Scoring that first tourbillon is a rite of passage for watch collectors. It's like unearthing the Holy Grail—an initiation into the upper echelons of horology.
What's so special about this timepiece? What motivates people to spend years and thousands of dollars to get their hands on the best tourbillon watches they can find?
What's so special about this timepiece? What motivates people to spend years and thousands of dollars to get their hands on the best tourbillon watches they can find?
Well, to put it simply, the tourbillon isn't really a necessity. It's more like a badge of historical high-watchmaking honour. In places like Dubai, a tourbillon isn’t about showing off. It’s more like a quiet signal to people who genuinely love great watchmaking. Today, we're diving into the allure of this exclusive timepiece: its history, types, future, and more.
What Are Tourbillon Watches?
Abraham-Louis Breguet, a famous Swiss watchmaker, invented the tourbillon in the late 18th century to fix a major problem with pocket watches. With gravity pulling on their parts, these watches weren't very accurate.
Breguet decided to make a rotating cage that held the essential bits of the watch: the escapement, balance wheel, and spring. This cage, known as a tourbillon, was made to cancel out gravity's effects for a more precise watch.
The word "tourbillon" comes from French and means "whirlwind" or "whirlpool." That's because the cage looks like it's spinning and swirling around like a whirlwind.
Origin of the Tourbillon and How They Went From Pocket Watches to Wrist Icons
Breguet patented the tourbillon in 1801 – a groundbreaking step in watchmaking history. Since then, it's become a symbol of precision and mechanical excellence. Even today, it's considered the pinnacle of watch complications, especially in luxury watches.
The tourbillon remained primarily a pocket watch complication for over a century. The first wristwatch tourbillon didn't appear until 1947, when Omega created a groundbreaking prototype.
However, it wasn't until the 1980s and 1990s that wristwatch tourbillons became commercially viable, with brands like Audemars Piguet and IWC leading the charge.
The evolution continued with automatic tourbillons, skeletonised tourbillons, and multi-axis tourbillons that rotate on two or even three axes. Each innovation pushed the boundaries of what was technically possible.
How Does a Tourbillon Watch Work?
A tourbillon traps the main parts of a watch inside a rotating cage. This cage spins, usually once a minute, to counteract gravity's pull on the watch's movement.
As it keeps turning, the tourbillon manually changes the escapement's position instead of letting gravity run its course. Over time, this cancels out any positional errors, making the watch more and more accurate.
But tourbillon watches are more than just accurate; the spinning cage is actually pretty mesmerizing to watch.
The tourbillon cage houses the escapement, which is the mechanism that controls energy release and the balance wheel. In a standard watch, gravity affects these components differently depending on the watch's position. For example, whether it’s hanging vertically on your wrist versus lying flat on a table creates timekeeping variations.
The tourbillon solves this by constantly rotating the entire escapement assembly, typically completing one full rotation every 60 seconds. It’s a lot like a gyroscope in space, by continuously changing orientation, positional errors average out to zero over time.
However, the catch is that this genius solution was designed for pocket watches that remained stationary in waistcoat pockets. Modern wristwatches move constantly with your arm throughout the day, which naturally averages out positional errors anyway. This means the tourbillon's accuracy has largely disappeared in wristwatches, but its technical mastery remain unmatched.
Types of Tourbillon Watches
As if tourbillon watches weren't complicated enough, they have more than one type! Here are the different types of tourbillon watches throughout the decades.
Single-Axis Tourbillon
The single-axis tourbillon was made to reduce differences in rates and positions caused by poise errors. It works with the split bi-metallic balance, which used to be very hard to poise.
In this setup, the tourbillon carriage is supported by the fourth pinion inside a stationary fourth wheel. The escape pinion connects to the fourth wheel, so when the carriage turns, the escape wheel moves, too.
Each time the balance vibrates, the carriage is released and then locked again.
Pros: Most traditional and widely produced type; proven reliability; easier servicing.
Cons: Only compensates for vertical position errors; less visually dramatic than multi-axis versions.
Double-Axis Tourbillon
Anthony Randall introduced and patented the idea of a double-axis tourbillon in January 1977. Inspired by Randall's creation, Thomas Prescher introduced the first ever flying double-axis tourbillon pocket watch in 2003.
This tourbillon has a special feature: it rotates around two axes, each completing a rotation every minute. To power the entire mechanism, Prescher created a constant-force system known as a "remontoir."
The remontoir was made to offset the effects of a wound or unwound mainspring, friction, and gravity. This puts an even force on the oscillation regulating system of the double-axis tourbillon.
