As complications go, the tourbillon is controversial. Is it technically a complication? Many would say no. Patented by the watchmaker Abraham-Louis Bréguet in 1801, the revolving mechanism was designed to counteract the effects of gravity on the gears of a mechanical timepiece. It doesn’t, strictly speaking, add a function to the watch (the definition of a complication).
Semantics aside, there’s no denying watchmakers’ enduring obsession with the device. Often made visible through a cutout on the dial, the tourbillon is inherently showy and a relatively easy way to enliven an otherwise standard wristwatch. That may explain why we continue to see so many new eye-catching variations.
A theme of this year’s tourbillon introductions was minimalism. That may strike purists as counterintuitive—the mechanism has long been seen as a flashy accoutrement—but then again, the device is no stranger to controversy.
Below, we highlight some of our favorite new tourbillon wristwatches. Go on—take a whirl!
Photo : A. Lange & Söhne
A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold ‘Lumen’
It’s been a quarter century since Lange introduced its beloved Datograph. To honor the anniversary, the German maker combined a flyback chronograph with a precisely jumping minute counter, perpetual calendar and tourbillon with a stop-seconds mechanism in a Honeygold case that’s been “lumified.” Unlike most wristwatches equipped with tourbillons, the model does not place the spinning device front and center, instead making the tourbillon cage visible through the sapphire caseback. Were it not for the radiance of its luminous display, the piece would be the epitome of quiet luxury. Price on request.
For lovers of mechanical artistry, the new platinum Ultrathin Tourbillon Skeleton from Arnold & Son offers a clear window on to their obsession. With its generous curves and wide apertures, the 41.5 mm piece, available in a limited edition of 28 pieces, houses a one-minute flying tourbillon that’s just 3.3 mm thick, one of the slimmest skeleton tourbillon calibres in existence (but please resist the urge to compare it with Piaget’s wafer-thin model below!). $93,700.
H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Tourbillon Skeleton and Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton Alpine Limited Edition
A follow-up to the Pioneer Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton, introduced in 2022, the Streamliner Tourbillon Skeleton is only Moser’s second skeletonized model. But in keeping with the brand’s reputation as a master of minimalism, the piece manages to accommodate a one-minute flying tourbillon with a double hairspring in its elegant, transparent casing. The piece is joined by the Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton Alpine Limited Edition, a nod to Moser’s new collaboration with Alpine Motorsports, the F1 racing team. While the former comes on an integrated steel bracelet, and the latter on a bright blue rubber strap, the two models are virtually identical. Note: The Alpine edition, limited to just 100 pieces, features a cylindrical hairspring positioned at 6 o’clock. $86,900 and $89,000.
The distinctive Cintrée Curvex case of Franck Muller’s Imperial Tourbillon Baguette is already recognizable across a crowded room. Now that it’s set with nearly 5 carats of baguette-cut diamonds, it’s the horological equivalent of a sign that says, “Look at me!” $169,800.
Piaget celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, but you wouldn’t know it based on the daring youthfulness of its key Watches and Wonders novelty: the Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon. A sliver of a watch, the piece measures just 2 mm, the same thickness as its 2018 predecessor, the Altiplano Ultimate Concept, even though this model features a flying tourbillon. To appreciate the innovation required to produce such a strikingly slender model, view the AUC Tourbillon in profile—it’s barely thicker than the credit card you’ll need to pay for it. $650,000.
Long known for its expertise with tourbillons, Roger Dubuis made the feature a center piece of its Watches & Wonders Geneva introductions. Among the brand’s four new tourbillon models, the minimalist Excalibur Titanium Monotourbillon caught our eye. Limited to 28 pieces, the lightweight 42 mm wristwatch boasts a power reserve of 72 hours and water resistance to 10 bar, making it safe to wear to the beach. This is not Abraham-Louis Bréguet’s tourbillon, but were he alive to see it today, we think he’d approve. $151,000.
How to jazz up one of the industry’s most recognizable sport watches? No. 1: Add a splash of vivid green to the dial. And No. 2: Incorporate a tourbillon into the mix. The new TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph places the mechanism in the standard 6 o’clock position. Thanks to the model’s curved sapphire crystal, it’s now easy to watch it whirl. $24,050.
Moser, Roger Dubuis, Arnold & Son
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