The Tourbillon

On June 26, 1801, or on “7 Messidor An IX”, to use the French Republican calendar in force at the time, Abraham-Louis Breguet secured a patent in Paris for his “watch compensating for all of the inequalities that may be found in the balance wheel and mainspring”. Breguet named his invention the “tourbillon” (or “whirlwind”) in line with the common practice at the time to use terms connected to astronomy.

Exactly 220 years later, the House of Breguet, paid homage to its founder’s invention, which opened up a new world of precision, stability, and elegance in fine horology. Breguet’s tribute comes in the form of the Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Anniversaire 5365.

With a limited run of 35 pieces, the same number of tourbillon watches made during Abraham-Louis Breguet’s lifetime – it’s a heartfelt tribute to the timeless aesthetic and visionary genius of the master watchmaker. In its attempts at authenticity, Breguet’s design for this timepiece is elegant and understated, reaffirming the brand’s standards put in place by its founder.

The same can also be said of the various engine-turned motifs adorning the gold dial. As well as becoming one of Breguet’s aesthetic hallmarks, engine-turning, also known as guillochage, possesses very specific watchmaking features. By offering surfaces with finely worked irregularities, the technique allows light to be captured in a variety of ways, ranging from the utmost clarity to a more matte finish. Light captured in this way enables the different reading zones on the dial to be clearly marked. Engine-turned surfaces are also better protected from the ravages of time than a polished finish, which are overly shiny and prone to corrosion and scratches. Finally, engine-turned surfaces offer the relief needed in order to collect the microdust that could have degraded the chronometric performance of the first pocket watches more than two centuries ago.

Throughout its history, Breguet has refined both the range of its engine-turning work and its predilection for specific motifs. Such is the case with the Clous de Paris, which takes up the entire central part of the timepiece. Handmade with a diamond chisel, it is created by interlacing engraved and crossed lines with a pitch of only 0.25 millimeters. From a distance of 50 centimeters (the usual distance for reading a wristwatch), it gives the illusion of a matte finish. This makes it easier to read the hours and minutes, indicated by the two central blued steel off-centre open-tipped hands, now known as “Breguet hands.” On the periphery, the piece is decorated with a grain d’orge (or “barley grain”) motif that is cherished by the brand. On the rear of the piece, the platinum rotor is engine- turned with a wave motif.

For this anniversary piece, Breguet fitted its reference 5365 with a 60-second tourbillon, visible between 4 and 6 o’clock, with one of these axes showing the seconds. More eagle-eyed horologists will notice two special features. Firstly, the piece’s upper bridge is made of blued steel, which is something of an unusual finish for a tourbillon in the Classique collection. Secondly, the cartouche affixed above the tourbillon, bears the text “Brevet No 157”, a reference to the patent number awarded to Abraham-Louis Breguet for his invention all those years ago.

This tribute is repeated on the rear of the piece, via the engraving “Anniversaire 1801–2021” on the barrel, and “Brevet No 157 Du 7 Messidor An IX” upon the lower bridge of the tourbillon, alongside the individual number of each piece. All of these references, along with the Breguet signature on the rotor, are engraved by hand. To the right of the movement, there is a faithful reproduction of the original watercolor plate used by Abraham-Louis Breguet when filing his 1801 patent application for a tourbillon regulator. The piece is housed in a 41-millimeter rose gold case.

Tonda PF Flying Tourbillon

A complication reinterpreted in keeping with the spirit of the brand: the Tonda PF Flying Tourbillon plays on paradoxes, embodying a highly sophisticated complication paired with the greatest aesthetic simplicity and refinement. With its pure lines, this creation transcends the stylistic vision of Parmigiani Fleurier and its approach pervaded by discreet yet strong added value.

The new model is noble in both material and spirit, providing an undeniably authentic expression of the brand’s identity in its all-platinum interpretation with a sandblasted full platinum 950 case and dial. Concealed beneath the precious metal is the calibre PF517 developed within the watchmaking division, a flying tourbillon with automatic winding via a platinum micro-rotor.