Pros: Compensates for gravity in multiple positions; visually spectacular; represents cutting-edge watchmaking.
Cons: Significantly more expensive; complex servicing requirements; heavier and bulkier.
Triple-Axis Tourbillon
Aaron Becsei of Bexei Watches created the world's first tri-axial tourbillon wristwatch in 2007. Its third (external) cage has a unique shape that allows the use of jewel bearings instead of ball bearings.
Today, several wrist and pocket watches feature the triple-axis tourbillon complication. You'll see it in pieces like:
- Vianney Halter's "Deep Space"
- Girard-Perregaux's "Tri-Axial Tourbillon"
- Purnell's "Spherion"
- Jaeger LeCoultre's "Gyrotourbillon"
Pros: Ultimate complexity and visual impact; accuracy in all positions; extreme rarity.
Cons: Extremely expensive; fragile and requires specialist servicing; mostly for collectors rather than daily wear.
Flying Tourbillon
Unlike traditional tourbillons supported by bridges or cocks at both the top and bottom, the flying tourbillon hangs from just one side. Alfred Helwig, a teacher at the German School of Watchmaking, created the first flying tourbillon in 1920.
Nearly a century later, Chinese watchmaker Kiu Tai-Yu introduced a semi-flying tourbillon. It had a shortened carriage for the escapement wheel and pallet fork, with the upper pivot of the balance wheel supported by a sapphire bridge.
Pros: Unobstructed view of the tourbillon cage; appears to float.
Cons: More challenging to manufacture; typically more expensive than standard tourbillons.
Gyro Tourbillon
In 2004, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the Gyrotourbillon I. This watch had a double-axis tourbillon working with a perpetual calendar and the equation of time. Since then, they have created multiple versions of the multi-axis tourbillon concept.
Pros: Represents the absolute pinnacle of complexity; high-quality craftsmanship; investment potential.
Cons: Six-figure prices; servicing can take months; purely for serious collectors.
Why Are Tourbillon Watches So Expensive?
Tourbillon watches cost an absolute fortune. We're talking £30,000 starting point, climbing into six or seven figures without breaking a sweat.
So what's the deal?
Hand-Craftsmanship
Creating a tourbillon requires hundreds of hours from master watchmakers. Each cage contains 70+ microscopic components weighing less than a gram combined. One tiny imbalance and the whole thing's ruined.
Exclusivity
Most prestigious watchmakers produce maybe a handful of tourbillon pieces annually. Limited production keeps them rare, desirable, and really expensive. When everyone wants something, and nobody can get it, prices do what they do best: they climb.
High-Quality Materials
Tourbillon cages use titanium, aluminium, or even silicon to stay light while remaining strong. These aren't your average watch materials.
Artistic Finishing
Many tourbillon watches feature skeletonised movements, hand-polished bevels, Geneva stripes, and perlage finishing. These are purely decorative, requiring dozens of additional hours.
The Tourbillon Watches of Today
Modern mechanical watches no longer need a tourbillon to be super accurate. Some even argue that tourbillons never made watches more accurate in the first place.
Even if that’s true, tourbillons are still a cool feature to have in your watch. Swiss watchmakers still produce tourbillon watches, which come at a premium – hundreds of thousands of dollars.
You can usually see the tourbillon through a little window on the watch’s face. It’s more of a decoration, but some watches use it as a second-hand if it spins once every minute. Some spin even faster, like Greubel Forsey’s tourbillon, which spins every 24 seconds.
From a pure timekeeping perspective, modern tourbillons don't significantly outperform high-quality standard movements. Advanced materials, silicon escapements, and improved manufacturing have made standard movements incredibly accurate. Many COSC-certified chronometers achieve similar or better accuracy than tourbillons.
So why do brands still make them?
Prestige, artistry, and marketing value. A tourbillon demonstrates mastery of traditional haute horlogerie. It shows a brand can execute one of watchmaking's most challenging complications. For collectors, owning a tourbillon represents appreciation for mechanical artistry over pure functionality.
Best Tourbillon Watches
Now that you know everything there is to know about tourbillon watches, you may be in the market for one. Here are our top ten picks.
*Bonus Tip* Don’t get overwhelmed by the prices as these timepieces are a good investment.
Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon
This watch is one of the most desirable tourbilon watches in the industry. Introduced in 2001, the Patek Philippe Sky Moon is the first watch from the company with double displays. Yes, you heard that right, it had displays on front and back.
