During last year’s US Presidential campaign, Trump debuted a namesake limited-edition tourbillon watch, the Trump Victory Tourbillon. A watch Trump unabashedly described as “not just any watch; one of the best watches made”, in a video found on the Victory Tourbillon’s gettrumpwatches.com e-commerce outlet.
While he may well be a dab hand at building edifices and winning over voters, I must disagree with his ‘best watch made’ appraisal. For those after a tourbillon to challenge that of the president-elect’s offering, we’ve compiled a list of ten current-market alternatives.
Drawing its name from the French word for “whirlwind”, the tourbillon was developed by horological torchbearer, Abraham Louis-Breguet during the turn of the 18/19th centuries.
Pre-dating the wristwatch, tourbillons were designed to mitigate the negative effect Earth’s gravity has on a (pocket) watch’s movement by mounting its power-routing components in a rotating cage.
A tourbillon’s effectiveness in a wrist watch, however, is questionable, as it’s only really effective when the host watch is kept static as opposed to the constant mercy of a wearer’s ambiguously moving limb.
The likes of Jaeger Le-Coultre and Grubel Forsey have sought to address this with multi-axis tourbillons, but many brands still choose to include traditional single-axis toubillons in their wristwatch lineups.
While contentious for some, I’d argue that the cynicism around these pieces is a somewhat reductive view which fails to take into account the joyous irrationality which attracts so many to the charmingly antiquated field of mechanical watchmaking. Think, instead, of today’s examples as worthy, skill-preserving expressions of one of the most technically complex echelons in horology’s history.
Vacheron Constantin
Overseas Tourbillon
Vacheron Constantin takes its tourbillons seriously – so much so, you’ll find the iconic ‘Maltese cross’ logo incorporated into the mechanism itself.
Self-wound via a peripheral 22ct gold rotor, the Overseas’s 60-second tourbillon also incorporates a ‘blued’ heat-treated screw in lieu of a dedicated seconds hand.
Our favourite is the Grade-5 titanium version pictured. It has a 42.5mm case and 50m of water resistance, and thanks to a tool-less ‘quick change’ system, wearers can swap between the supplied titanium bracelet, leather strap or rubber strap options with ease.
Anti-magnetic protection is afforded by a soft-iron ring encircling the movement.
Frederique Constant
Classic Tourbillon Manufacture
Frederique Constant is breaking barriers at every turn. With a sub-£15k price tag, its Classic Tourbillon Manufacture is a relative bargain in the tourbillon sector.
At its heart is the self-winding FC-980 Manufacture movement, developed and assembled entirely in-house. Other standout features include: a handsome sunray dial, an ‘onion’ crown, ‘spear’-shaped central hour and minute hands, and a tourbillon-mounted ‘running seconds’ hand.
Combining historic watchmaking techniques with 21st century knowhow, the Classic Tourbillon Manufacture also employs a silicone escapement, resulting in reduced levels of friction between components and greater levels of resistance to magnetism.
Housed in a 39mm white-gold case, it’s what the term ‘modern classic’ was invented for.
Originally launched in a dark blue, it's now available in a limited-edition of of just 150 pieces in green.
Piaget
Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon 150th Anniversaire
Piaget is renowned for its work with ultra-thin timekeepers. Continuing this lineage is the Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon 150th Anniversaire, produced in celebration of Piaget’s sesquicentennial (!) anniversary, it’s a remarkable piece of watchmaking.
Despite a thickness (read: thinness) of 2mm, Piaget has still managed to fit a flying tourbillon into its waifish case. In order to achieve this, the Altiplano Ultimate Concept’s flying tourbillon is peripherally mounted, and also driven, using a ceramic ball bearing.
Notwithstanding the lack of space, Piaget has also managed to squeeze out a respectable 40 hours of power reserve.
Hublot
Big Bang Tourbillon Carbon SR_A by Samuel Ross
To anyone after a big, bold in-your-face tourbillon, may I direct your attention to Hublot’s Big Bang Tourbillon Carbon SR_A by Samuel Ross. With its 44mm titanium and carbon case, fully skeletonised dial, honeycomb-patten perforations, and bright blue rubber strap (not to mention its tourbillon),
this is not a timepiece for the shy nor retiring.
