While visiting the Breguet manufacture in Vallée de Joux some weeks ago, we certainly didn’t want to miss the movement assembly Atelier where the Maison’s tourbillon complications come alive. It was Abraham-Louis Breguet who invented this regulator over 200 years ago and the manufacture today is the world’s biggest producer. They have seven tourbillon families based on a range of models. The opportunity was perfect and we couldn’t resist the temptation. So, we asked the local team for some respective watches and temporarily turned a manufacture’s side room into a photo studio. The protagonists: four prestigious masterpieces, that successfully pursue the innovative legacy of Breguet in the 21st century.
A colourful selection of in-house Tourbillon movements
On June 26th in 1801, Abraham-Louis Breguet patented the world’s first tourbillon. Up until then, the gravity had a crucial impact on the mechanical movement and consequently affected its accuracy. It especially affected pocket and table watches, as their movements were usually placed in a vertical position that was mainly responsible for the negative impact caused by gravity. A.-L. Breguet’s solution – he put all components (balance, spring, escapement and escapement wheel) that were most sensitive to gravity, into a cage that rotated around its own axis once a minute. Due to the tourbillon, the effect of gravity was equally dispensed. Hence, the rotational deviations caused by a certain position could be avoided.
Technique meets craftsmanship – all movements are meticulously hand-finished
The name tourbillon – which means ‘whirlwind’ – and its functionality was able to establish itself until today. The components were modified over time, but the principle is unchanged. A very nice example offers the reference 5367 Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Automatic, a successor of the reference 5367 from 2013. The tourbillon cage and balance are made of titanium, the balance spring is made from silicon and the escapement is made of a mixture of silicon and antimagnetic steel. The tourbillon was placed decentralized at 5 o’clock and adorned by a carefully hand bevelled tourbillon bridge. Considering that it is an extra flat watch, it vibrates at a remarkable high frequency of 4 Hz and still offers a power reserve of 80 hours. Not least due to the use of light materials.
The reference 5335 Tourbillon Messidor shows how artful tourbillons can be executed. It is inspired by the pendulums of the early 20th century of which hands seemed to float due to a transparent disc. Instead of floating hands, the manufacture decided for a flying tourbillon-bogie. The tourbillon is mounted in between two round sapphire-discs. The cage is linked to a third sapphire-disc. The striking golden porthole circling the tourbillon cleverly covers the attached construction that lets the cage seem to float. ‘Messidor’ stands for the date (June 26th, 1801) of the first recording of A.-L. Breguet’s tourbillon – ‘Messidor An IX’ respective the French Revolutionary Calendar.
The Tourbillon regulator seems to float on the Messidor Ref. 5335 (left)
Tourbillon Messidor Ref. 5335 (right)
Next protagonist is another technical highlight and treats for the eye. The Grande Complication reference 5347 Classique Double Tourbillon has two tourbillon-cages that are mounted on a plate and linked to the extended hour hand. The two independent tourbillons not only circle around its own axis once a minute, but also rotate around the dial once in twelve hours. An enormous effort that is only possible by building the differentials, that are in charge of the power transmission to the gear train, in the most efficient way. Briefly speaking: The gear train that receives its power from the barrel also provides the time indication that only requires little energy. Hence, Breguet has linked the two tourbillons with the hour hand that serves as a bridge and equipped them with a simple gear train. The dial is very meticulously hand guilloched – however, the case back is almost even more spectacular, with a hand-engraving of the solar system, inspired by the turning and pinwheel rotation of the tourbillons.
Twofold against gravity: the Classique Double Tourbillon Ref. 5347 has two independent Tourbillons (left)
The case back shows a hand-engraving of the solar system (right)
Calm after the storm: from floating and double ‚whirlwinds’, we get back down to earth with the reference 3795 – back to a more classical regulator execution that is not less capturing. The watch architects of Breguet have carefully skeletonized the Classique Tourbillon Quantième Perpétual reference 3795 and thus beautifully exposed the tourbillon and perpetual calendar components. The traditional 60-seconds tourbillon beats at a frequency of 2,5 Hz, which is the same power that Breguet’s timepieces ran 200 years ago. The balance is leveraged by a traditional ‘Breguet spring’ – they dispensed the use of silicon on this piece as the 3795 is based on the calibre 558QP3. The seconds hand is placed on the subtle bevelled tourbillon bridge.