It comes with 12 complications – including a retrograde date display with a perpetual calendar, display for sidereal and mean solar time, and a minute repeater. Other notable features include moon phase display and a leap year indicator.
Audemars Piguet Tourbillon Extra-Thin White Gold
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon watches represent precision, luxury and exclusivity. The case if usually made with high end material like stainless steel, gold, or platinum that adds durability and class to the overall design.
The dial features a “Grand Tapisserie” style, which when combined with different colors make the watch more desirable.
Richard Mille RM 21-02 Mechanical Tourbillon
The Richard Mille RM 21-02 Mechanical Tourbillon comes with manua winding movement and is a testament to aerospace innovation. The futuristic design and technical brilliance make this time piece a dream for most watch lovers.
The RM 21-02 is considered slightly costly but when you look at its value for money, it’s worth every buck.
Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon 5345 Quai de l’Horloge
Released in 2020, the Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon pays direct homage to Breguet and the Parisian atelier where he made watches.
The watch has a dual-tourbillon movement, linked by a differential device and displayed under a sapphire dial. The manually wound Caliber 588N has multiple hand-finished components, including solid gold mainplates and bridges. Meanwhile, the barrel bridges are shaped to mimic the iconic Breguet “B” signature.
If that wasn’t enough, the backside depicts the iconic “House on the Quai,” the workshop on Paris’s Ile de la Cité where Breguet worked during the 18th century. The watch is also encased in a round, 46-mm platinum case with Breguet’s signature fluting along the sides.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Black Panther Flying Tourbillon
Audemars Piguet teamed up with Marvel to create a collection for the Royal Oak collection’s 50th anniversary. Once completed, the collection had 250 pieces.
The first release, a unique piece in white gold, had a large case with a hand-engraved design inspired by Wakanda. A tiny, hand-painted 3D figure of Marvel’s Black Panther is fixed right above the flying tourbillon.
Believe it or not, this piece sold for $5.2 million at an event hosted by Kevin Hart in 2021. Today, it’s one of the most expensive watches out there.
Omega De Ville Central Tourbillon Numbered Edition
Omega played a major role in creating one of the earliest wristwatch tourbillons back in 1947. Now, they have a new achievement: the first hand-wound tourbillon wristwatch that also meets Omega’s own top-notch Master Chronometer standards.
This watch, made from Canopus gold, comes in a 43-mm case. Meanwhile, the bezel, lugs, and case back are made from their special Sedna gold-blend. The dial is also Sedna gold, with a sun-brushed black PVD coating.
The tourbillon cage is at the watch’s heart, surrounded by black titanium edges. A big sapphire window on the back lets you see into the Caliber 2640 movement. This movement’s tourbillon spins once every minute and even works perfectly in magnetic fields up to 15,000 gauss.
Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionnelle 14-Day Tourbillon
In 2013, Vacheron Constantin released the Patrimony Traditionnelle 14-Day Tourbillon. This watch isn’t just special because it has a tourbillon; it has a groundbreaking two-week power reserve.
Its sandblasted dial isn’t just for telling time; it has a pretty unique setup. It features off-centred hands, a window at the bottom to show off the tourbillon, and a power reserve indicator at the top. The indicator is detailed enough to give you a half-day reading.
The tourbillon itself is shaped like Vacheron Constantin’s Maltese cross logo. The watch, with its 42mm platinum case, comes on an alligator strap stitched with silk and platinum threads.
Grand Seiko Kodo Constant Force Tourbillon
In 2020, Grand Seiko launched the T0 Constant-Force Tourbillon. This piece combined a tourbillon with a constant-force mechanism on one axis for the first time ever.
It led to the creation of the Kodo (“heartbeat” in Japanese) wristwatch in 2022. The Kodo features a 43.8mm case made from platinum and titanium.
At its core, the Caliber 9ST1 movement is essentially a better version of the original concept. The best part about this watch isn’t the calfskin strap or hand-painted Urushi lacquer.
It’s the tourbillon and constant-force combination that literally echoes a heartbeat when you listen closely. How cool is that?
F.P. Journe Tourbillon Souverain Vertical
Francois-Paul Journe started his brand with the groundbreaking Tourbillon Souverain in 1999. This wristwatch featured both a tourbillon and a remontoir d’egalité for maximum accuracy.
In 2003, Journe updated the design with a “dead-beat” or jumping seconds display, inspired by Breguet. In 2019, he introduced the Tourbillon Souverain Vertical, featuring a vertical tourbillon rotating every 30 seconds.