The subtle overall effect is magnified by the light that highlights its monochromatic casing. It contributes to the design of an initiatory journey that guides the gaze to the organic movement of the watch, the circular dial opening that reveals the rotating flying tourbillon carriage. The front face of the timepiece displays essentials only, with no trace of anything superfluous.

Clad in its platinum armour and secured to the wrist by a minimalist platinum bracelet, this ideally proportioned 42 mm diameter watch is fitted with a screwed-in crown guaranteeing water-resistance to 100 metres. Its sapphire crystal caseback reveals some of the 207 parts composing its mechanical selfwinding calibre.

Designed, produced and assembled by the artisans of the Parmigiani Fleurier watchmaking division, this 32 mm diameter PF517 movement - accurate, durable and finished to the highest Haute Horlogerie standards (bevelling, circular graining and Côtes de Genève) - gives life to a timepiece that is accomplished in every respect.

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. Its status within the select circle of iconic timepieces is accentuated by its immediately identifiable finely knurled and polished platinum bezel.

A signature in the form of a rare, discreet and powerful expression of luxury for this exclusive creation, which is issued in a 25-piece limited edition.

Tonda PF Flying Tourbillon 140,000 CHF

ROYAL OAK

Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked

Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet has revealed its very first Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked 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 selfwinding flying tourbillon openworked mechanism, Calibre 2972, premiered on this elegant monochromatic timepiece. Building on Audemars Piguet’s long expertise in both openworking and tourbillon mechanisms, this latest in-house movement pushes the contemporary aesthetics to new heights.

Audemars Piguet’s first Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked is endowed with a highly contemporary monochromatic design and equipped with the Manufacture’s first ever selfwinding flying tourbillon openworked movement, Calibre 2972.

Combining a central rotor with a flying tourbillon, evolving 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.

Building on the age-old openworking 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 unobscured 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 rhodiumtoned 22-carat pink gold, which seamlessly blends with the openworked 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. For its part, 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 HIGHLIFE

Meet the Highlife Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture. Not only does it represent what Frederique Constant has done best for nearly 35 years, it is an all-important example of Fine Watchmaking as well. Thanks to its technicality, its beauty and its precision, not forgetting what has set the manufacture apart from the very beginning - accessibility.

Available in 18 carat rose gold or steel, this piece is bold. It breaks rules that were thought to be set in stone. Frederique Constant proves you can design something truly modern, but enhanced with time-honoured complications. Then produce and assemble them at the Geneva-based manufacture and create the most accessible Quantième Perpétuel Tourbillon Manufacture ever made. In the end, succeeding in uniting what some believed would not be possible and bringing a lively, modern, elegant and accurate timepiece to life.

As with any such high-performance complication, optimum readability is key. Within the 41 mm case with the integrated strap characteristic of the Highlife collection, Frederique Constant has organised its complications into four segments.

The day and date are the most useful pieces of information and read every day; the brand has therefore arranged them horizontally in this order, so as to be read in a natural and intuitive way in a fraction of a second.

Brought together in a single counter at 12 o’clock are the month (large hand) and leap year indication (small hand). Adding the finishing touch to this perfectly mastered aesthetic composition, the tourbillon balances it out at 6 o'clock, counting down the seconds with its central hand.

This subtle composition is powered by the FC-975 calibre. It has been designed, produced and assembled in very limited numbers at the Geneva-based manufacture. For greater precision (an essential characteristic of the tourbillon), Frederique Constant has equipped it with a silicone escapement - both the escape wheel and the lever. This choice of technology is a real favourite of the Manufacture, providing collectors with a piece that is stable and accurate, unaffected by temperature fluctuations and magnetic fields, including those associated with the digital environment, such as computers, smartphones, tablets, connected speakers, etc.

You can appreciate the inner workings of this exceptional movement from any angle on the Highlife Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture, on the dial side and on the back. Correctors used to set the watch are discreetly tucked away in the caseband.

