Tourbillon is the French word for whirlwind, which signifies the spinning motion of a tourbillon mechanism in action. This movement was patented by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1801, and since then it has become one of the most sought after timepieces in the industry. In this blog post, we are going to go deeper into the reasons why tourbillons are so popular as well as show you our top five watch brands for tourbillon watches.
Tufina Pionier Basel Tourbillon GM-903-5 Rose.
The History of Tourbillon Watches
Originally, the tourbillon mechanism was conceived with the intention of mitigating the impact of gravity on the watch’s accuracy. It was observed that gravity could disrupt the functionality of the mechanism, particularly in certain positions. Despite the misconception that the tourbillon movement was impervious to the effects of gravity, it was eventually proven false. Nevertheless, the tourbillon remained a highly sought-after timepiece due to its challenging production process. These watches are quite rare, as many watch manufacturers are reluctant to invest substantial time and effort in creating such a specialized timepiece. Consequently, tourbillon watches are esteemed as unique objects of admiration among both watch collectors and the general public.
About the tourbillon
Abraham-Louis Breguet’s tourbillon inspired other innovations. Let’s explain how this interesting mechanism works. In a timepiece, the escapement is usually fixed in one position, with a hairspring on a balance wheel. The balance wheel swings back and forth, causing a gravity-related issue due to its uneven weight distribution.
Abraham-Louis proposed a solution by putting the entire escapement in a rotating cage. He thought that if the hairspring and balance wheel kept moving, timing variations would be eliminated no matter the watch’s position. In 1795, he developed the tourbillon, patented in 1801.
Later on, the tourbillon inspired the “flying tourbillon” designed by Alfred Helwig and students to improve stability and appearance. Then came the double-axis tourbillon, allowing the cage to rotate in two axes. Nowadays, you can even find gyro tourbillon and triple-axis tourbillon models.
How does a tourbillon watch work?
A tourbillon cage rotates the balance wheel, spring, and escapement 360 degrees, regardless of the watch’s position. By doing so, the tourbillon is intended to prevent gravity from exerting the same force on the delicate spring as it would on a pocket watch. Consequently, it cannot slow down the movement, thereby affecting the accuracy of the watch. The balance between the slow and fast positions of the tourbillon is also achieved through the 360-degree rotation.
Watch Tourbillon Brand Recommendations
Nowadays, tourbillon watches are considered an art form, sought after for their incredible visual appeal. Observing a tourbillon watch in action is a captivating spectacle that never fails to capture the attention of every watch enthusiast. Below, we will provide you with a list of our top five tourbillon watch brands that offer some of the best timepieces in the market.
ERA Timepieces Prometheus Tourbillon.
ERA Timepieces
Started by Michael Galarza in 2018, ERA Timepieces is known for keeping its word. This new brand promised to give us fancy and rare watches that usually cost a lot but made them affordable for everyone.
One of their watches, the Prometheus Tourbillon, tries to live up to the hype. It’s a big watch with a stainless case that’s 44mm wide, 12.7mm thick, and has a distance of 51mm from one end to the other. The see-through dial is pretty cool, showing off a spinning part called a tourbillon at 6 o’clock.
The fancy dial is made to look amazing and honor the art of watchmaking. Inside, there’s a Chinese-made movement called Caliber HZ3360A that winds up by hand. It ticks at 28,800 times per hour, making it pretty accurate, and it can keep going for about 32 hours without winding. All this, and the price is around $1,500. Not bad for a watch that looks and acts like the expensive ones.
Tufina Pionier Basel Tourbillon GM-903-1 Blue.
Tufina Basel Tourbillon
Tufina, a renowned European watch brand with a history stretching back to 1828 and passing through eight generations of skilled watchmakers has earned worldwide recognition and the admiration of those who appreciate exceptional timepieces. Among their notable models is the Made in Germany Basel Tourbillon Pionier, featuring a genuine tourbillon movement. It boasts a mechanical in-house dual-time movement with 19 ruby jewels.
The watch is crafted with a sapphire crystal on both the front and back, enclosed in a finely IP plating 5-micron blue case for a touch of sophistication. Sporting elegant Breguet Arabic numerals and classic spade hands. It features GMT on a tourbillon watch. The caseback, with Geneva stripes and characteristic German-style blue screws, adds to its charm. At the 6 o’clock mark, an open heart window offers a captivating view into the intricate tourbillon movement. The timepiece is rounded off with a genuine leather band in a tasteful shade of white, adding to its overall appeal. With its multi-tone dial and the power reserve it can go up to 50 hours, a great purchase to make.
Swatch Diaphane One Tourbillon
Swatch is a cool watch brand known for its fresh ideas. One of its cool watches is the Ref. SVAK1001. Only 2222 of the Diaphane One watches were made, and they’re Swatch’s fanciest ones. These watches have a 42mm case made of plastic and aluminum (just for the bezel). They’re called Carrousel Tourbillon because they use two power sources—one for the moving part and another to control how it spins.
The watch face turns around every 30 minutes, making two turns in an hour. The dial looks neat with special hands and numbers. You can see the inside through the see-through back made of sapphire crystal. The watch works with a hand-wound movement called ETA 93.001, and it can keep going for about 50 hours. This Swatch watch costs about $4,000, bringing together art, precision, and tech in one stylish package.
Zenith Defy Double Tourbillon.
Zenith Defy Double Tourbillon
The Zenith Defy Double Tourbillon is a super cool watch packed with high-tech features that makes it stand out. The case is made of tough carbon and is 46mm wide, built to last and handle whatever comes its way.
On the left side of the watch face, you’ll find two fancy tourbillons. They hang from bridges coated in PVD and highlighted with rose gold. The tourbillon at 7 and 8 o’clock helps the watch work, while the one at 10 o’clock helps with the stopwatch and spins every five seconds—pretty mind-blowing!
The face of the watch is see-through, showing off big silver hands, a power-reserve meter at the top, and glowing hour markers for easy reading in the dark. Inside the watch is Zenith’s special El Primero automatic movement, with lots of parts making it work for 50 hours without winding. It can handle being underwater up to 100 meters and comes with a black rubber strap.
IWC Portugieser Tourbillon Mystere Retrograde
Legend has it that a Portuguese sailor once approached IWC with an unusual request—to create a pocket watch that could be worn on the wrist. And so, the Portugieser was born. Over the years, this collection has transformed into various designs. Legend has it that a Portuguese sailor once approached IWC with an unusual request—to create a pocket watch that could be worn on the wrist. And so, the Portugieser was born. Over the years, this collection has transformed into various designs.
We decided to add the IWC Portugieser Tourbillon Mystere Retrograde to our list. Only 500 timepieces of this model were produced! The watch is made of fancy 18ct 5N gold and has a see-through back made of special glass. It’s attached to your wrist with a brown alligator strap and a matching gold clasp. It’s called the IWC Portugieser Tourbillon Mystere Retrograde, and only 500 were made. The watch is made of fancy 18ct 5N gold and has a see-through back made of special glass. It’s attached to your wrist with a brown alligator strap and a matching gold clasp. Housing a complex and adorned IWC calibre mechanical self-winding movement, the watch displays hours, minutes, a tourbillon escapement, retrograde date, and a power reserve indicator. The dial is silver with rose gold numbers, and you can see the tourbillon through a special window. The glass on top is also special and clear. It’s definitely a really nice fancy watch!