibre PF517, an in-house developed flying tourbillon movement with automatic winding via a platinum micro-rotor.
The circular dial opening of this monochrome themed watch reveals the rotating flying tourbillon carriage. The front face of the timepiece displays essentials only, with no trace of anything superfluous.
This 42 mm diameter case in platinum is fitted with a screwed-in crown guaranteeing water-resistance to 100 metres. Its sapphire crystal caseback offers the breathtaking view of its mechanical self-winding calibre.
Designed, produced and assembled by the artisans of the Parmigiani Fleurier watchmaking division, this 32 mm diameter PF517 movement is accurate, durable and finished to the highest Haute Horlogerie standards (bevelling, circular graining and Côtes de Genève).
Elegant and sleek at just 8.6 mm thick, the Tonda PF Flying Tourbillon reflects the spirit of the Maison’s 25th anniversary as a full platinum limited edition following suit to the Tonda PF Split-Seconds Chronograph launched in September 2021.
Immediately identifiable finely knurled and polished platinum bezel, the new Tonda PF Flying Tourbillon watch is secured to the wrist by a minimalist platinum bracelet.
This exclusive creation is a 25-piece limited edition.
Movement
Calibre PF517
Automatic Winding Manufacture Movement with Flying Tourbillon and Platinum 950 Micro-Rotor
Power reserve: 48 hours
Frequency: 21,600 Vph (3 Hz)
Jewels: 29
No. of components: 207
Diameter: 32 mm
Thickness: 3.4 mm
Decoration: Circular Côtes de Genève, Perlage, beveled edges
Oscillating weight: platinum 950 micro-rotor, Grain d’Orge guilloché
Case
Polished and satin-finished platinum 950 with knurled bezel
Diameter: 42 mm
Thickness: 8.6 mm
Crown: Ø 4.3 mm, screwed-in
Glass: ARunic anti-reflective sapphire
Case back: sapphire glass
Engraving on case back: serial number – “PARMIGIANI FLEURIER”
Water resistance: 100 m
In November 2021 to mark the Mexico City Grand Prix, TAG Heuer released Special Edition of its iconic TAG Heuer Carrera tourbillon chronograph and produced a unique version especially with Mexican F1 pilot Sergio Pérez, the TAG Heuer Carrera Tourbillon Sergio Perez Edition, of which only two pieces were produced.
One is the driver’s personal watch and the second was auctioned to support the Checo Pérez Foundation. The bold and sophisticated 45-mm timepiece is made of high-performance and lightweight Grade 2 titanium, coated with DLC (diamond-like carbon), with a ceramic bezel for a full matte black aesthetic with elegant and subtle rose gold accents, a contemporary tribute to the famed racing chronograph designed by Jack Heuer in 1963.
Powered by the tourbillon manufacture movement Heuer 02T, this unique interpretation of the TAG Heuer Carrera showcases the brand’s most advanced watchmaking techniques, signature design codes and expert craftmanship.
The custom-made TAG Heuer Carrera Tourbillon Sergio Perez Edition sports a special “SP” marking on the dial as well as his motto “Never Give Up” engraved on the case back. Symbolically the sapphire crystal case back also features the date of the 2021 Mexican Grand Prix, Pérez’s home race, on 07.11.21, where he achieved a podium finish.
TAG Heuer is the Official Watch of the Monaco Grand Prix and in 2022, Sergio “Checo” Pérez won the 79th Monaco Grand Prix for the first time with this personalized edition of the TAG Heuer Carrera on his wrist.
Vacheron Constantin expands the Overseas collection with the new tourbillon skeleton model, a first in this collection launched in 1996. Beautifully streamlined with its entirely open-worked movement; sophisticated with its robust case; rigorously disciplined with its tourbillon-driven movement ensuring a comfortable over three-day power reserve, the Overseas Tourbillon Skeleton is designed for the finest journeys.
The watch comes in two versions, one in 18K 5N pink gold and the other in Grade 5 titanium. The titanium model is the first by the Maison to be entirely made of this same metal – from crown to bezel and from bracelet to case.
