To me your explanation makes a much better understanding about the working of the Tourbillon movement than I could extract from reading books about that. Thanks Kalle!
Thanks for explaining that in a way that I was able to understand. I've looked at other articles and videos that made me more confused about the tourbillion movement, instead of helping me to understand it better. As usual, great video!
I love your passion for watches. From the time I was a little boy I have always been fascinated by watches. For me it the watch does not go tick tock it is not a watch.
I love listening to you because you kind of - humanize the ups and downs during watchmaking; rather like my daughter, who natters away to herself, taking to her watch, and being grumpy when working doesn't always go the way she wants. 😅 I've learnt so much from you, although watchmaking is less a serious hobby since pocket watches is my thing. Thank you so much, and I wish you a blazingly great New Year. Wendi
Very interesting indeed, but I missed some closeups of a few tourbillons to illustrate its function. It’s amazing that the concept of the tourbillon is as old as it is, and that they even were able to make that delicate piece of art more than 200 years ago.
Thanks for the brilliant explanation. In addition could you explain how the caged escapement is coupled to the remainder of the movement. If it was rotating in a single plane I think it could be coupled to a wheel (in effect travel around the wheel) but how does this work for 3 or more planes of rotation? Some type of universal joint similar to those used in a motor vehicle?
I always thought that from a technical standpoint wrist watches didn't benefit a lot from tourbillion escapements and you confirmed my thoughts ^^ But still I wear and collect mechanical watches cause I love the way they work and you can argue why would anyone wear a mechanical watch over a quartz one that are so much more thought, accurate, cheap and reliable. I still think they are mechanical jewels worthy of admiration and I would love to own one, but probably in something that makes more sense than a wristwatch, like a wall clock. For wristwatches in my eyes the ultimate beauty in escapements is the Seiko spring drive system, combining the beauty of a mechanical watch with the precision of quartz timing and the ultimate smoothness of that seconds hand, using a spring as the power reserve. Great video and great explanation ^^
Question about a quartz watch: why my Tissot quartz watch inaccurate when it changed to use at UK, FEW degree Celsius compared to 20 degrees Celsius in Hongkong. It move slower about one hour every day.
That was very interesting! Is what they call a flying tourbillon the same as a 3 axes tourbillon? Or is that something else on it's own? Thank you for the very good explanation, i very much enjoy watching your video's.
I have one of these movements and always wondered why. I did read somewhere this device was invented for pocket watches to minimise the effects of gravity on the balance wheel, (gyroscope effect) but does it really increase the accuracy of the movement in wrist watches?
Dit soort tourbillons worden vaak "drievoudige assen-tourbillons" genoemd en vertegenwoordigen een van de meest geavanceerde complicaties in de moderne horlogerie. In plaats van alleen om één as (meestal verticaal) te draaien, roteert de kooi van de tourbillon in meerdere richtingen, wat zorgt voor een driedimensionale beweging. Hoe werkt een 3D-tourbillon? Traditionele tourbillon: De kooi draait om één as (meestal binnen 60 seconden een volledige omwenteling). Dubbele assen-tourbillon: Er wordt een tweede rotatie toegevoegd, vaak in een loodrechte richting, waardoor het mechanisme compenseert in twee dimensies. Drievoudige assen-tourbillon: Een derde rotatie-as wordt geïntroduceerd, vaak diagonaal of onder een hoek, waardoor de tourbillon in alle richtingen roteert. Dit verhoogt de precisie (theoretisch) verder. Praktische betekenis Hoewel het oorspronkelijke doel van een tourbillon (het compenseren van zwaartekracht) in moderne polshorloges al minder relevant is, benadrukken deze 3D-tourbillons vooral het technische vakmanschap. Ze zijn niet ontworpen voor ultieme precisie, maar eerder om de grenzen van horlogemakerij te verleggen en liefhebbers te fascineren met hun esthetiek en complexiteit. Voorbeelden van merken Enkele exclusieve merken die polshorloges met 3D-tourbillons maken: Greubel Forsey: Beroemd om zijn Quadruple Tourbillon en modellen met meerdere rotatieassen. Jaeger-LeCoultre: Hun Gyrotourbillon combineert een dubbele of zelfs drievoudige as. Jacob & Co.: Bekend om hun extravagante Astronomia Tourbillon, waar de tourbillon een centrale rol speelt in een 3D-weergave van planeten en sterren. MB&F: Combineert innovatieve ontwerpen met multidimensionale tourbillonbewegingen. Deze horloges worden beschouwd als meesterwerken van mechanisch vakmanschap, maar zijn door hun extreme complexiteit en exclusiviteit vaak astronomisch geprijsd.
