Good evening everyone!
This week, we have a new series, In this new project, we will explain the basics of luxury watches in an easy-to-understand way, for those who are not very familiar with luxury watches and those who want to learn more about them.
This is the 15th time
[ Introduction to Luxury Watches ]: 『 Tourbillon 』
The tourbillon is one of the three most complicated mechanisms in the world, and was invented by the genius watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet. It is a mechanism that often attracts attention due to its beautiful appearance, but there may be some people who do not know in detail what kind of mechanism it actually is.
So, in this article, I would like to explain the basics of the tourbillon in an easy-to-understand way, such as what kind of mechanism it is and why it was created.
What is a Tourbillon?
" Tourbillon " = " Mechanism to reduce the effects of gravity "
The tourbillon is considered to be one of the three most complicated mechanisms in the world, along with the perpetual calendar, which does not require calendar adjustment for long periods of time, and the minute repeater, which tells the time using a gong or other means.
This mechanism, invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet, who is known for having accelerated the history of clocks by 200 years, was developed to overcome the disadvantage of watches changing orientation while being carried around, causing deviations in accuracy, when pocket watches were mainstream at the time, and is equipped with a mechanism to reduce the effect of gravity on the mainspring, which is also the power source of the watch. It is an innovative mechanism that is less susceptible to the effects of positional differences and can maintain high accuracy even if the orientation or position changes.
How the Tourbillon Works
To put it simply, a tourbillon is a mechanism that combines the parts that control the precision of a watch into one unit and rotates it to eliminate the effects of gravity.
In a normal movement, the mainspring unwinds,
Power is transmitted in the following order: barrel ⇨ second wheel ⇨ third wheel ⇨ fourth wheel ⇨ escapement regulator.
On the other hand, in the Tourbillon,
The escapement and regulator are entirely housed in a cage called a carriage.
By rotating the entire “carriage,” the effects of gravity are dispersed.
The fourth wheel, which is fixed to the carriage, and the escape wheel engage and revolve on their own axis, causing the entire mechanism to rotate. The rotation of the carriage resembles a whirlpool, and so the watch was given the name "tourbillon," which means "whirlpool" in French.
The Need for a Modern Tourbillon
The "tourbillon" was originally designed as a mechanism for pocket watches. Wristwatches are said to be less susceptible to deviations in accuracy due to positional differences and gravity than pocket watches. Therefore, it cannot be said that a "tourbillon" is necessarily required for modern high-precision wristwatch movements.
However, due to the beauty of the mechanism itself, as well as its operation and appearance, they are often adopted for their beauty and status rather than for the practical aspect of maintaining precision, and they are still sold by many brands today and loved by watch enthusiasts.
Types of Tourbillon
There are several types of "tourbillons." Here we will explain three types of "tourbillons."
❶【Tourbillon (normal)】
The mechanism for pocket watches developed by Abraham-Louis Breguet is directly adapted for wristwatches. When it was created, it was said that only a limited number of craftsmen in the world could make it, but with recent advances in technology, it is now possible to mass-produce it.
[ Representative model ]
[ Richard Mille ]
" Tourbillon Rafael Nadal "
❷【Flying Tourbillon】
A normal "tourbillon" has a bridge on both the front and back, but the "flying tourbillon" supports the bridge only on the back. When viewed from the front, the "carriage" looks like it is floating, hence the name. It is especially popular among enthusiasts, as you can directly view the "carriage," which is the heart of the "tourbillon."
[ Representative model ]
[ Audemars Piguet ]
" Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon "
❸ [Gyrotourbillon (3D spherical tourbillon)]
This is a 3D spherical tourbillon developed by Jaeger-LeCoultre. The carriage is spherical, minimizing gravity. It has been highly praised for its beautiful appearance and the difficulty of its technology.
[ Representative model ]
[ Jaeger-LeCoultre ]
" Master Grand Tradition Gyrotourbillon
Westminster Perpetual
summary
We have explained the mechanism and types of tourbillons. What do you think?
The tourbillon, one of the three most complicated mechanisms in the world, was developed to prevent the effect of gravity on accuracy, but nowadays many models are equipped with it, as they are valued for their beautiful appearance and the status it brings to a watch.
Even though they are all "tourbillons," they come in a variety of designs depending on the brand and model, so be sure to try and find your favorite "tourbillon."
I hope that after reading this article, you will become interested in luxury watches!
see you!