The two versions are dominated by the colour blue. On both sides of the complications on display, Frederique Constant has opted for a face without a dial. This allows you to see the inner workings of the FC-975 Manufacture calibre, alongside the delicate blued screws, perlage and subtle Côtes de Genève. It also improves the contrast between the rhodium-plated movement and the perpetual calendar display. To ensure it is easy to read, the Manufacture has also been careful to give them recessed counters on two levels, so as to better capture the light.

Although the Highlife Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture is strictly limited to 30 pieces for the rose gold version and 88 for the steel version, collectors can create different looks for their numbered and engraved watches. Each one comes with two straps, which can be swapped around at will, without the need for tools.

The rose gold version comes with a topstitched alligator leather strap, alongside a second rubber strap, reinforcing the urban and contemporary attitude that the Highlife Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Manufacture can take on in seconds. This same rubber strap also comes with the steel watch, alongside a steel strap with a three-link design comprised of polished and satinbrushed links and a folding buckle bearing the Frederique Constant hallmark.

ARNOLD & SON

Piaget’s expert craft presented in this stunning timepiece NEBULA

Harmonious, radiant and intense, the Nebula’s skeleton movement reveals a structure in grey and blue tones. It combines steel with a PVD treatment on diametrically opposing bridges for a perfectly chic visual effect. In addition to being the most symmetrical of Arnold & Son’s watches, it is ultra-thin, at just 8.73 mm and available with a steel bracelet or a blue rubber strap.

The first generation of the Nebula has established its place in the House’s galaxy. Drawing on the legacy of John Arnold, a new star emerges to join this collection. The Nebula 41.5 Steel introduces different colour treatments, new finishes, and new, even more powerful and attractive details.

The name Nebula was chosen as a reference to the giant cloud of dust and gas in space. Some nebulas emerge from the gas and dust expelled when a dying star, like a supernova, explodes. Other nebulas are regions where new stars start to form. The seven bridges on the dial side of this timepiece radiate from the centre outwards, giving this sculptural movement the impression of a cosmic explosion.

The A&S5201 calibre was specially created for this piece and brings all of its character. It is set apart by its skeletonisation and almost perfect symmetry. The traditional shape of its bridges harks back to John Arnold’s chronometers and the open-worked structure accentuates the feeling of lightness in a very mechanistic design.

The bridges of the A&S5201 calibre are palladium-treated, giving a sheen that echoes the steel case. The main plate, barrel covers, and dial flange have been coloured with a blue PVD treatment. The Nebula 41.5 Steel is fitted with either a three-link steel bracelet or a ballistic-type rubber strap with a woven-look surface. The two-tone aesthetic adorns the interior and exterior, the substance of the watch and the details.

The A&S5201 calibre was conceived as a skeleton mechanism instead of being modified by removing material. The result is a completely clear and legible display on both sides. One by one, the components reveal their subtle finishes, adopting strict, fluid forms. The sum of these details and the overall approach make this calibre a special case in the exclusive circle of skeleton movements. For instance, it presents a total power reserve of 90 hours, only requiring it to be hand-wound every three-and-a-half days. At 4 mm thick, the calibre contributes to the piece’s overall slimness. The Nebula 41.5 Steel measures 8.73 mm thick, making it a natural member of the ultra-thin category.

The A&S5201 calibre has also undergone several developments in addition to the new blue colouring. The balance wheel is now rhodium-plated to match the gear train and perfectly coordinate with the small seconds placed opposite. The main plate, particularly its reverse side, features “Rayons de la Gloire” finishes, a surface treatment similar to sunray-brushing in a wave shape.

CYBER SKULL

Bell & Ross sometimes enjoys abandoning its usual themes of aviation and the military in favour of something a little different. In 2009, the watchmaker became one of the first to create a skull watch. Since then, the BR 01 Skull family has grown to include ten members which are greatly sought after by collectors. In 2020, the avant-garde Cyber Skull revisited this iconic series. Its faceted design represented a leap into the future. And it was a resounding success. The latest Cyber Skull Sapphire is a completely translucent, full sapphire version. This technical material fires this icon of the watchmaking world into the realm of transparency and wealth.