I noticed that when I started my chronographs and leave the watches on the table, the hands of the small dials for minutes/hours keep a perfect alignment with the markers, even after a long time running the chronographs. However, when I walk around with the chronographs on, I noticed progressive misalignment of the hands with the markers. I tested this with three different good chronographs, including Zenith El Primero, Omega Speedmaster and Tag Hauer Carrera. All the same. I was wondering if this has to do with some kind of the random vibration of escapement mechanism over time while moving your hands. Would a Tourbillon chronograph eliminate this effect? Hope you read it.
Really fascinating. One question, is the rotation of the tourbillon cage driven by the mainspring (as I assume), or is it simply free to rotate as necessary? Many thanks!
There was a time when only a few company made triple axis tourbillons and I was lucky enough to see almost all at the same exhibition (Viennatime 2008): Becsei, Prescher and Franck Mueller were all there. Only JLC had a triple axis at that time from the rest. Very mesmerizing to see those little marvels, but yes, it has no significant benefit.
I've learned so much about watch mechanic's with you, Master. Thank you. About the jewels ending up worn by the pivots, I also agree the "stones" are so hard it's hard to buy that BUT....the pivots themselves, could become worn at a lower point or not and become ovalized? Hypothetical question.
Interesting explanation, thank you for that, however, what I did not understand is what is the actual side effect of the “breathing” of the hair spring. Well, of course apart from displacing the center of gravity of the spring. So, what does that actually imply?
This is the first time someone ever explained tourbillion to me, i cant say that I fully understand it even though I watched the video twice however I got the hint of it. Not sure how the virtual gravity point affects the accuracy yet, I need to think about it or I further need to educate myself. This is not a criticism against the YT video just a feedback. Thank you for putting your effort and time into it. You have a very nice wheel there, it seems you need to poise it though. The whole movement must be really big, I wonder how do you put it into your pocket. :) That MF&B borrowed a wheel from a verge escapement. :)
Some people wan "the best" of anything, from engine oil to ink pens to tea. They don't care what the cost; they MUST have the best, especially if they have some wealth.
SO! My watchwinder was NOT a waste of money, because it acts as an external tourbillon! You did not see this one coming, did you? Now I need to modify it, to keep winding all the time and slow down the rotation rate! HAH! HAHAAAHHH!! I will be the Master Watchmaker of the WORLD! THE WOOOORLD!!!! (Vincent Price was not half this evil as Robur!)
I think a tourbillon escapement in a wrist watch is just money out the window. At acquisition and in servicing. The Chronograph watches rarely use the stop watch functions. Just money for servicing as well.
Ive never been excited about modern tourbillions because the modern tourbillion fixes a problem that no longer exists. , I dont see the automobile companies trying to reproduce model T Ford technology
Has anyone computed the added degree of accuracy? I mean, use a single movement with and without a tourbillion and compare the results? Yea they did and you know what? Tourbillion added a degree of inaccuracy due to the cumulative effect of tolerances on a more complicated movement. I am not a hater, yes it is a genius complication with a great intent, but no more useful than a moon phase.
1. It is a complication. Why? There are more parts. More parts = more problem/braking points. 2. The wearing in one point is relative. Why? We believe that 1 million years ago our ancestors were monkeys. Why we shouldn't think of the wearing of the jewels in 1 million years?! Cheers
You can drink a fine glass of wine in seconds too. It’s not about being efficient. It’s about enjoying your life, and when you do you forget about time.