There are not many inventions that last for 200 years and which functionality is still contemporary and in use today. Even more, watch enthusiasts are fascinated by its appearance – there are hardly any watches that keep their tourbillons in secret. We leave the Vallée de Joux full of enthusiasm, taking with us pictures for eternity. Also, the small tourbillons happily carry on whirling – we hope for the next 200 years.
Charles A. Lindberg might have been the most prominent pilot, who trusted the know-how of watch brand Longines in the 1930s, which earned reputation in the field of aviation already from the very start. Their pilot watches distinguished themselves due to the rotating inner disc, which enabled the pilots to synchronize their watch with the…
You may have read our previous article on what a chronometer is. If so then you’ll know there are many different laboratories that test and certify chronometers. In the meantime, however, other brands have also established their own test criteria and quality seals. In this article, we will break down the main ones and what…
On 6 November, Christie's held what the auction house described as one of the most significant private collections it has ever auctioned. Exceptionally rare and historically important: this is the best way to describe the impressive collection of Mohammed Zaman, a collector from the Sultanate of Oman, who amassed the pieces over the last 40…
In the past years we have noticed a growing impact of smartwatch technologies amongst the traditional mechanical watch brands. It actually all started with smart electronic technology from commercial brands, but with this trend the traditional brands have been under pressure to deliver new innovative systems paired with their traditional way of watchmaking. A small…
A childhood dream has come true. Thanks to Mercedes-AMG and IWC Schaffhausen who teamed up at the Nürburgring 24-hours race to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the performance sports car brand of Mercedes-Benz, which took it’s name from the initials of the founders Hans Werner Aufrecht, Erhard Melcher and the town where it all began,…
Earlier this month, we were lucky enough to spend some time with two very special Audemars Piguet pieces: the Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph with a "light blue" dial, and the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar with a "blue" dial. The limited editions' famously frosty dial colours have earned the nickname "ice blue" – and they are…
The Radiomir, a watch classic that was originally designed for functional use, has since established itself as a style element in the everyday life of many fashionable men. It is a model that is directly linked to the brand Panerai: the cushion-shaped case, the sandwich design of the dial and typical looped lugs that were used…
Incredible watches are characterised by the fact that they display much more than just the current time. In the best cases, they also say something about the zeitgeist in the world. It would not an exaggeration to say that the Richard Mille RM 029 Le Mans Classic is one such model. As a limited edition of 150…
We have all heard of King Arthur, whose name conjures up an early medieval world of knights, magicians, and damsels in distress. Most importantly for us, though, is his famed inner circle: the noble Knights of the Round Table. It is to this knightly fellowship that ever-creative Swiss horology house Roger Dubuis dedicates its most captivatingly creative watch of all – the Excalibur Knights of the…
The 1892 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania founded watch brand Hamilton not only produced precise timepieces for the railroad and field watches for soldiers on the ground, but also precise watches for the timekeeping in the sky. However, not so much for the military but primarily for the pilots of the U.S. Airmail. That was 100 years…
Since its reestablishment in 1994, A. Lange & Söhne has already developed and produced more than 70 different calibres in-house – but what has been missing so far is a movement exclusively with a perpetual calendar and a minute repeater. At Watches & Wonders 2025, the Glashütte watchmaker is now presenting the Minute Repeater Perpetual…
The new stars at Swiss watch-brand Carl F. Bucherer are not again Hollywood actors or sport enthusiasts as brands usually commit as ambassadors to represent their products, but 188 manta rays! The reason is mainly the brands support in The Manta Trust, a UK registered charity committed to protecting and ensuring the survival of manta rays…
We recently spent a great day with Steve Guerdat, his horses and a historical Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona at his stables in Elgg, located around 40 kilometers east from Zurich. Not only that Steve is a very pleasant and grounded person, he is also the current world’s best Show Jumper. Although Steve knows much more about horses than…