What is a tourbillon? How to identify 5 types of tourbillons
Today we get to tell you all about tourbillon complications and answer all the most common questions about tourbillons.
What is a tourbillon?
A tourbillon is a mechanical complication found in the movements of certain high-end mechanical watches. It was invented during the era or the pocket watch and is both hypnotic and fascinating to watch. Watches with tourbillons are usually a bit expensive compared to watches without them. They are not the most common complication that you’ll find on a watch, but certainly one of the most entertaining.
What does a tourbillon look like?
Sometimes an unsavvy watch dealer might mistake a watch with a semi-skeletonized dial showing a visible balance wheel known as an “Open Heart” for a tourbillon. That’s why when you search for one, it’s important to contact a watch expert from a trustworthy company before buying it. Be sure to read further to learn how to quickly identify a genuine tourbillon watch when you see one and avoid running into a disastrous nightmare.
Why do some watches have tourbillons?
The purpose of a tourbillon is to address an issue that many mechanical watches have with regards to the way physics affects the precision and accuracy of their movements. Gravity is a force that creates a drag on watch’s movement when they are in certain positions.
What is the purpose of a tourbillon?
One of the most challenging things watchmakers faced when regulating a pocket watch is the effects that gravity plays on the caliber or movement. A tourbillon acts as a way to counter the drag effect that gravity plays on some of the smaller components in a timepiece’s escapement when held in certain positions.
How does a tourbillon watch work?
A tourbillon places certain parts of the watches internal mechanics, (the balance wheel and escapement ) into a rotating cage. The escapement is a component of the movement which is comprised of the hairspring, balance wheel, and pallet fork. The tourbillon watch will then slowly rotate this cage holding the aforementioned components, usually at a rate of 1 RPM, and this counteracts the adverse effects that gravity creates when the watch is in certain positions and helps to iron out positional errors of accuracy.
Who invented the tourbillon?
It was 1795 when Abraham-Louis Breguet developed the mechanical mechanism (AKA complication) that we call the tourbillon. Breguet was also famous for inventing other revolutionary devices in watchmaking such as the rotor that we find in self-winding, automatic watches.
It’s no surprise that many Breguet watches often have tourbillons. The word “tourbillon” is a French term that means “whirlwind.” If you take one close look at a tourbillon watch in action, then the name makes perfect sense. It has a mesmerizing spiral motion that can be quite hypnotic.
What is the world’s thinnest tourbillon?
BVLGARI released the world’s thinnest tourbillon in the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon which uses the new, ultra-thin Bulgari in-house manufactured Caliber BVL 268 shown below. The 11-jewel movement is only 1.95mm thick and has an approximate power reserve of 55 hours.
Are there different types of tourbillons?
Certainly! Tourbillons have evolved quite a bit since they were first invented. In fact, there are quite a few new types of tourbillons. Some luxury watchmakers are really creative in the way they implement a tri-axial tourbillon. Below you will find a few video examples of some of the more innovative ones.
Double-axis & triple-axis tourbillons
A multi-axis tourbillon is a new innovation to the traditional tourbillon where the escapement is mounted in a cage that is rotated on more than one axis. A triple-axis tourbillon (also known as a tri-axial tourbillon) is a tourbillon that rotates on three different axes. A double-axis tourbillon only rotates on two axes.