Traditional mechanics in a modern light: TOURBILLON Titanium and TOURBILLON Tremblage
The tourbillon is considered one of the most marvellous complications in the history of watchmaking. The manufactory Moritz Grossmann is shining a fresh light on it with the limited-edition models TOURBILLON Titanium and TOURBILLON Tremblage. Rather than being stylised artefacts, they are unquestionably contemporary with a modern aura owed to a new case and guilloche dial as well as a new colour.
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More InformationMoritz Grossmann upholds tradition. It is a manufactory that respects and nurtures historical craft and stays true to values passed down over time, especially in relation to mechanical movements. These characteristics are embodied in the tourbillon, which was once upon a time devised to minimise the effects of gravity on pocket watches. Even today, it is still considered an expression of the utmost skill, even in wristwatches, and that is because it is hard to conceive of another component that makes mechanics so fascinating and aesthetically pleasing. There are two new versions from the Glashütte manufactory that demonstrate this perfectly.
TOURBILLON Titanium: the perfect body for a modern face
The TOURBILLON Titanium combines the traditional tourbillon with the modern sophistication of a titanium case. This versatile metal used in fields such as aerospace has outstanding attributes including robustness, skin friendliness and corrosion resistance. It is also significantly lighter than other metals, which is a great benefit to the wearer’s comfort. Moreover, titanium has another attribute of a purely aesthetic nature: its somewhat darker, metallic sheen, which lends a further expression of beauty to the slender three-piece case.
The TOURBILLON Titanium’s classic and elegant case, with a slimline bezel, serves as the body for a dial consisting of a fine ‘grain d’orge’ guilloche pattern made of solid silver. While its bright lustre and simple typography are very much reflective of today’s standards, the dial maintains tradition, too, with the spaces beside the indicators and subsidiary dials bearing a fine guilloche pattern. Guilloche is a method based on an old handicraft and is produced using historical machines which engrave a fine-lined pattern. Each contour is cut into the metal separately, demanding a great deal of dexterity as the cutter is applied by hand and guided across the metal with individualised pressure. Creating an absolutely even decoration using this method is an art in and of itself.
Unconventional angles: the design of the dial
To make the tourbillon at 6 o’clock on the dial achieve its full effect, the hour and second indicators have been shifted from the centre. They have been equipped with two off-centre, deeper recessed subsidiary dials to create a symmetrical appearance. The dials, type and scales are presented in black print, as is the minute scale on the dial’s circumference. The hands are produced manually at the manufactory and tempered to a brown-violet hue.
The Moritz Grossmann brand name is a modern detail that serves as a signature on the dial atop a curved emblem at 12 o’clock.
TOURBILLON Tremblage: traditional balanced with modernity
The perfect selection of colours, shapes and details is evidence of just how entrenched the Moritz Grossmann manufactory is in modern times The dial of the TOURBILLON Tremblage appears in a warm shade of rosé. In combination with white-printed numerals, inscriptions and scales, as well as manually crafted, polished steel hands, it presents a face of time, that look both contemporary and classic. The tourbillon takes centre stage and is highlighted by the tremblage surface of the dial, which is engraved meticulously by hand.
The art of tremblage
The dial of the TOURBILLON Tremblage consists of multiple parts made of solid silver, with an historical engraving technique applied at the centre. It involves guiding cutters of varying sizes by hand across the metal with a trembling movement. The result of that handiwork is a fine, even grain which softens the incident light and makes the tremblage surface appear beautifully matt.
The impression is further reinforced through Moritz Grossmann’s use of colour to showcase the engraving technique, with the hand-crafted surface being finished in a vibrant rose shade. The colour has a warm and exceedingly contemporary quality to it. It also emphasises the three-dimensionality of the dial, where the hour numerals and small seconds circle arise from the surface along with the historical ‘M. Grossmann’ logo dating from 1875.
The processing of the dial requires several days to complete. With highly legible Arabic numerals in white and very delicately tapered hands crafted in-house at the manufactory, the TOURBILLON Tremblage showcases the clear aesthetics of the Glashütte precision measuring instruments of the 19th century.
TOURBILLON Titanium and TOURBILLON Tremblage: two new products, one movement
The manufactory unveiled its first hand-wound movement featuring a tourbillon in 2013. Since then, models with the 103.0 calibre have enriched the collection. The hand-wound movement in the TOURBILLON Titanium and the TOURBILLON Tremblage has now taken on a new appearance.
What is special about it is the generously dimensioned oscillator, which is mounted on one side and housed in a tourbillon cage with a lavish diameter of 16 millimetres.
Drawing inspiration from Alfred Helwig, the unusually large cage with a V-shaped balance bridge has a flying mounting which puts many fascinating details on unobstructed display. These include, for example, the intricately crafted cage top, resting on just two pillars, located on the 6 o’clock position, and the accompanying off-centre hour indicator at 3 o’clock and second indicator at 9 o’clock.
Unlike a conventional tourbillon, which generally turns on its axis once a minute, the Moritz Grossmann construction takes a full three minutes to perform a rotation.
Each and every component of the movement is individually finished by hand. The plates and tourbillon cock are finished with hand engraving whilst the Glashütte ribbing rests in harmony with the hand-bevelled edges. The ratchet is decorated with three-band snailing. In addition to that, the polished screws are set in gold chatons and the jewels are made of white sapphire.
Limited editions with tourbillon
The white gold case of the TOURBILLON Tremblage is worn on a black alligator leather strap with a white gold folding clasp. This model is limited to eight pieces.
The TOURBILLON Titanium is worn on a black alligator leather strap with white stitching and features a titanium folding clasp. This model is limited to twelve pieces.