And no arrogant keyboard warrior who can't hold a candle to the greatness of Breguet can go back in time to correct Breguet for his astronomy-related use of the term. You may enjoy reading this excerpt from the Swatchgroup and the Breguet museum: Who but Breguet could have proposed such a project? It required a solid grasp of science as well as an optimistic streak. This specific set of circumstances resulted in a project, which its inventor named “Tourbillon.” The word is frequently misinterpreted and its astronomical meaning has long been forgotten. According to the major dictionaries of the 19th century, among them Descartes and the Encyclopédie, the word referred either to a planetary system and to its rotation on a single axis, or to the energy that causes the rotation of the planets around the sun. This sense of the word is far from its modern meaning of “violent rotation” or “uncontrollable storm.” A man of the Enlightenment, Breguet thus chose a word that someone who observed the world before imitating it would choose. In this, he resembles the 18th century philosophers who considered watchmaking to be the creation of a microcosm. In fact, it is hard not to envision a tiny, tidily ordered constellation in this mechanism, which assembles the devices for regulation (balance spring) and transfer (escape wheel and lever) in a mobile cage that spins as constantly as any planet.
Delighted. Thank you, Kalle.
To me your explanation makes a much better understanding about the working of the Tourbillon movement than I could extract from reading books about that. Thanks Kalle!
Continuing to bring the value to the art of watchmaking! Great video, Kalle!
Thanks for explaining that in a way that I was able to understand. I've looked at other articles and videos that made me more confused about the tourbillion movement, instead of helping me to understand it better. As usual, great video!
I love your passion for watches. From the time I was a little boy I have always been fascinated by watches. For me it the watch does not go tick tock it is not a watch.
Mate, I just want to say I think you're brilliant. Just discovered your channel. Thank you!
Great to hear William! Maybe we’ll “meet” during a live stream. Cya!
What a beautiful explanation. You learn something new every day but this is something I care to learn. Thanks for the nugget 🔥🔥❤
I love listening to you because you kind of - humanize the ups and downs during watchmaking; rather like my daughter, who natters away to herself, taking to her watch, and being grumpy when working doesn't always go the way she wants. 😅 I've learnt so much from you, although watchmaking is less a serious hobby since pocket watches is my thing.
Thank you so much, and I wish you a blazingly great New Year. Wendi
Very interesting indeed, but I missed some closeups of a few tourbillons to illustrate its function. It’s amazing that the concept of the tourbillon is as old as it is, and that they even were able to make that delicate piece of art more than 200 years ago.
Thankyou. Kalle. Interesting and always educational to watch.
Beautifully explained man
Thank you Kalle. I finally get Tourbillon and precisely what they do and how they do it.
I am sorry I miss this. I was really wanting to hear your explanation about it. You rock Kalle
Yes I really enjoy these lessons, very fascinating, Thank You from 🇨🇦
Great stream Kalle thanks once again 😁👍
Cheers Kalie greetings once again from New Zealand 🇳🇿
Thanks Kalle. I love the enthusiasm. 😊
Great video and explanation.. Makes me love more this new hobby/science/art.
amazing video! thank you!
Absolute best explanation heard by me. Thanks.
Thanks Kalle
Fascinating explanation!! Thank you! Love your videos!!
Could you kindly give us a lecture about power reserve, and how to improve it,
Thanks
Nice video!! ⌚️✅
Thanks for the brilliant explanation. In addition could you explain how the caged escapement is coupled to the remainder of the movement. If it was rotating in a single plane I think it could be coupled to a wheel (in effect travel around the wheel) but how does this work for 3 or more planes of rotation? Some type of universal joint similar to those used in a motor vehicle?
Ten years ago I would have never found this fascinating.....Funny how the mind evolves.
I always thought that from a technical standpoint wrist watches didn't benefit a lot from tourbillion escapements and you confirmed my thoughts ^^
But still I wear and collect mechanical watches cause I love the way they work and you can argue why would anyone wear a mechanical watch over a quartz one that are so much more thought, accurate, cheap and reliable.
I still think they are mechanical jewels worthy of admiration and I would love to own one, but probably in something that makes more sense than a wristwatch, like a wall clock.
For wristwatches in my eyes the ultimate beauty in escapements is the Seiko spring drive system, combining the beauty of a mechanical watch with the precision of quartz timing and the ultimate smoothness of that seconds hand, using a spring as the power reserve.
Great video and great explanation ^^
Question about a quartz watch: why my Tissot quartz watch inaccurate when it changed to use at UK, FEW degree Celsius compared to 20 degrees Celsius in Hongkong. It move slower about one hour every day.
That was very interesting! Is what they call a flying tourbillon the same as a 3 axes tourbillon? Or is that something else on it's own? Thank you for the very good explanation, i very much enjoy watching your video's.
