Mechanics of the tourbillon Tourbillon

a breguet squelette watch 2933 tourbillon



an assembled tourbillon, showing balance wheel, pallet fork , escape wheel.

gravity has direct effect on delicate parts of escapement, namely pallet fork, balance wheel , hairspring. notably hairspring, functions timing regulator escapement , part sensitive exterior effects, such magnetism, shocks, temperature, inner effects such pinning positions (inner collet), terminal curve, , heavy points on balance wheel.

many inventions have been developed counteract these problems. temperature , magnetism problems have been eliminated new materials. shocks have less effect today @ breguet s time stronger , more resilient materials. oscillator still gets disturbed @ moment of shock, hairspring not deformed shocks before, , re-stabilizes after such event.

gravity comes play on remaining effects. 1 of them taken away, namely heavy points on balance wheel. leaves pinning point , terminal curve. both of these add lot of variation regulation of watch; assembly, regulation adjustments watchmaker, positioning in watch, , later position changes owner. balance wheel goes 1 extreme position other in swing , forth, hairspring s coils extend , contract great deal, leading problems extremely hard counteract. have tried using hairsprings cylindrical or spherical instead of flat prominent today. variations of breguet s overcoil have been developed counteract effects of terminal curve. pinning point, grossmann, berthoud, breguet, caspari , leroy tried many different possibilities, not improvement gained.

the biggest obstacle watchmaker regulating watch, today, getting similar result escapement no matter position kept in. has been made infinitely easier accurate timing machines give instantaneous timing results, whereas in breguet s time watchmakers had watch regulate from. so, results not exact , take weeks them. effects of gravity on escapement can have quite significant effects slight variations of position. if pocket watch kept of time in breast pocket, exact position still vary on 45°. watchmakers can regulate watch in 8 positions: dial up, crown down, dial down, crown left, crown up, crown right, half-way position crown up, , half-way position crown down. tourbillon quite neatly reduces problem; needs regulated 3 positions; 2 horizontal positions, dial & down, , 1 vertical position.

greubel forsey double tourbillon 30° mechanism.

even today new materials , improved theories, impossible regulate mechanical watch keeps same time in positions. tourbillon presents today s watchmakers possibility of higher accuracy conventional movements, although poising balance , ensuring balance spring expands , contracts symmetrically can achieve virtually same result. tourbillon makes 1 complete revolution per minute. improves timekeeping in 4 vertical positions because, if watch stationary in random vertical position, tourbillon makes escapement turn around own axis, ironing out effects of gravity turning balance through possible vertical positions during rotation. normal tourbillon has no effect in horizontal positions, since here balance horizontal , not affected gravity turns.

a tourbillon has no effect on change in rate accompanies change in attitude dial horizontal (dial or down) dial vertical (pendant up, down, left or right). change in rate between horizontal , vertical greater rate changes between different vertical positions. breguet designed tourbillon pocket watches kept in vertical position in waistcoat pocket, , can maintained in vertical position overnight hanging on suitable stand, , in vertical attitude tourbillon effective. however, attitude of wrist watch changes vertical horizontal depending on wearer doing. effect of tourbillon small compared change in rate resulting changes vertical horizontal, , vice versa. inclined tourbillons such made greubel forsey improvement in regard.

mechanical watches today sold buyers value craftsmanship , aesthetics on accurate timing. tourbillons use standard swiss lever escapements, have detent escapement.

the tourbillon considered 1 of challenging of watch mechanisms make (although technically not complication itself) , valued engineering , design principles. first production tourbillon mechanism produced breguet napoleon in 1 of carriage clocks (travel clocks of time of considerable weight, typically weighing 200 pounds).