The self-winding Manufacture Calibre 2160 powering these timepieces has been entirely skeletonised in a contemporary spirit with a degree of attention to detail stemming from an authentic aesthetic quest celebrated through Vacheron Constantin’s “Anatomy of Beauty ®” 2022 theme.
The skeletonisation work carried out on self-winding Calibre 2160 has enabled not only a 20% reduction in the movement’s weight but also a complete rethink of its architecture. Its curvature is thus very slender, at barely 5.65 mm thick – a real technical feat considering the requirements linked to the integration of a tourbillon carriage. This thinness is notably due to the choice of a peripheral gold oscillating weight, which also enables a completely clear view of the rear of the movement.
The work done on the baseplate and the four bridges can be clearly admired, with the NAC (N-acetylcysteine) surface treatment applied by electrolysis conferring an anthracite grey tint. This contemporary touch given to the movement blends perfectly with the classic haute horlogerie finishes in the form of hand-drawn flanks and hand-chamfering with polished bevels to accentuate the light playing across the components.
The mainplate and bridges are also delicately decorated to create a finish of very fine, perfectly horizontal grooves. Such concern for details is a credo which holds that even the smallest part deserves the same meticulous attention as those that are perfectly visible.
The same NAC surface treatment can be found on the barrel, of which the drum and cover have been entirely openworked, creating a compass rose shape on the dial side – another original feature of Calibre 2160 SQ. To complete the openworking of this 186-component movement, the wheels have also been made lighter, while the tourbillon is held by a rounded-off upper bridge.
The tourbillon regulator rotating once per minute operates at a rate of 18,000 vibrations per hour (2.5 Hz) and serves as a small seconds indicator by means of one of the four screws used to secure the carriage and which is grey on the pink gold version and flame-blued on the titanium version.
For this new calibre, Vacheron Constantin’s watchmakers have also redesigned the regulating organ housed in the tourbillon carriage coupled with the escapement. A new balance-spring was designed in-house, equipped with a Breguet overcoil (terminal curve). By folding the outer spring coil towards the centre, outside its horizontal plane, this arrangement forces a flat development of the spring, thus ensuring enhanced isochronism.
The sapphire crystal serving as the dial reveals all the details of the calibre, like a horological anatomy taking shape with each component. The hour-markers secured to this crystal are in rhodium-plated 18K 5N pink gold or 18K white gold, depending on the model.
The same noble metals are used for the hands which, like the hour-markers, are coated with Super-LumiNova® ensuring perfect night-time visibility. The dial ring is available in black lacquered 18K 5N pink gold or in blue PVD-treated 18K white gold.
Particular care has been devoted to the finishing of the case and bracelet. The bezel ring is circular satin-brushed on the 18K 5N pink gold version and sandblasted on the Grade 5 titanium iteration. The case and bracelet of both models are vertically satin-brushed with polished angles on the bracelet links, whose shape is inspired by Vacheron Constantin’s Maltese Cross emblem.
Both watches feature the Overseas collection specific interchangeable strap system. They come with two straps in calfskin and rubber: black with two 18K 5N pink gold pin buckles for the gold model; and blue with an interchangeable titanium folding clasp for the titanium model.
The Overseas tourbillon skeleton watch features architecture and finishes that are meticulous in every detail, reflecting the quest for excellence cherished by the Maison, whose 2022 “Anatomy of Beauty®” theme pays tribute to the extraordinary work of its artisans.
Technical details
Model: Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon Skeleton
References
Ref. 6000V/110R-B934: 18K 5N Pink Gold Version
Ref. 6000V/110T-B935: Titanium version only available through the Vacheron Constantin Boutiques.
