More than 200 years after it was patented, the tourbillon complication is still impressive
This month, Swiss watchmaker Breguet celebrated 214 years since Abraham Louis Breguet first received the patent for the toubillon. Although the patent has long since dissolved, Breguet is still considered the leader in creating this most impressive complication.
The tourbillon, long regarded as the pinnacle of watchmaking, was originally an attempt to improve accuracy in pocket watches. Today, tourbilllons are symbol of status and make any watch face visually stimulating.
Tourbillon is French for “whirlwind” and the moniker is, at least to the naked eye, very accurate. A tourbillon is basically a balance wheel that rotates in one direction. The idea here is that by continuously moving it will counter the effects of gravity, and thus keep time more accurately. While modern advancements in watchmaking have revealed more cost effective and accurate means of improving a watch’s reliability, the tourbillon has endured as a worthy addition to any timepiece. Even if it is now mostly aesthetic, the tourbillon is still a beautiful and innovative complication.
The tourbillon complication is constantly being modified and improved upon by almost every major brand in the industry. Breguet’s current focus is on creating a tourbillon that is both extremely lightweight and durable. Zenith‘s latest creation, the Defy Xtreme Zero-G Tourbillon, features a free-moving tourbillon housing which always points down, regardless of what crazy position your wrist may be in. Harry Winston has revealed the newest member of the Histoire de Tourbillon family, the Histoire de Tourbillon 6, which features a prominent, fast-moving, triple-axis tourbillon along with a power reserve indicator and chronograph function. Both TAG Heuer and Raymond Weil have plans to release their own budget-friendly tourbillon-clad timepieces later this year.
All in all, more than 200 years after it was made, it’s clear this complication isn’t going anywhere. Regardless of it’s actual functionality, the tourbillon is both visually appealing and innovative; if nothing else, it is a great conversation piece for true watch aficionados.
Pictured (L-R): Jorge Puentes, Scott King, Maxine King, Jono King
King Jewelers Announces Roger Dubuis Expansion Via Collector’s Dinner at Quality Meats, Miami
Watchmaker Roger Dubuis was in Miami this past week to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the founding of the Geneva-based watchmaking company that bears his name with south Florida’s leading authorized watch dealer, King Jewelers, Aventura.
The renowned watchmaker visited exclusively with King Jewelers watch collectors as they premiered King’s expansion in Miami. He discussed his role as the “soul” of Roger Dubuis within the company today offering advice as he presented some of the world’s finest horology timepieces and his latest collection. Dubuis simply relates that he had decades of experience (much of it with Patek Philippe) before he started his eponymous firm.
“I have two objectives tonight,” said Mr. Dubuis, “To represent the brand, to transmit my knowledge, life-long passion, and craftsmanship to our valued King Jewelers collectors. I enjoy sharing my work with them and love seeing clients wearing my works of art.” Pictured (L-R): Roger Dubuis, Jorge Puentes, Scott King
“King Jewelers continues to be the authorized dealer of the finest horology collections in south Florida, including the original boutique in the U.S. Our long standing partnership with Roger Dubuis continues with recent expansion within our 7,500 sq. ft. Miami salon” says Scott King.
Hommage & Velvet
When Roger Dubuis began creating his first design for his then-new company 20 years ago, he immediately wanted to honor all those watchmakers from whom he learned his craft.
“I created Hommage as the first collection of the manufacture to honor all the people along the way who had taught me, given me inspiration and advice.” Dubuis cites Hommage and the firm’s Velvet collection, for the ladies, as two of his favorite recent designs. Taylor and Maxine King
“I can say that the Velvet design is one of my favorites because it’s one of the most incredible cases for us. It’s a timepiece that brings much emotion to me in part because of the tonneau/round shape and also because there is much that can be done with the shape. Its proportions are fantastic, it’s very feminine, the geometry of the case in a ladies watch can be constraining, so when a designer comes up with one that works, you have to stop into King Jewelers store and look at it. It means you have succeeded.” -Roger Dubuis
Explore Our Selection of Roger Dubuis Timepieces Now!
