Watch with tourbillon: prices and reviews

The accuracy of the first mechanical clock was largely dependent on the gravity of the Earth and the ambient temperature. The temperature factor was excluded at the beginning of the 20th century by replacing conventional parts with more specific stable alloys, and the scientist Breguet in 1795 decided the problem with the attraction of the Earth. He invented a very complex and revolutionary at that time mechanism - a tourbillon.

So, the tourbillon in the clock - what is it? Tourbillon (Fr. "whirlwind") - a complex mechanism, which largely compensates for the earth's attraction. A special rotating platform is equipped with a trigger and a wheel for balancing.

A bit of history

The design, revolving around its axis and making about one revolution per minute, is capable of changing the center of gravity of the entire clockwork. Thus, every half-hour the clock rushes, and the remaining half-minute - lag behind, thereby allowing to compensate for the earth's gravity, which affects the error of the course.

At that distant time, the tourbillon watches did not enjoy such success as now. Because to make such a complex mechanism was only able to a very experienced and skillful watchmaker, and therefore it cost quite a lot.

Toward the end of the twentieth century, when the clock acquired the status of an indicator of the prestige and prosperity of the owner, professional watchmakers and brands paid attention to the tourbillon. Wristwatch with such a twist became a symbol of the elite, which in every possible way exposed for viewing.

The attractiveness of the chronometer

The device that deceived the power of attraction attracted not only the famous watchmakers, but also the richest buyers, willing to pay a lot of money to confirm their status and belonging to something special.

From the hands of Swiss, English, French and other European masters came out the most expensive and exclusive watch with a tourbillon. The price for such models could range from $ 200 thousand to $ 3 million and to afford such a luxury could, of course, not all.

Alternative to Europe

More or less acceptable prices are offered by the Chinese watch industry, although sometimes it is not easier to understand its products than in Chinese writing. The country produces these complex mechanisms by tens of thousands, and it usually produces a tourbillon watch - copies of models of famous brands, often giving them out as originals. The most successful models, worthy of attention, can boast of only a few companies.

The relative cheapness of the products of the Chinese watch industry in comparison with the European one allowed the first to increase production and sales, and at the same time (in some cases) to improve the quality of its goods.

From an incredibly large number of factories for the production of watches can be identified several noteworthy: Sea-Gull, Fiyta, Beijing Watch Factory, Longio Watch Co and Liaoning Watch Factory. The products of these brands will be tried and disassembled in terms of price and quality.

Sea-Gull

This company is a pioneer in China for the manufacture of watchmaking mechanics. His work Sea-Gull began in the middle of the twentieth century, and the first hours with tourbillon released in 2005. Much of the company's products are purchased by third-party buyers in disassembled form, after which the clock is collected elsewhere (ebosh).

The factory is famous for the development of one of the world's most popular tourbillon ST8000 and the flagship that this mechanism carries - Perpetual.

The company was one of the first in China to create a chronometer with a double tourbillon. Model ST8080GB was awarded several awards at the Baselworld exhibition and immediately got on the pages of magazines where it was and was noticed by the "right" audience.

The price for the Sea-Gull tourbillons starts from $ 5 thousand for a model in a steel case, from $ 10 thousand for gold, and for a more expensive case and a double mechanism you will have to shell out $ 30 thousand.

The Chinese models of the ST80 are responding only in a positive way, and some connoisseurs of tourbillons still do not see any difference from similar European mechanisms.

Fiyta

The company Fiyta not only understood and understood what a tourbillon in a wristwatch, but also presented to the whole world a completely new design vision of such mechanisms.

The factory began its history in 1987 through the merger of several watchmaking companies into one. The brand has its own stand at the famous Baselworld exhibition, and over the past few years it has acquired its own Swiss company, Montres Chouriet SA.

"Fiyyata" is famous in its country for producing watches with a tourbillon for Chinese cosmonauts, and more recently it has made a unique mechanism in a gold frame, dedicating it to the 60th anniversary of the PRC. All factory chronometers look peculiar, evoking the interest of many fans and watchmakers of masters.

Separately it is worth mentioning the model of the Square Table Tourbillon, which "grabbed" many awards at exhibitions and was recognized by connoisseurs of tourbillons. Reviews about the model are pretty flattering, and the main admirers of the original design of the "Fiat" are fans of high-tech and avant-garde styles. Conservatives look down on all the brands of the brand, calling them too flashy and youthful, excluding solidity and a measure of prosperity.

Prices for the Fiyta range start at $ 3 thousand and end at $ 50 thousand, depending on the case and the quality of filling the chronometer.

Beijing Watch Factory

The factory, as well as the above, is one of the dinosaurs of the watch industry in China. It was founded in 1958 by merging two little-known companies. Already at the beginning of the 21st century, the whole "hourly" society heard of it.

A distinctive feature of the brand remains the decoration of enamel and ultra-thin engraving. Masters and factory engineers did not stop there and decorating steel not only dials, platinum and bridges, but even such seemingly inaccessible things as clock hands.

Materials from which the Beijing Watch Factory models are made are limited to three types: steel, gold and platinum. Judging by the reviews, the models of the brand are valued by lovers of antiquity and exotic art, and the young generation bypasses the production of the factory by side, preferring something catchy and stylish.

The most simple clock with a tourbillon from Beijing Watch Factory will cost $ 1.8 thousand, for expensive rim and stuffing will have to shell out more than $ 10 thousand.

Longio Watch Co

Pretty young Hong Kong company is firmly entrenched in the market of mechanical watches. Looking at her flagships, you can safely assume that the factory engineers weekly study the film "Transformers" in search of inspiration.

One of the most memorable models of the company is the Telamon watch. A massive and heavy-duty chronometer, equipped with a minute tourbillon, is more suitable for diving than for secular conversations. Waterproof watches can withstand a depth of 1000 meters, while having a power reserve of 65 hours.

The mechanisms of almost all the chronometers are machined on Liaoning Watch Factory machines using the world-renowned calibres Technitime TT791.50. This design won a deserved third place at the exhibition "Tourbillon of the Year 2011".

The "Longjia" lines are more or less tolerable: some do not like massiveness and flamboyance, and some, on the contrary, consider this an interesting and inspiring style that allows them to reveal their "I".

The prices, as well as in other factories, depend on the rim and the filling. A simple option will cost about $ 2 thousand, and the same Telamon will cost about $ 8 thousand.

Summarizing

In addition to the above brands and factories, you can find a lot of companies that do not hesitate to use tourbillon ebosh to make fakes. It is worth looking for a number of other companies (not necessarily Chinese) that are more or less responsibly approaching the process of producing chronometers and copyrights.

Maybe the clock of such a plan does not differ with a skilful design or trouble-free stuffing, but the only thing they exactly attract their customers is the price. Agree that the model for $ 100-200 for ordinary people looks much more interesting than the original for $ 10 thousand.