Quick specs Greubel Forsey Tourbillon Cardan
Price: approx. € 488.000 | CHF 470’000 | $ 532,000 | approx. £ 423,000
Size: 45.50 mm
Reference: Tourbillon Cardan – limited to 55 pieces
The Greubel Forsey Tourbillon Cardan reaches new levels when it comes to accuracy delivered by a tourbillon. This new model has a rapid rotating tourbillon, and four barrels to give the timepiece enough power. And you need to have enough patience if you want one. It is limited to 55 pieces and will be build between now and 2027. Now, let’s look at what is so special about this tourbillon.
In 1801 Abraham-Louis Breguet, one of the biggest names in classic watch making, patented a mechanism that could compensate for the differences in rate, in vertical positions. It would make mechanical watches (and clocks) more accurate. Gruebel Forsey uses the same principles for creating a mechanism, the tourbillon, but even more technically advanced. The revolution rate is raised from the regular 60 seconds to 16 seconds. Which makes it not only very fast, but also provides more performance.
The tourbillon is connected to a large balance wheel, benefitting from the mass of this wheel. And with the high inertia it can handle shocks and variations in speed way better. The tourbillon sits in a 30 degree angle, which makes more sense when worn on the wrist. Then the tourbillon is guided by two mobile rings, clearly visible on the detailed photo’s. Thes rings are linked by two 90 degree axes, and in 48 seconds, they tilt backwards and forwards.
The Greubel Forsey Tourbillon Cardan has a power reserve of 80 hours
To power all this tech, the hand-wound in-house caliber is connected to four barrels in order to give it a power reserve of a more than sufficient 80 hours. The barrels are coaxially stacked, with a slipping mainspring to prevent excess tension during winding. The finish of the whole movement and tourbillon is impressive. Frosted nickel-silver, titanium, gold, grained flanks, polished bevels, and more.
The Greubel Forsey Tourbillon Cardan has a titanium case of 45.50 millimeters, with a thickness of 13.81 millimeters and a highly domed sapphire. The elevated main time is positioned between 12 and 1 o’clock, with almost the same size as the tourbillon between 5 and 6 o’clock. Furthermore, there is a power reserve indicator near 10 o’clock, while the small seconds sub counter is at 4 o’clock.
| Technical data Greubel Forsey Tourbillon Cardan |
| Reference: Tourbillon Cardan – limited to 55 pieces |
| Movement: Greubel Forsey tourbillon | Hand-wound | Diameter: 39.60 mm | Thickness: 13.53 mm | Frequency: 21,600 vph (3 Hz) | Parts: 389 + 98 (tourbillon) | Jewels: 49 | Four coaxially series-coupled barrels | Hours, minutes, small seconds, tourbillon, power reserve indicator | Power reserve: 80 hours |
| Case and dial: 45.50 mm (46 mm with bezel) | Titanium | Thickness: 13.81 mm | Domed synthetic sapphire crystal | Multi-level gold dial with open-worked pillars | Gold hour markers | Hours and minute hands in polished steel with super-luminova | Small seconds and power-reserve indicators in gold, hands in polished steel | Titanium crown | Domed synthetic sapphire case back | Water resistance: 3 ATM / 3 bar / 30 meters / 100 feet |
| Strap: Black rubber strap | Titanium folding clasp |
| Price Greubel Forsey Tourbillon Cardan: approx. € 488.000 | CHF 470’000 | $ 532,000 | approx. £ 423,000 |
| Website: www.greubelforsey.com |