In 2021, the Cyber Skull Sapphire Only Watch 21 adorned the case with sapphire crystal. With its orange-coloured skull, this unique model was sold at the Only Watch charity auction. The hammer finally fell at a price of 220,000 CHF, twice its top estimated value. A genuine success!

The latest Cyber Skull Sapphire is the "general public" version of this exceptional watch. It reproduces the full sapphire case. However, the faceted skull is transparent on this version. It is a limited version of 10 items. Already a sure value for collectors.

The design of this new Cyber Skull Sapphire breaks with the other skull watches in the neo-vintage style. The sharp edges of the case play with the light, with the multiple facets multiplying the perspectives and reflections.

It draws on several sources of inspiration - Avant-garde, paying homage to the ultra-modern world of informatics and virtual technology; Origami, its angular design is reminiscent of the ancestral Japanese art of paper folding, transposed into the future; and military; the case is shaped like the fuselage of an American F117 stealth bomber. This faceted design allows it to vanish from radar screens and is a tip of the hat to the digital arts. All eyes, however, are on the Cyber Skull Sapphire.

The BR 01 Cyber Skull Sapphire is a UFO of the watchmaking world. The base is a Cyber Skull, which has nevertheless been developed entirely in colourless sapphire crystal. It plays the transparency card to the full, including in the translucent rubber strap. The skull and crossbones are captured between two sapphire crystals, so that they appear to be floating in the air.

Initially, the sapphire is a precious block of very hard glass. A material that is very difficult to shape. The slightest error means starting all over again. On top of this, this high-end watch boasts a BR-CAL.209 automaton movement. Specifically developed for the watch, this manual-wind skeleton calibre is almost invisible. It takes the form of the skull, revealing some of the interesting technical parts, including the cogs, balance and more.

The plate and bridges follow the outline of the skull before extending below the crossbones, while the spring balance placed at “twelve o’clock” symbolises the brain in this skull which is very much alive.

D E F Y

A new expression of haute horlogerie, the Zenith way, the Manufacture has reimagined two of its most extraordinary movements through contemporary architecture and finishing techniques that can be admired through luminous and transparent sapphire cases.

Just like Georges-Favre Jacot who named his Manufacture after the highest point in the sky reached by a heavenly body in the sky, Zenith’s watchmakers and designers sought inspiration from the endless universe beyond our horizon for its grandest and most ingenious haute horlogerie creations.

Zenith has reinterpreted two of its most cutting-edge haute horlogerie calibres in a way that could only be admired through the transparency of a sapphire case. These two creations place Zenith’s uniquely futuristic and evocative aesthetic centre-stage, using novel and previously unheard-of decoration methods for a stellar result.

First, all the movement’s components are treated with blue PVD, the inscriptions as well as decorative elements like miniature stars are then carefully engraved onto the bridges, after which the chamfered edges of the bridges are precisely finished with a rhodium-coloured PVD; a specially developed technique that provides a striking contrast and adds even more visual depth to an already intricately layered movement with its futuristic form. Framed by totally transparent sapphire cases, the movements shine in a light of their own - and from all angles.

Overcoming the effects of gravity on chronometric precision has long been watchmakers’ ultimate goal. Zenith accomplished precisely this with its Gravity Control mechanism, where the regulating organ is fixed to a gimbal that always remains in a flat position regardless of how the watch is rotated. Today, the Manufacture has completely redesigned the entire movement with a new architecture to enable a more open and exhibitive display, encapsulated in a transparent sapphire case that allows the singular mechanism to be admired from all angles: a first for the Manufacture.