I have one of these movements and always wondered why. I did read somewhere this device was invented for pocket watches to minimise the effects of gravity on the balance wheel, (gyroscope effect) but does it really increase the accuracy of the movement in wrist watches?
Thanks for this... Great stuff
If the whole escapement ( including the escape wheel) is in a rotating frame, how does the escape wheel interact with the rest of the time train.?
super interesting
Thanks 😊
Dit soort tourbillons worden vaak "drievoudige assen-tourbillons" genoemd en vertegenwoordigen een van de meest geavanceerde complicaties in de moderne horlogerie. In plaats van alleen om één as (meestal verticaal) te draaien, roteert de kooi van de tourbillon in meerdere richtingen, wat zorgt voor een driedimensionale beweging.
Hoe werkt een 3D-tourbillon?
Traditionele tourbillon: De kooi draait om één as (meestal binnen 60 seconden een volledige omwenteling).
Dubbele assen-tourbillon: Er wordt een tweede rotatie toegevoegd, vaak in een loodrechte richting, waardoor het mechanisme compenseert in twee dimensies.
Drievoudige assen-tourbillon: Een derde rotatie-as wordt geïntroduceerd, vaak diagonaal of onder een hoek, waardoor de tourbillon in alle richtingen roteert. Dit verhoogt de precisie (theoretisch) verder.
Praktische betekenis
Hoewel het oorspronkelijke doel van een tourbillon (het compenseren van zwaartekracht) in moderne polshorloges al minder relevant is, benadrukken deze 3D-tourbillons vooral het technische vakmanschap. Ze zijn niet ontworpen voor ultieme precisie, maar eerder om de grenzen van horlogemakerij te verleggen en liefhebbers te fascineren met hun esthetiek en complexiteit.
Voorbeelden van merken
Enkele exclusieve merken die polshorloges met 3D-tourbillons maken:
Greubel Forsey: Beroemd om zijn Quadruple Tourbillon en modellen met meerdere rotatieassen.
Jaeger-LeCoultre: Hun Gyrotourbillon combineert een dubbele of zelfs drievoudige as.
Jacob & Co.: Bekend om hun extravagante Astronomia Tourbillon, waar de tourbillon een centrale rol speelt in een 3D-weergave van planeten en sterren.
MB&F: Combineert innovatieve ontwerpen met multidimensionale tourbillonbewegingen.
Deze horloges worden beschouwd als meesterwerken van mechanisch vakmanschap, maar zijn door hun extreme complexiteit en exclusiviteit vaak astronomisch geprijsd.
Das hier gezeigte Tourbillon ist ein fliegendes Tourbillon von dem Erfinder Julius Assmann . ( Glashütte Original )
Wonderful video. I miss the intro music and so on.
I noticed that when I started my chronographs and leave the watches on the table, the hands of the small dials for minutes/hours keep a perfect alignment with the markers, even after a long time running the chronographs. However, when I walk around with the chronographs on, I noticed progressive misalignment of the hands with the markers. I tested this with three different good chronographs, including Zenith El Primero, Omega Speedmaster and Tag Hauer Carrera. All the same. I was wondering if this has to do with some kind of the random vibration of escapement mechanism over time while moving your hands. Would a Tourbillon chronograph eliminate this effect? Hope you read it.
Really fascinating. One question, is the rotation of the tourbillon cage driven by the mainspring (as I assume), or is it simply free to rotate as necessary? Many thanks!
There was a time when only a few company made triple axis tourbillons and I was lucky enough to see almost all at the same exhibition (Viennatime 2008): Becsei, Prescher and Franck Mueller were all there. Only JLC had a triple axis at that time from the rest. Very mesmerizing to see those little marvels, but yes, it has no significant benefit.
Sorry, but why is the fact that the spring movement is not centered introducing error? What type of error?
If I'm in holland, I'm gonna ROB your books of watch, kalle... 🤭😂🤣✌🏽️✌🏽️
I've learned so much about watch mechanic's with you, Master. Thank you.
About the jewels ending up worn by the pivots, I also agree the "stones" are so hard it's hard to buy that BUT....the pivots themselves, could become worn at a lower point or not and become ovalized?
Hypothetical question.