Movement
Calibre 2160 SQ
Developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin
Mechanical, self-winding, peripheral rotor
31 mm (13½’’’) diameter, 5.65 mm thick
Approximately 80 hours of power reserve
2.5 Hz (18,000 vibrations per hour)
186 components
30 jewels
Hallmark of Geneva certified timepiece
Indications
Hours, minutes, small seconds on tourbillon carriage (coloured screw)
Tourbillon
Case
18K 5N pink gold / Grade 5 Titanium
42.5 mm diameter, 10.39 mm thick
Soft iron casing ring ensuring anti-magnetic protection
Transparent sapphire crystal caseback
Water-resistant tested at a pressure of 5 bar (approx. 50 metres)
Dial
Sapphire dial
18K 5N pink gold / 18K white gold hour-markers and hours & minutes hands highlighted with Super-LumiNova®
Bracelet
18K 5N pink gold bracelet / Grade 5 Titanium (half Maltese cross-shaped polished and satin-brushed links), secured by a 18K 5N pink gold / Grade 5 Titanium triple-blade folding clasp with push-pieces and comfort- adjustment system
Additional straps
Black / blue calfskin leather with white stitches
Black / blue rubber
Buckles
6000V/110R-B934: Each additional strap comes with 18K 5N pink gold
6000V/110T-B935: Titanium Grade 5 interchangeable folding-clasp
Audemars Piguet has launched its very first Royal Oak Self-winding Flying Tourbillon Open-worked in a 41 mm diameter to celebrate the Royal Oak’s 50th anniversary.
This stainless steel timepiece is powered by the Manufacture’s first ever self-winding flying tourbillon open-worked mechanism, Calibre 2972, premiered on this elegant monochromatic timepiece. This latest in-house movement builds on Audemars Piguet’s long expertise in both open-working and tourbillon mechanisms.
The newly released Calibre 2972, which combines a central rotor with a flying tourbillon, evolves from Calibre 2950, launched in 2019 as part of the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet collection. The new calibre has been conceived to offer symmetry and a rich play of light. Its highly stylised and multilayered openworked architecture bestows the watch with a unique 3D effect, as the shape of the bridges has been finished horizontally and vertically.
Calibre 2972 builds on the age-old open-working techniques that have been reshaping what is possible with wristwatch design since the 1930s. The beauty and finesse of the mechanism is revealed by removing as much material from the mainplate and bridges as possible to let light pass through, without impairing its functions.
Leveraging advanced manufacturing technologies, the preliminary geometries of the mainplate and bridges have been cut through computer numerical control (CNC) machining, before being perfected by electric discharge machining (EDM). This manufacturing process enables to remove small amounts of material with extreme precision to reach the desired shape.
Each component has then been finished with refined Haute Horlogerie decorations including “traits tirés,” satin, circular and sunray brushing, snailing, as well as polished chamfers. The polished V-angles that can be admired on both sides of the watch reflect the meticulous handiwork that went into their realisation as this level of craftsmanship can only be achieved by hand.
The rhodium-toned hues of the different components sit in harmony with the watch’s stainless steel case and bracelet, providing the watch with a contemporary monochromatic aesthetic.
The flying tourbillon, located at 6 o’clock, compensates for the effect of gravity and enhances accuracy. The balance wheel is housed in a tiny revolving cage which makes a revolution per minute to prevent the hairspring from remaining static. Only supported on the mainplate, the flying tourbillon is considered today as a symbol of watchmaking art as only a few watchmakers retain the necessary skills for its realisation.
The new timepiece is fitted with the Royal Oak “50-years” oscillating weight, which will be seen on the Royal Oak anniversary models throughout 2022. The watch’s sapphire caseback showcases the dedicated rotor, crafted in rhodium-toned 22-carat pink gold, which seamlessly blends with the open-worked movement’s grey hues and recalls the stainless steel case.
The stainless steel bracelet and case of the Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked are endowed with the new design evolution which makes its debut this year on Royal Oak models in 34, 37, 38 and 41 mm.
The case and bracelet encompass larger polished chamfers for a slenderer aesthetic offering stronger plays of light between the satin-brushed and polished surfaces adorning the different components.
In addition, the first four links of the integrated bracelet show a more pronounced decrease in thickness for more visual appeal. The bracelet links are also thinner and therefore lighter for added comfort. The sapphire caseback has been slightly more integrated into the case to better fit the wrist.
The white gold hour-markers and hands, both filled with luminescent coating for optimum visibility in the dark also present slightly revised proportions in harmony with the other Royal Oak models across the collection.