Like an object suspended in space and free from the effects of gravity, the off-centred dial of the Defy Zero-G Sapphire combines several traditional crafts in a contemporary execution, handcrafted in a mosaic of meteorite, aventurine glass and grand feu enamel on a gold base. It depicts our neighbouring red planet Mars on the small seconds, partially eclipsed by the hour and minute dial. A special touch that can only be seen when the watch is overhead is the back of the gyroscopic module, fashioned with a cratered texture mimicking the moon. The entire main plate and bridges of the movement are finished in a blue tone with contrasting grey rhodium chamfers, speckled with white stars of varying sizes. This astronomically inspired finish extends to the movement’s cylindrical container, which can also be viewed through the sides of the case.

For the latest execution of the fastest tourbillon chronograph around - equipped with two independent tourbillons completing rotations in 60 seconds for the time-keeping tourbillon and 5 seconds for the chronograph’s tourbillon - Zenith took its evocative “starry sky” aesthetic to new cosmic heights in the Defy 21 Double Tourbillon Sapphire, with a nod to the universe and space exploration.

Visible for all to admire through the crystalline case, the Defy 21 Double Tourbillon’s exceptional chronograph movement is rendered in a stellar and futuristic aesthetic. The main plate of the movement is finished in a striking blue PVD tone, and in a first for Zenith, some of the dial-side bridges are engraved with stars, like a distant galaxy of micro-mechanics in perpetual motion. Truly at the summit of precision, the 1/00th of a second chronograph moves at incredible speed, juxtaposed against a still, starry backdrop.

PROSPEX

In recognition of Seiko’s support to World Athletics, the name Seiko Prospex will be displayed on the perimeter boards at the World Athletics Championships in July.

Seiko’s tradition as a pioneer in sports timing began in the 1960’s, when the company introduced to the world’s sporting stage a range of timing devices that set a new global standard of precision. This tradition has continued and, since 1985, Seiko has been the timekeeper of choice of World Athletics. In 2022, for the 17th consecutive time, Seiko will deliver its state-of-the-art timing services to the World Athletics Championships which will take place in Eugene, Oregon, the spiritual home of the sport in the USA.

Available as a limited edition of 400 from June 2022 at the Seiko Boutiques and selected retail partners worldwide, the new Prospex Speedtimer Limited Edition Chronograph celebrates the sporting heritage of both Seiko and this hallowed venue and honours the performances of the approximately 1,800 athletes who will take part in the championships.

Just as Seiko’s 1960’s suite of sports timers brought important innovation to the global sports arena, so the creation of the Seiko Speedtimer in 1969 was a crucial landmark in the history of the chronograph. Thanks to its vertical clutch and column wheel, it made the measurement of elapsed time more precise and error-free than ever before. Hand assembled by Seiko’s skilled watchmakers, this new Speedtimer is powered by Caliber 8R46, which, like the Caliber 6139 used in the original 1969 Speedtimer, incorporates vertical clutch and column wheel mechanisms to ensure the highest possible levels of precision and durability. The escapement is lightweight and strong, thanks to the use of MEMS technology which enhances the stability of the watch’s precision. The pushers are prominent and have a wide and flat upper surface area to facilitate accurate operability. With the push of the reset button, the hands return back to zero instantly and in perfect synchronization, ready for the next race.

Designed to celebrate sport at the highest international level, every detail of the new Speedtimer reflects the high performance and reliability of Seiko’s sports timekeeping and captures the spirit of World Athletics. The sand patterned dial evokes the texture of the running track and the chronograph second hand as well as the 30-minute counter at 9 o'clock are in yellow, the colour of all Seiko’s timing and measurement devices. The second hand is gently curved down towards the markers and its tip extends right to the edge of the dial so that the elapsed time can be read accurately at a glance, while the hour and minute hands are generously coated with Lumibrite to enhance readability in the dark.

The hands and strap stitching echo the yellow of Seiko’s timing equipment and the back of the watch features the event emblem. The watch is presented on a stainless steel bracelet that is specially designed and constructed for this series. Its thickness and weight combined with the low centre of gravity of the case ensure stability and a high level of comfort on the wrist. What's more, if the wearer chooses, the bracelet can be replaced with the black leather strap that is also included and whose stitching is designed to increase the durability of the strap.

THE POWER OF INSTINCT