Tourbillon Watch: An Expert Guide

Sam Williams
6 min readJul 6, 2021

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Tourbillon watch is one of the most complicated watches in the world. It features tourbillon system, which rotates on its own axis to compensate for any change in gravity and thus keep time accurately. Tourbillon also provides a better distribution of energy to all the parts of the watch.

The tourbillon has been used since 1801. But it wasn’t until recently that tourbillons were introduced into wristwatches by luxury watch makers as a way to make them more accurate than ever before. In this article we will give you an overview of tourbillons and explain why they are such an important feature for a tourbillion-powered watch!

What’s tourbillon watch?

A tourbillon is a mechanical watch device that has been used for over 150 years to improve accuracy. It does this by rotating the balance wheel with a series of weights on it inside two cages. So it can’t be influenced by gravity when worn on the wrist.

The name “tourbillon” means whirlwind in French, and it was given to this type of mechanism. Because the rotation makes it spin like a cyclone or whirlwind. There are many different styles and designs available. But they all have one thing in common: they make your watch more accurate than most other watches out there!

Tourbillons are most often used in high-end chronometer watches. Because they can increase precision from 15 seconds per day up to 30 seconds per day if correctly set up.

The history of tourbillon watch

Tourbillon watches are one of the most sought after watch pieces in the world. They are complicated, expensive and highly coveted. What is a tourbillon?

It’s an intricate mechanism that rotates inside its case to counterbalance gravity for accurate timekeeping. The basic design was patented in 1801 by Abraham-Louis Breguet. But it wasn’t until much later when they became popular again with watchmakers like Patek Philippe making them exclusively for their limited edition high end watches.

Tourbillons can take many different forms from skeletonized, open hearted or closed cases to even being completely invisible like those made by Ulysse Nardin.

Modern versions are often produced as luxury items to celebrate important events such as anniversaries or birthdays. Tourbillons come in all shapes and sizes. But they typically consist of a cage to hold the balance wheel (often called “the heart of the watch”) on an axis that rotates around its own center point at a much faster rate than normal watches do. This means that gravity has less effect on this part of the mechanism, which can increase the watch’s accuracy.

This design is largely responsible for tourbillons being able to have a power reserve of up to eight days when fully wound. And even more on those with automatic winding systems such as tourbillon automatique or tourbillon perpétuel.

How tourbillon watch works?

The tourbillon is a mechanism in horology, which protects the escapement from being affected by gravity. It is primarily used to counteract the effects of gravitational pull on the balance wheel and escapement. The word itself comes from the French “tourbillion,” meaning whirlwind or whirlpool. This device was first invented in 1801 by Abraham-Louis Breguet for pocket watches. However it has since been adapted for wristwatches as well. And can be found among many luxury watch brands like Patek Philippe, Rolex, Omega, etc.

The tourbillon’s purpose is to offset any positional errors that may occur between an object’s centre of gravity and its point of support due to external forces such as gravity. In short, tourbillon movement serves to negate the effect of gravity on a pocket watch or wristwatch’s timekeeping accuracy by constantly rotating them. All in order that they may maintain their original position and be perpendicular with the earth’s surface at all times.

Invented more than 200 years ago, tourbillion devices are still incorporated into many of the world’s most prestigious watch companies. And are considered one of the finest horological achievements.

How accurate is a tourbillon watch?

A tourbillon watch is a class of timepiece that has an escapement mounted on a rotating carousel or cage that rotates 360 degrees once every minute. What does this mean? It means the balance wheel and escapement are mounted in one part. And that makes it easier for them to keep time accurately due to reduced effects of gravity. That being said, how accurate can they be?

The answer varies depending on the type of tourbillon used. For example, if you have a classic tourbillon then it can make up to 1–2 seconds per day difference in accuracy over 8 hours (which is not too bad). On the other hand with modern variants such as those found in Omega watches then accuracy can reach about 10 seconds per day over the same time span.

How much does a tourbillon watch cost?

A watch with a tourbillon is one of the most complicated watches in the world. It takes hours for craftsmen to assemble all the pieces and put them together correctly. The entire thing looks like it could be a science experiment at school. But when you see how much they sell for, you’ll realize that it is an investment piece.

A tourbillon watch is a type of watch that has the escapement and balance wheel rotating on an axis different from the time-keeping part of the movement. It was invented to overcome defects in pocket watches, such as low accuracy, caused by their design. Modern watches often use a tourbillon to maintain accuracy while using a complicated mechanism for displaying information. So how much does this type of watch cost? The answer varies but can range up to $100,000 or more!

Why is a tourbillon watch so expensive?

The tourbillon is a complication of the mechanical watch. It’s a type of escapement that rotates around the dial once every 60 seconds. That means it has to be mounted on the bottom plate of the movement. Tourbillons are made up of many parts. And they’re expensive to make because they require skilled labor and lots of time.

The other reason why they cost so much is because not many people want them. In fact, out of all watches sold worldwide in 2017, only 0.4% were equipped with this complication — making them one of the rarest types on earth!

In short, they are so expensive because they take such precision and skill to create. The process takes up to six months with more than 100 specialists working in collaboration on it. The end result is a timepiece that’s not only beautiful but also highly accurate. All these making it one of the most prized complications in horology.

Are tourbillon watches worth it?

Tourbillon watches are some of the most expensive in the world. They cost more than 2x as much as a Rolex and, statistically speaking, 3x less accurate. So why would someone spend so much for something that is not only inaccurate but also overpriced? The answer is simple: because they’re beautiful!

The complex mechanics inside these timepieces create an appealing showpiece to adorn your wrist. What’s more, it’s a watch that has been around since 1801 when Abraham-Louis Breguet invented it. If you have money to burn on something beautiful then this may be right up your alley!

Conclusion

As you can see, a tourbillon watch is not just an ordinary timepiece. It has been the pinnacle of horology for centuries and continues to delight collectors today with its beautiful artistry and complex engineering.

If you are looking for a high-end, luxury watch that is not just beautiful but also complicated and mechanical, then the Tourbillon Watch may be perfect for your needs.

Also if you are interested in learning more about these watches or would like one customized to your specifications, please contact our team at SenseOrient. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

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