Everything You Need to Know About Tourbillon Watches
If you’re interested in watch collecting, then you may have heard about a tourbillon. Tourbillon watches are touted as the finest accomplishment of horology, and their exemplary mechanism is a part of some of the world’s best timepieces. If you’re wondering what a tourbillon is and why it is coveted by so many, the following guide will help you understand tourbillon watches.
What Is a Tourbillon?
A tourbillon is a particular mechanism in which the balance wheel, hairspring, and escapement are mounted in a rotating cage. The cage counters the effect of gravity when the watch is in a stagnant position, improving accuracy.
The History of Tourbillon Watches
The first tourbillon watch was made in 1795 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, a legendary French-Swiss watchmaker. He patented the technology in 1801 and sold about 35 tourbillon pocket timepieces to wealthy aristocrats and monarchs between 1805 and 1823. The majority of the first tourbillon watches were used for scientific experiments and navigational purposes.
Following Breguet, other watchmakers like Alfred Helwig and Edouard Belin created their tourbillon watches with improvements in the mechanism. In 1947, Omega introduced the Caliber 301, one of the first modern tourbillon wristwatches. The metal cage in the watch rotated on its axis once every seven and a half minutes and delivered prize-winning accuracy. Following this, tourbillon watches made their way into the designs of several luxury watchmakers.
Why Are Tourbillon Watches so Expensive?
Tourbillon is considered a pinnacle of horology. It’s a marvel to look at and requires expert craftsmanship to make each timepiece. Each tourbillon watch is handmade using the finest components and requires the labor of artisanal watchmakers. Most tourbillon watches have skeletal dials putting the mechanism on full display, contributing to the high price tags.
But you can still find tourbillon watches that are quite affordable, like the Zurich Theorema Tourbillon, a Tufina watch. This watch is an excellent tourbillon to add to your luxury watch collection that costs around $5,000. If you are undecided whether this watch is a good choice, make sure to check out the authentic Tufina watches review to find out what other collectors have to say about this watch.
Is a Tourbillon Watch the Same as a Skeleton Watch?
Just because a watch has an open-worked dial face does not mean it is a tourbillon. However, tourbillon watches are mounted on skeletal dials so the wearer can see the exquisite movement inside. Beware of brands that pass off skeleton watches as tourbillon timepieces.