The Legacy of Audemars Piguet Tourbillon Watches
In 1986, Audemars Piguet introduced the world’s first self-winding tourbillon wristwatch. Calibre 2870 was housed in an ultra-thin case measuring a mere 5.3 mm in thickness, fitted with a winding system on the caseback side.
Its tourbillon cage is still one of the smallest in the world today with a 7.2 mm diameter, as well as one of the lightest at just 0.123 g. This pioneering wristwatch forged a new path for the Haute Horlogerie industry, which renewed ties with this prestigious mechanism. Several generation of tourbillon succeeded Calibre 2870, displaying ever-greater robustness and reliability.
The tourbillon entered the Royal Oak collection in 1997 for the watch’s 25th anniversary. At the time, Model 25831 was equipped with Audemars Piguet’s second generation tourbillon movement, Calibre 2875, and endowed with a stylised octagonal aperture opening onto the tourbillon cage at 6 o’clock. An open-worked Royal Oak model (25902) fitted with Calibre 2875SQ was unveiled in 1999 – the very first Royal Oak tourbillon open-worked ever crafted.
In 2003, the tourbillon was combined with the chronograph for the first time in the Royal Oak collection, with Model 25977 equipped with Calibre 2889. This stainless steel watch paved the way for a new wave of timepieces featuring the two complications, including the Royal Oak Tradition d’Excellence n°4 (Model 25969) released the following year.
In 2012, for the Royal Oak’s 40th anniversary, Audemars Piguet launched a new 41 mm Royal Oak Extra-Thin Tourbillon (Model 26510), powered by Calibre 2924 and available in stainless steel or 18-carat pink gold. An open-worked version was also released for the occasion in a 40-piece platinum limited edition (Model 26511, Calibre 2924SQ).
This timepiece was complemented in 2016 by a version in yellow gold (26513BA), followed by two limited editions in stainless steel(26518ST) and pink gold (26518OR) in 2017.
The Manufacture’s first Royal Oak Tourbillon Chronograph Open-worked model (26347) saw the light of day in 2016 in a 44 mm platinum timepiece housing Calibre 2936. This complicated mechanism was then offered in titanium and pink gold in 2017.
For its part, the flying tourbillon made its debut on the Royal Oak Concept in 2018, before appearing in the Royal Oak collection in 2020 with a 41 mm timepiece (Model 26530) powered by the Manufacture’s latest generation movement, Calibre 2950.
The Manufacture’s legacy of tourbillon watches continues with this self-winding open-worked flying tourbillon movement which reinterprets tradition through a contemporary lens on the occasion of the Royal Oak’s 50th anniversary.
Technical details
Model: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-winding Flying Tourbillon Open-worked / 41 mm
Reference 26735ST.OO.1320ST.01
Case
Stainless steel case
Case diameter: 41mm
Case thickness: 10.6mm
Glare-proofed sapphire crystal and caseback
Water-resistant to 50 m
Movement
Self-winding Calibre 2972
Total diameter: 31.5mm (13 ¾ lignes)
Total thickness: 6.84mm
Number of jewels: 27
Number of parts: 271
Minimum power reserve guaranteed: 65 h
Frequency of balance wheel: 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations/hour)
Functions
Flying tourbillon, hours and minutes
Dial
Rhodium-toned open-worked movement, white gold applied hour-markers and Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating, slate grey inner bezel
Bracelet
Stainless steel bracelet with AP folding clasp
Audemars Piguet has launched its latest research and development breakthrough (RD#3) with the Royal Oak Self-winding Flying Tourbillon Extra-Thin.
This 39 mm stainless steel anniversary model, measuring 8.1 mm in thickness, represents the first “Jumbo” in history to be equipped with a self-winding flying tourbillon.
It is powered by the Manufacture’s new self-winding ultra-thin flying tourbillon movement, Calibre 2968, measuring just 3.4 mm thick and adorned with a novel combination of traditional and contemporary hand-crafted decorations. Pushing the boundaries of feasibility, this model will be complemented in September by a second 37 mm version for the slimmer wrists, enriched with a dial of a different hue.