Hublot Big Bang Integral Tourbillon
Hublot brings tourbillon complications to contemporary, sporty designs. The Big Bang Integral Tourbillon features an integrated bracelet, a skeletonised movement showcasing the tourbillon at 6 o'clock, and Hublot's signature "Art of Fusion" that combines materials like titanium, ceramic, and King Gold.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon
The Gyrotourbillon represents Jaeger-LeCoultre's mastery of multi-axis movement. This spherical tourbillon rotates on multiple axes while incorporating additional complications like a perpetual calendar or a minute repeater. The movement finishing and technical innovation place this among haute horlogerie's pinnacles.
Tourbillon Maintenance & Servicing
Owning a tourbillon watch doesn't end with the purchase. These complex beauties need specialised care.
Servicing Intervals
Most manufacturers recommend full servicing every 3-5 years. Well-maintained pieces can push longer, but tourbillon cages need meticulous inspection and cleaning.
Specialist Watchmakers
You'll need authorised service centres or independent specialists with specific training. In the UAE, authorised boutiques in Dubai typically send pieces to Switzerland for servicing.
Service Duration
Expect 3-6 months for complete servicing. Complex multi-axis tourbillons or pieces needing custom parts? Even longer. Plan accordingly if it's a watch you actually wear.
Daily Care
Avoid shocks and impacts that could damage the delicate tourbillon cage. These watches handle normal wear fine, but extreme impacts cause expensive problems. Store properly when not wearing, preferably in watch winders for automatic tourbillons.
Buying a Tourbillon Watch in the UAE
Dubai is basically tourbillon heaven. Here's what you need to know about getting one:
Authorised Boutiques
Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, and DIFC host flagship boutiques for virtually every major luxury watch brand. These offer full manufacturer warranties, authentication guarantees, and after-sales support. You're paying retail, but you're also buying peace of mind.
Pre-Owned Market
Dubai's thriving pre-owned luxury watch market includes reputable dealers offering authenticated tourbillon pieces, often at significant discounts versus retail. We're talking 20-40% off in some cases. Always verify authentication and service history, though. If something feels off, it probably is.
Authentication
When buying pre-owned, insist on professional authentication. Reputable UAE dealers provide certification and typically offer return periods.
VAT & Import Considerations
UAE VAT is 5%. In Europe, it’s typically 20%+. This makes Dubai seriously attractive for international buyers. Just make sure you've got proper documentation for international travel with your timepiece. Customs officers get curious about six-figure watches.
Warranty Transfers
Check whether manufacturer warranties transfer to subsequent owners. Some brands like Patek Philippe offer transferable warranties. Others don't. This massively affects resale value down the line.
Grey Market
Some dealers offer grey market pieces, genuine watches imported outside official channels. These typically lack manufacturer warranties but sell at discounts. Understand the trade-offs before purchasing. No warranty means any servicing costs are entirely on you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tourbillon Watches
Do tourbillon watches come in automatic versions?
Yes! While most tourbillons are manually wound, some brands like Audemars Piguet and TAG Heuer offer automatic tourbillon watches, which use wrist movement for power.
How does a skeleton tourbillon differ from a classic tourbillon?
A traditional tourbillon is partially visible through a small window, while a skeleton tourbillon exposes the entire movement for a more open, intricate look.
Are tourbillon watches more precise than standard watches?
Not necessarily. Modern watches are highly precise even without a tourbillon. Today, the tourbillon is more about craftsmanship than improving accuracy.
What sets a tourbillon apart from a chronometer?
A tourbillon counteracts gravity for smoother movement, while a chronometer is a watch certified for high precision (e.g., by COSC). A watch can be both, but they serve different purposes.
How often should I wind my manual tourbillon watch?
Most manual tourbillon watches have 48-72 hour power reserves. Wind daily at the same time for optimal performance.
Can I wear my tourbillon watch daily?
Yes, though many collectors reserve tourbillons for special occasions due to their value and delicacy. Modern tourbillons are built for daily wear, but avoid extreme sports or impacts that could damage the mechanism.
Do tourbillon watches hold their value?
Generally, yes, especially from established Swiss manufacturers like Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Breguet.
What's the difference between a tourbillon and a flying tourbillon?
A standard tourbillon has a bridge supporting the cage from above and below. A flying tourbillon is supported only from below, appearing to float and offering an unobstructed view of the mechanism.
Conclusion
The tourbillon started as a mechanical genius but has turned into pure artistry. In fact, its practicality and accuracy are second place to its craftsmanship.
Birthed by Breguet and perfected over two centuries, this feature has truly redefined the art of watchmaking.
