Concierge Group, Beyond service

Invented in 1795 by Abraham Louis Breguet, the tourbillon is one of the most important complications in a wristwatch. Back in those days watches were worn in the pocket and mainly stayed in a fixed position until taken out to be read. It was thought that gravity would have an effect on the accuracy of such a watch because similar clocks were more accurate. Breguet had the radical idea of mounting the escapement and balance wheel in a rotating cage so that they were in constant motion, thus negating the gravitational effect of being in the same position for most of the day.

Modern wristwatches are far more accurate than the 18th century pocket watches, however the tourbillon remains one of the most important complications because of the challenges involved in producing them and the constant technical innovation.

More recent innovations for the tourbillon include mechanisms that allow the cage to rotate freely in more than one dimension. As these tourbillons are generally displayed on the dial they are a fascinating addition to a watch which can mesmerise for hours.....