This 39 mm Royal Oak Self-winding Flying Tourbillon Extra-Thin in stainless steel achieves the feat of integrating a self-winding flying tourbillon into a “Jumbo” case. Placed at the dial level, the rotating tourbillon cage appears at 6 o’clock.
At the heart of this new innovation is Calibre 2968, an ultra-thin self-winding flying tourbillon movement that was developed over a five-year period.
Given the extra-thin nature of the form language, this self-winding flying tourbillon had to be creatively rethought to reduce the thickness required to house this complication by repositioning certain components. The tourbillon cage, which is crafted in titanium, is notably equipped for the first time with a peripheral drive. The combination of these two elements not only makes the distribution of energy to the tourbillon more fluid, but also served to lighten and refine this regulating organ.
In order to provide optimum visibility of the tourbillon and the movement, Audemars Piguet engineers completely redesigned the architecture of the mechanism. The Royal Oak Self-winding Flying Tourbillon Extra-Thin features a new escapement to accentuate the aesthetic details while revealing part of the movement’s workings.
The geometry and positioning of the balance wheel arms have notably been revised in such a way as to make the watch’s beating heart even more perceptible. The technical design of the movement results in the flying tourbillon being placed at the dial level, for a greater visual experience.
The hand decoration of the movement components, visible through the sapphire caseback, combines the dynamism and classicism of V-angles with the modernity of traits tirés– a finish that appears on the mainplate and bridges and replaces the traditional Côtes de Genève. The open-worked, rhodium-toned bridges offer an unobstructed view, contrasting with the pink-gold-toned colour of certain mechanism elements.
The new RD#3 remains true to the aesthetic codes of the iconic “Jumbo” models. The stainless steel case and bracelet feature the collection’s signature satin-brushed and polished hand finishes, while the timepiece is graced with a Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50Petite Tapisserie dial which pays tribute to the original model. The colour is obtained using a PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) process that guarantees a uniform and lasting tone across all the dials.
Just as on the 1972 model, this new “Jumbo” reference is distinguished by bathtub-shaped hour-markers and hands filled with luminescent material to ensure optimal readability in the dark. The Audemars Piguet signature, like the minute-track, is printed in white on the Tapisserie motif.
The titanium flying tourbillon cage rotating at 6 o’clock stands out against the blue Tapisserie backdrop to create an airy effect. Contrary to the original model, the contemporary version is endowed with a sapphire caseback, which reveals the new ultra-thin movement and the dedicated oscillating weight.
The Royal Oak Self-winding Flying Tourbillon Extra-Thin features a central oscillating weight mounted on ball bearings and equipped with two reversers that ensure bidirectional winding.
The timepiece is fitted with the dedicated anniversary open-worked oscillating weight in rhodium-toned22-carat pink gold, which bears the “50-years” logo and the Audemars Piguet signature engraved on its surface. Matching the tones of the stainless steel case and bracelet, it is also adorned with the collection’s trademark polished and satin-brushed finishes.
In 1986, Audemars Piguet introduced the world’s first self-winding tourbillon wristwatch. Imagined by Jacqueline Dimier, the design placed the tourbillon escapement on the dial side for the very first time. Calibre 2870 is housed in an ultra-thin case measuring a mere5.3 mm thick. Its titanium tourbillon cage remains one of the smallest in the world today with a diameter of 7.2 mm, as well as one of the lightest with a weight of only 0.123 grams.
This model became known as the Tourbillon Self-winding Ra (in reference to the Egyptian sun god) because Jacqueline Dimier’s design gave the tiny regulator the appearance of a sun, with its rays spreading across the dial.
This complicated wristwatch, of which 401 were produced until 1992, opened up a new avenue for Haute Horlogerie, which began to see a comeback of prestigious mechanisms including tourbillon watches.
Thirty years after Jacqueline Dimier’s model, the Manufacture launched a series of Research and Development models. In 2015, Audemars Piguet revealed its first RD#1 Royal Oak Concept Minute Repeater Supersonnerie prototype at SIHH, after eight years of research in partnership with EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne and a panel of experts composed of watchmakers, engineers, musicians and sound specialists.
