Tourbillon 24 Secondes

Over two centuries after the brilliant idea of the Tourbillon was first conceived by Abraham-Louis Breguet, Greubel Forsey are tackling the flaw in equilibrium and the effects of gravity on balance for a third time. The Tourbillon 24 Secondes Incliné (Calibre GF01) is the result of an innovative approach respectful of aesthetic harmony and technical perfection. 

After inventing a first Tourbillon system specifically designed for wristwatches in the shape of its Double Tourbillon 30°, Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey took their research a step further with the help of their EWT® technological platform to develop: the Quadruple Tourbillon à Différentiel Sphérique. 

While their first two Inventions pursued the same aim in the same way – namely multi-axis Tourbillon systems aimed at minimising the regulating mechanism’s exposure to the dreaded critical position through a combination of velocity and carefully determined angles – the Tourbillon 24 Secondes Incliné makes use of the speed of rotation and the angle of inclination of the regulator in order to resolve this problem. 

Entirely in tune with the Greubel Forsey philosophy, this third invention is intended to be timeless, spectacular and magical: totally detached from its gear trains, the system appears to be moving in complete freedom and may be observed in full from both front and side. The shape of the rounded-off steel Tourbillon bridge further broadens the visual access to the mechanism and provides a view of the carriage in titanium and the pillars in Avional. The use of these low-density, high-resistance materials borrowed from the aviation industry was the only means of coping with the huge stresses imposed by the cage’s high rotation speed. 

The Tourbillon 24 Secondes Incliné is guaranteed to create a strong impression considering that the rotating cage is composed of 88 parts weighing 0.39 grams in all. A graduated 24-seconds circle placed beneath the system serves to quantify the impressive progress of this record-breaking timepiece. 

To clothe the high-speed technical performance and incredible complexity of its third Invention, Greubel Forsey has once again opted for an artistic dimension and for beauty. The asymmetrical case construction offers the wearer of the Tourbillon 24 Secondes Incliné a unique and personal view of the fast-moving operation of his timepiece, since the openings in the dial and along the central band of the case are optimally placed for his line of vision. 

The various items of information regarding the modus operandi of the model appear on an exquisitely velvet-finished gold dial. A small seconds sector complements the Tourbillon rotation indication placed beneath the inclined cage, while a power-reserve sector provides a constant update on barrels’ winding level. 

A convex asymmetrical crystal sets the finishing touch to this exceptional watchmaking accomplishment, while the case-back enables one to admire the superlative finish of the frosted nickel silver bridges and plates, as well as the olive-domed jewels placed in gold settings.