Last year Roger Dubuis re-imagined the earlier Hommage collection with a series of new Hommage timepieces brimming with classic Genevan designs, but also added a modernistic deep guilloche on the dial-side movement of certain models. Roger Dubuis Hommage Minute Repeater Tourbillon Automatic
The newest addition to the Hommage family, the Hommage Minute Repeater Tourbillon Automatic, serves as the peak of the collection. This week the stunning timepiece was found on the wrist of Jorge Puentes, brand president of Roger Dubuis North America. The watch’s sapphire crystal caseback features Mr. Dubuis’ signature in pink gold. It’s issued in a twenty-piece limited edition to commemorate the firm’s anniversary.
Jono King, Vice President of Sales, King Jewelers, said, “Today Roger Dubuis pioneers contemporary Haute Horlogerie and is perhaps best known for tourbillons and double tourbillons, with skeletonized models at the fore of its most recent designs. And as Dubuis himself demanded from the outset two decades ago, his firm remains 100% certified with the Poinçon de Genève (Geneva Seal).”
Schedule a Personal Shopping Appointment in Aventura
For more information, visit us in our Aventura luxury salon or call (305) 935-4900.
About King Jewelers
King Jewelers, South Florida’s premier jeweler of integrity since 1912, is proud to be in business 103 years in South Florida. For five generations, the King family has owned and operated King Jewelers while building an outstanding reputation steeped in quality, value, and first-class service. From one hundred to one million dollars, at King Jewelers you will always find the “best of the best.” Offering a magnificent selection of fine jewelry collections including the hottest Italian designs, estate jewelry, colored gemstones and fancy-colored diamonds, as well as luxury Swiss timepieces, King Jewelers prides itself on being one step ahead of the trend. The luxurious Aventura showroom is home to Chopard, Breguet, Harry Winston, Roberto Coin, Marco Bicego, Roger Dubuis, Zenith, Chanel, Montblanc, Jaquet Droz, Forevermark, Tacori, and Breitling, to name a few. King Jewelers is a member of the Jewelers of America, American Watch Guild, Jewelers Board of Trade, and the American Society of Appraisers, and has among its staff GIA Certified Gemologists.
King Jewelers is proud to offer this fall 2010 the Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX3 Tourbillon GMT recently worn by the character Tony Stark in the movie Iron Man 2, played by Robert Downing Jr. The Jaeger-LeCoultre brand was prominently featured throughout the movie, with the lead actor wearing several timepieces from the AMVOX, Reverso (Grande 985) and Master Grand Tourbillon (1833) collections. To celebrate the launch of the Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX3 Tourbillon GMT, King Jewelers Nashville was selected to visually showcase this amazing creation of horology graphically designed with the integrity of the Iron Man 2 movie.
“Jaeger-LeCoultre is thrilled to have our timepieces showcased on the wonderful character of Tony Stark played by the phenomenal actor Robert Downey Jr.” said Jaeger-LeCoultre CEO Jérôme Lambert. “We have no doubt that the film will be a fantastic success.”
Recognizable by its unique design, incarnating the essence of legendary sports car brand Aston Martin and Jaeger-LeCoultre, AMVOX3 Tourbillon GMT is a technical masterpiece of the very highest order of watchmaking. Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 988 combines the precision of the tourbillon with two complementary functions: a dual time-zone display and a date indicated by a hand that makes a big leap between the 31st of the month and the 1st of the following month, so as to never obstruct the view of the spinning tourbillon. The open worked dial provides a clear view of the bridges and main plate, clothed in titanium in harmony with the finest watchmaking traditions. Going further still on the quest for excellence and meaningful innovation, the case of the AMVOX3 Tourbillon GMT is the first ceramic case ever made by the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Jaeger-LeCoulture’s focus on invention in 2010 and its spirit of technical innovation have yielded an exciting collection of timepieces that are now available at King Jewelers. For more information, please visit http://www.jaeger-lecoultre.com and http://www.kings912.com
Authorized dealers representing more than 20 luxury watch brands participated and the King family proudly presented these exclusive never seen before intricate collections and one of a kind pieces to the Central South. The timepieces included once in a lifetime exquisite prototypes which may not ever be manufactured by these companies, providing even more special experiences for watch aficionados and collectors.