This watch marked a significant step forward in terms of acoustic performance, sound amplification and sonic beauty, with the launch of the Supersonnerie mechanism. This system, for which three patents were filed, combines a novel chiming mechanism with an innovative case construction.
The commercial Royal Oak Concept Minute Repeater Supersonnerie version, which followed one year later, won the “Mechanical Exception Watch Prize” at the 2016 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.
In 2019, Audemars Piguet unveiled a new innovation with its 41 mm Royal Oak Self-winding Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin, whose prototype was presented a year earlier at SIHH under the name RD#2.
This 6.3 mm-thick calendar watch houses a movement that is only 2.89 mm thick, making it the world’s thinnest automatic calendar wristwatch of its time. To achieve this feat, the calendar functions usually mounted on three levels were brought together on a single plane.
The experts at the Manufacture also developed two patented innovations relating to the integration of the end-of-month cam with the date wheel and the association of the month cam with the month wheel. Marking a turning point in the history of complication watches, the Royal Oak Self-winding Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin earned Audemars Piguet the “Aiguille d’Or” award at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in November 2019.
This year, the Manufacture’s latest technical advance, the Royal Oak Self-winding Flying Tourbillon Extra-Thin, follows in the footsteps of previous innovations.
This RD#3 timepiece, powered by the new Calibre 2968, combines technical innovation and aesthetic refinement to pay a fine tribute to the Royal Oak’s 50th anniversary.
Technical details
Model: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-winding Flying Tourbillon Extra-Thin (RD#3) // 39 mm
Reference 26670ST.OO.1240ST.01
Case
Stainless steel case
Case diameter: 39mm
Case thickness: 8.1 mm
Glare-proofed sapphire crystal and caseback
Water-resistant to 50m
Movement
Self-winding Calibre 2968
Total diameter: 29.6 mm (13 lignes)
Total thickness: 3.4 mm
Number of parts: 226
Number of jewels: 33
Minimum power reserve guaranteed: 50 h
Frequency of balance wheel: 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations/hour)
Functions
Flying tourbillon, hours, minutes
Dial
Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50dial with Petite Tapisserie pattern, white gold applied hour-markers and Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating
Bracelet
Stainless steel bracelet with AP folding clasp
Unveiled during the Watches and Wonders 2022 luxury watch event, the new interpretations of the Grande Complication Calibre 945 highlight Jaeger-LeCoultre’s enduring expertise in celestial complications.
The new masterpieces from this series are the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 Galaxia in pink gold and the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 Atomium in white gold. These new works celebrate La Grande Maison’s artistic creativity and mastery of the decorative crafts while reaffirming its technical ingenuity. Each model is offered in a limited edition of five pieces.
Having fully mastered sidereal time – the measurement used by astronomers to track the apparent movement of the constellations across the night sky – the JLC watchmakers are able to create one-of-a-kind calibres that reproduce these astronomical events on the wrist, bringing complications together in fascinating new ways.
Originally created in 2010, Calibre 945 unites a sky chart with a celestial vault, a zodiacal calendar and a minute repeater, and is further elevated by Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Cosmotourbillon – a celestial flying tourbillon.
The new “Atomium” and “Galaxia” dials showcase the skills of the Manufacture’s Métiers Rares® atelier, introducing grisaille enamel to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s repertoire of rare artistic crafts for the first time.
A Cosmotourbillon makes a complete circuit of the dial in one sidereal day, and a Northern Hemisphere sky vault tracks the positions of the constellations in real time, as seen from the Vallée de Joux. The exquisite chimes of a minute repeater complement the celestial timekeeping.
Highlighting the astronomical aspect of time measurement, the watchmakers developed a mechanism able to display the passing of sidereal time, based on the stars. Set at the centre of the dial, the celestial vault maps the Northern Hemisphere night sky as seen from the 46th parallel – the latitude of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s home in the Vallée de Joux – tracking the position of the constellations in real time.
Enhancing this celestial display, the Cosmotourbillon is elevated beyond its purely technical function as a regulating mechanism, measuring the passing of time as it makes a complete, anti-clockwise circuit of the dial in one sidereal day.
