The art of the tourbillon

The concept of tourbillon watch movement is interesting to read and more than that to own. The question arises who wears a tourbillon. The simplest answer - person with passion; Tourbillon watches are fun watches. Purists in the design world may argue that the tourbillon design is over designing describing it as complicated technical wizardry, which ultimately just tells the time.

The technical virtuosity of the watch mechanism is the regulating organ that is based on Christian Huygens invention of the balance spring (1675 reference Journal de Scavans) although it is the English philosopher and otherwise known as "England's Leonardo", Robert Hooke (1635 - 1703) who is credited with the invention of the balance spring around 1660. The debate regarding the veracity of the invention has added references with the discovery of a clock that has the imprint of IssacThuret the French clockmaker who made the clock with spiral spring regulating the balance wheel's mechanism for Christian Huygens in 1675. Coming back to the tourbillon, Abraham Breguet invented the concept and executed the idea of the balance wheel turn on itself by allowing the spring to move the point of gravity eccentrically. The debate about the over designed movement rests on the following hypothesis - one  it was designed as a precision timekeeping device; second the instrument compensated for an imperfect regulating mechanism and third the watch mechanism did away with frequent lubrication necessity.

The tourbillon that Breguet designed functioned in the vertical position as watches generally ended in a pocket of the waistcoat. The design regulated gravitational errors and in several tests of vertical timekeeping the tourbillon was unmatched. However, the advance of manufacturing techniques and wristwatch design going the automatic route made the tourbillon's popularity to wane. Today the tourbillon boasts a pedigree that any watchmaker is honoured to affix next to his or her name. To give an example Vianney Halter's Deep Space Tourbillon is a tour-de-force of watch making design (this watch sells for nearly 200,000 euros).

Continuing in the fine tradition of Robert Hooke is the Manchester based watchmaker Perpetual Time; Taking apart the tourbillon mechanism and servicing it is a piece of cake for this WOSTEP (the independent and premier institution for excellent training in the field of horology) trained as well as BHI (British Horological Institute) certified watchmaker. Several Perpetual Time Reviews are testament to the professionalism and skill of this talented watchmaker. It will not be surprising as evidenced by detailed observation in watch forums about Perpetual Time Reviews extolling the passion that has earned this watchmaker the coveted badge from The Guild of Expert Craftsmen.