As its name suggests, the Carbon SR_A has been produced in collaboration with British artist/designer and Hublot ambassador, Dr Samuel Ross MBE. Known for his work with brutalism and deconstruction, Ross’s distinctive influence is easily apparent throughout.
Probably not one to be worn to the office – unless you own said office.
Audemars Piguet
Code 11:59 Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph
Audemars Piguet holds the distinction of being the first watchmaker to produce a self-winding tourbillon, thanks to 1986’s Calibre 2870 movement.
So, it’s only fitting to include the Code 11:59 Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph in this list.
And, with a flyback chronograph complication, 65-hours of guaranteed power, and no less than 40 jewels, its 470-piece Calibre 2592 movement is quite the evolution
Aesthetics are important here too: ‘openworked’ (to use Audemars Piguet parlance) for all to see, movement and case have been made to coalesce perfectly. A class act.
Richard Mille
RM 17-02 Tourbillon Titanium
Field tested by the likes of Rafa Nadal and Yohan Blake, Richard Mille has become renowned for its work with lightweight shock-resistant tourbillons.
Pieces like the RM 17-02 with its titanium-baseplate movement are a perfect case in point. It’s loaded with a free-sprung balance with variable inertia; winding/neutral/hand-setting crown position indicator; ‘fuel gauge’-style power reserve indicator; signature tonneau-shape tripartite, titanium case; proprietary spline-shaped screws; and ‘vented’ rubber or canvas straps.
It’s quite a piece of kit. The brand’s tagline is ‘A racing machine on the wrist’ and this is a great example of what’s made the brand such a success.
Laurent Ferrier
Grand Sport Tourbillon Pursuit
Laurent Ferrier’s Grand Sport Tourbillon Pursuit is something of a departure from the rest on this list, in that its tourbillon is hidden beneath its dial; a sapphire caseback has been included for owners who enjoy inspecting their tourbillons.
It’s a restrained decision in keeping with the brand’s modus operandi. Coming from the integrated-bracelet-sports-watch school of design, additional design notes comprise: titanium case/bracelet, a ‘crosshair’ dial, oversized ‘onion’ crown, and a fetching ‘salmon’ pink opaline-finish dial. Water resistant to 100m, it measures 44mm and weighs in at a featherweight 118g.
Chopard
L.U.C 1860 Flying Tourbillon
This is about as far as one can get from the Trump Victory Tourbillon mentioned earlier.
Chopard’s L.U.C 1860 Flying Tourbillon is a discerningly styled watch that’s been produced to the very highest standards of haute horology.
In the flesh, it is almost achingly beautiful. (Again, a marked contrast to Trump.) Measuring in at a svelte 36.5 x 8.2mm, it employs yellow-gold case construction and is the only flying tourbillon to have been awarded both Geneval Seal and COSC chronometer certifications.
Whereas most tourbillons are installed into a movement with a topside bride, a flying tourbillon is secured from the rear, to provide an unobstructed view of its action.
TAG Heuer
Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon
With the Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon, Tag Heuer has seen fit to blend a modern tourbillon with archive 1960s Carrera styling. And we’re down for that.
Adopting the 6 o’clock sub-dial position, the ‘opened’ tourbillon is a welcome retrofit which sits remarkably well with the vintage Carrera ‘glassbox’ raised crystal, throwback blue/orange livery, and retro contrast-silver hands, indexes and sub-dials.
On a technical level, the watch is driven using a chronometer certified, in-house automatic movement with 65-hours of power reserve. The stylish timepiece comes replete with a blue calfskin leather strap, sapphire crystal caseback and a five-year warranty.
Horage
Autark Tourbillon
Throwing its hat into the automatic tourbillon ring comes Horage.
Founded in 2015, Horage is a relative newcomer, but don’t let youthfulness put you off.
Its new Autark Torubillon model can boast of a proprietary micro-rotor movement with flying tourbillon and three days of power reserve.
Tungsten by standard, the winding rotor can be upgraded to platinum for an increase in operational efficiency of approximately 8%.
Case (39.5mm) and bracelet are made using Grade 5 titanium with a ten-point micro-adjust deployant buckle. Its dial, on the other hand, is available in a host of colours and with the option of a power reserve indicator at 10 o’clock.
Incredibly, the Autark Tourbillon has an entry price of 12,990 CHF.