With a duration of precisely 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.1 seconds, a sidereal day is defined by Earth’s rotation measured in relation to more distant fixed stars, whereas the 24-hour solar day – our civil time – is measured by Earth’s orbit around the Sun.
A golden sun-shaped pointer set at the edge of the dial indicates the month of the zodiacal calendar and solar time on a 24-hour scale, which is necessary for setting the watch. The Dauphine-shaped hands indicate the minutes and 12-hour cycles of civil time, which are displayed on two concentric rings on the flange of the dial.
An exceptional movement merits an exceptional habillage and the new Master Hybris Artistica Galaxia and Master Hybris Artistica Atomium bring fresh artistic expression to this marriage of complications.
Hand-decorated by the artisans in the Métiers Rares® atelier of the Manufacture, the multiple-level dial amplifies the beauty of the celestial theme while also showcasing the Cosmotourbillon.
For the star map, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduces grisaille enamel to its repertoire for the first time. A painterly technique that originated in 16th-century France, grisaille enamel is unique in creating a chiaroscuro effect, with an illusion of three-dimensionality created by half-tones and shading.
First, the enameller must perfect the dark background – traditionally blue or black – building the depth and intensity of colour by applying multiple layers, each of which requires firing. Then, using a super-fine brush, the image is added in white enamel, layer by painstaking layer, again with a firing after each stage.
Because thicker enamel creates lighter areas, its application must be controlled with the utmost skill to achieve the ethereal beauty and apparent depth that make grisaille so beguiling. Thanks to this rarefied technique, the dials of the Master Hybris Artistica Calibre 945 depict with utmost artistry the sky that we see above us at night.
In a subtle allusion to the way the night sky seems to form a dome above us when we look at the stars, the dials are constructed on multiple levels, dominated by a domed structure that also wraps around the Cosmotourbillon.
Visible around the edge of the dome and beneath the tourbillon, the deepest level of the dial is a midnight blue or black disc (for the white gold and pink gold cases, respectively) decorated with translucent lacquer over opaline, with transferred white inscriptions for the names of the months, and the tourbillon seconds.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Complication Calibre 945 Galaxia
The dome is formed of two sections. On the black dial of the “Galaxia”, both the outer section of the dome and the inner celestial disc are made of gold, with grisaille enamel depicting the planets, and the star map and names of the constellations transferred over the enamel.
The “Atomium” takes its name from the delicate filigree of silvered metal that forms the outer section of the dome, its shape echoing the lines that link the stars to form constellations. Framed within this, on the domed celestial disc, midnight-blue grisaille enamel and a transferred star map amplify the visual connection to the cosmos.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Complication Calibre 945 Atomium
The dials of the “Galaxia” and “Atomium” are encircled by three concentric rings that carry the indices for solar time. The inner ring, for 24 hours, and outer ring, displaying minutes, are finished in opaline; between them, the hour ring is decorated with enamel over a hand-guilloché base, with applied indexes.
The Master Grande Tradition case is a perfect complement to the artistic dials and mechanical sophistication of these sumptuous pieces. Comprising more than 80 parts, its convex bezel is complemented by broad bevels on the lugs; the hollowed-out sides of the lugs add dynamic tension, while the repeater slide is tapered to harmonise with the curving case sides. Different surfaces are microblasted, polished and satin-brushed to maximise the play of light and emphasise the details.
This exceptional timepiece also takes Jaeger-LeCoultre’s expertise in chiming watches to new heights by uniting the astronomical complications with a minute repeater.
The technical difficulty of creating minute repeater lies in the complexity of the mechanism needed to transcribe the precise time shown by the hands into a series of perfectly programmed strikes, with different sounds for hours, quarters and minutes.
The artistic challenge is that, this being a miniaturised musical instrument, the chimes must be pure, harmonious and clearly audible. At Jaeger-LeCoultre, this continuing quest for the ideal sound has produced several patented innovations, including crystal gongs, trebuchet hammers and a silent governor.
In the minute repeater mechanism of Calibre 945, these inventions contribute a special magic that complements the romance of celestial timekeeping.