“The first Nashville Watch Fair drew watch enthusiasts from as far as Kentucky and Alabama to the North American debut of the newest Swiss timepieces,” said David King, brand manager of King Jewelers. “Our guests enjoyed being among the first to wear haute horology’s most sought-after wristwatches for 2009 including the Cartier all-steel Ballon Bleu and the Hublot King Power collections.”
Among the hottest timepieces from the Geneva Watch Fair are the Cartier stainless steel Ballon Bleu, the Chopard LUC Classics as well as the Tourbillon that just won “Watch of the Year,” Hublot’s first King Power in the country as well as the Bat Tourbillon, the Piaget new BlackTie and Limelight collections, the Franc Vila Quatro Tourbillon which features the first completely skeletonized movement in history, the Corum Black Flag and Black Hole, the Jaquet Droz release of the 45mm Dive Sport watch, and the arrival of the Harry Winston Ladies Avenue Square along with the Limited Edition Ocean Tourbillon for men.
The watch brands, many of which are carried exclusively by King Jewelers, include Alpina, Anonimo, Bell & Ross, Breitling, Breitling for Bentley, Bovet, BRM, Bvlgari, Cartier, Chopard, Concord, Corum, DeWitt, Franc Vila, Girard-Perregaux, Harry Winston, Hublot, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Jaquet Droz, Michele, Montblanc, Piaget, Tissot and Wyler.
The Rising Star Award: DIMIER Recital by BOVET 1822
A star is born! In fine luxury watchmaking, history is often written on the long and sinuous path which leads from doubt to certainty. Established in 1738 based in the historical Fleurier of Switzerland, the DIMIER brothers were visionaries who shared the ideal quest for outstanding workmanship, watchmaking as an art, and an expertise of artisans based on magnificence and precision. Such expertise was handed down from generation to generation in the shape of exceptional timepieces. Today, the passion and vision of Pascal Raffy, the rejuvenating catalyst behind the BOVET 1822 brand, presents a new way of telling time called DIMIER as a tribute to those illustrious creators.
While the DIMIER workshop currently manufacturers and services tourbillon movements for leading industry names such as Harry Winston, Gerald Genta, Alain Silverstein, not to mention another 14 notable brands, Pascal Raffy has deftly developed the first DIMIER collection for an exclusive experience reserved for a select few connoisseurs who appreciate the careful attention to detail which has prevailed at every stage in the creation of this new achievement of fine luxury watchmaking.
The first opus consists of a timepiece fashioned in red gold, white gold or platinum with a Tourbillon at its heart which sets the senses spinning. Classical in the way in which they rest on the wrist, yet modern and sleek with a 46mm case, the horns reveal carefully fashioned profiles. These fine timepieces are ornamented with unique engravings like so many easels supporting works of art that are an offering to time. The emotion of DIMIER is special and no less rare because each composition created in this way will be available in an annual limited edition of 50 numbered timepieces in each of the precious metal versions. The DIMIER by BOVET 1822 marks the birth of a true shinning star that will capture the passion of watch collectors around the world and secure a place in horological history.
TOP 10 NEW ALL-AROUND COLLECTIONS:
1) Harry Winston watches
2) Jaeger-LeCoulre
3) IWC
4) Breitling
5) Patek Phillipe
6) Roger Dubuis
7) Audemars Piguet
8)DeWitt
9) Cartier Watches
10) BRM
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