Thomas Prescher Dual Axis Tourbillon
Thanks
Doesn't the Breguet overcoil keep the virtual CG centered?
Interesting explanation, thank you for that, however, what I did not understand is what is the actual side effect of the “breathing” of the hair spring. Well, of course apart from displacing the center of gravity of the spring. So, what does that actually imply?
This will be killer!
This is the first time someone ever explained tourbillion to me, i cant say that I fully understand it even though I watched the video twice however I got the hint of it. Not sure how the virtual gravity point affects the accuracy yet, I need to think about it or I further need to educate myself. This is not a criticism against the YT video just a feedback. Thank you for putting your effort and time into it. You have a very nice wheel there, it seems you need to poise it though. The whole movement must be really big, I wonder how do you put it into your pocket. :) That MF&B borrowed a wheel from a verge escapement. :)
Some people wan "the best" of anything, from engine oil to ink pens to tea.
They don't care what the cost; they MUST have the best, especially if they have some wealth.
👍🥰
You could have been a ballerina Kalle
I miss his dancing
Great explanation, but the Tourbillon is now made only to sell wristwatches.
SO! My watchwinder was NOT a waste of money, because it acts as an external tourbillon!
You did not see this one coming, did you?
Now I need to modify it, to keep winding all the time and slow down the rotation rate!
HAH! HAHAAAHHH!!
I will be the Master Watchmaker of the WORLD! THE WOOOORLD!!!! (Vincent Price was not half this evil as Robur!)
so it's basically a Rube Goldberg overcoil?
I think a tourbillon escapement in a wrist watch is just money out the window. At acquisition and in servicing.
The Chronograph watches rarely use the stop watch functions. Just money for servicing as well.
It is like beating a dead horse the effort get's you NOWERE a waste of time and effort
Ive never been excited about modern tourbillions because the modern tourbillion fixes a problem that no longer exists. , I dont see the automobile companies trying to reproduce model T Ford technology
Which problem no longer exists? I honestly don’t know what you mean. 👍🏼
Has anyone computed the added degree of accuracy? I mean, use a single movement with and without a tourbillion and compare the results? Yea they did and you know what? Tourbillion added a degree of inaccuracy due to the cumulative effect of tolerances on a more complicated movement. I am not a hater, yes it is a genius complication with a great intent, but no more useful than a moon phase.
Now I have a better idea of what a tourbillon is.
1. It is a complication. Why? There are more parts. More parts = more problem/braking points.
2. The wearing in one point is relative. Why? We believe that 1 million years ago our ancestors were monkeys. Why we shouldn't think of the wearing of the jewels in 1 million years?!
Cheers
fascinating stuff, thank you Kalle!
So tourbillon was invented because of that stupid regulator and stud than gravity...
Long winded explanation... could have explained everything in few minutes! Don’t really need 16 minutes, lol.
You can drink a fine glass of wine in seconds too. It’s not about being efficient. It’s about enjoying your life, and when you do you forget about time.
The French word "tourbillon" as used in common language today is "whirlwind". No emotion or Dutch watchmaker can change that.
And no arrogant keyboard warrior who can't hold a candle to the greatness of Breguet can go back in time to correct Breguet for his astronomy-related use of the term. You may enjoy reading this excerpt from the Swatchgroup and the Breguet museum:
Who but Breguet could have proposed such a project? It required a solid grasp of science as well as an optimistic streak. This specific set of circumstances resulted in a project, which its inventor named “Tourbillon.” The word is frequently misinterpreted and its astronomical meaning has long been forgotten. According to the major dictionaries of the 19th century, among them Descartes and the Encyclopédie, the word referred either to a planetary system and to its rotation on a single axis, or to the energy that causes the rotation of the planets around the sun. This sense of the word is far from its modern meaning of “violent rotation” or “uncontrollable storm.” A man of the Enlightenment, Breguet thus chose a word that someone who observed the world before imitating it would choose. In this, he resembles the 18th century philosophers who considered watchmaking to be the creation of a microcosm. In fact, it is hard not to envision a tiny, tidily ordered constellation in this mechanism, which assembles the devices for regulation (balance spring) and transfer (escape wheel and lever) in a mobile cage that spins as constantly as any planet.
In French it is "whirlpool"
Not that difficult to explain, pretty difficult to work on🥲