Case
Pink gold or white gold with micro-blasted, satin and polished finishes
Dimensions: 45mm x 16.05mm
Sapphire case-back
Water resistance: 5 bar
Movement
Manual mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 945
Frequency: 28,800
Power reserve: 40 hours
Functions
Hours/minutes, months, 24-hour indication; Cosmotourbillon indicating sidereal time; celestial disc with star chart indicating the constellations in the northern hemisphere in real time; minute repeater, zodiacal calendar
Dial
Black dial with grisaille enamel (in pink gold case) or blue dial with silvered laser-welded structure (in white gold case)
A Hublot ambassador since 2020, creative director Samuel Ross brings his unique graphic language to watchmaking for the first time with the limited-edition Big Bang Tourbillon Samuel Ross.
In 2019, Ross was awarded the prestigious Hublot Design Prize, and a year later he was announced as an official brand ambassador, an occasion marked by the unveiling of REFORM, a sculpture designed to encapsulate 40 years of Hublot.
Combining an ancient, organic material (granite) with a modern, manmade one (steel), Ross created his own ‘Fusion’, uniting past and present in a production process that involved both traditional hand-finishing and cutting-edge machining.
The deceptively simple, industrial form of the 40cm high artwork has now been reinterpreted in the 44mm Big Bang Tourbillon Samuel Ross – Ross’s first wristwatch collaboration with Hublot. Ross’s signature use of colour and love of stark geometry and urban design, come together with the innovation and precision that prevail in the work of both Ross and Hublot.
The distinctive, stylised hexagon of the Big Bang case is reflected in the titanium honeycomb mesh used on the sapphire dial, case, case back and strap.
Hexagon is a visual symbol of the functionality of the watch – a key strand running through all of Ross’s design. Although it may be a wearable sculpture, Ross never loses sight of the need for it to be durable and ergonomic, the lightweight, open-worked titanium structure and malleable rubber strap ensuring its comfort on the wrist.
Ross has chosen orange – representing energy and optimism – for the strap and accents on the crown and tourbillon bridge and lateral bumpers that protect the case, a glowing contrast to the sober grey of the satin-finished case and bezel.
The 282-component, manufacture HUB6035 calibre within beats at 3 Hz and gives 72 hours of power reserve.
The Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Samuel Ross watch is limited to just 50 pieces.
Technical details
Model: Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Samuel Ross
Reference: 428.NX.0100.RX.SRA22
Edition
Limited to 50 pieces
Case
Satin-polished titanium
Diameter: 44 mm
Thickness: 13.75 mm
Water resistance: 3 ATM
Case-back: Satin-finished titanium
Bezel: Satin-finished and polished titanium
Dial
Sapphire
Movement
HUB6035 Manufacture, self-winding micro-rotor, skeleton tourbillon
Frequency: 3 Hz (21,600 A/H)
Power reserve: 72 hours
Number of components: 282
Jewels: 26
One of the most enigmatic characters in the Star Wars galaxy has inspired Kross Studio’s latest creation, in collaboration with Lucasfilm.
The Swiss design studio has revealed a new and limited edition of ten Boba Fett-inspired collector sets, each complete with a numbered, manual wound Boba Fett-inspired central Tourbillon timepiece and a watch display by EFX, inspired by Boba Fett’s famed starship.
The central tourbillon is showcased within a 45mm grade 5 titanium case, coated with chocolate PVD. Kross Studio engineers reached another level by undertaking the challenge of manufacturing a miniature starship on its landing platform at the top of the tourbillon’s cage.
Composed of eight pieces, each miniature tourbillon resembling Boba Fett’s firespray starship has been produced at Kross Studio and manufactured in CNC machines. Each piece has been meticulously engraved and hand painted to mimic the weathered appearance of Boba Fett’s ship as it appears in Bespin™ at Cloud City in the Star Wars film saga.
The level of detail is incredible, and it highlights the unique savoir-faire perpetuated by artisans in Switzerland. It took 90 hours to make each of the ten pieces that are based on the starship and each one is a unique piece.
Kross Studio has employed a unique peripheral format for reading the hours and minutes through a planetary gear system that orbits 360 degrees around the tourbillon. A 12-factor gear ratio allows the planetary minutes system to empower the progression of the hours.
