It's been over 10 years since I first met Stephen Forsey, one half of the watch duo Greubel Forsey (the other half being Robert Greubel, of course). Our first long conversation—and I think it was our first conversation, period—was at a dinner party in Manhattan, which I remember very well for several reasons. On the one hand, this is the first time I've had the opportunity to see one of the brand's exotic and much-talked-about tourbillons in person. This is not an easy thing to forget.

Probably the most memorable part of the evening, however, was being able to ask Stephen the many questions and gain a better understanding of what inspired him and his partners to create the beautifully crafted and technically challenging multi-axis tourbillon.

Since the company was founded in 2004, and even before the two founders started working independently in 1999, the overall idea behind much of the research done by GF was to combine the highest levels of traditional labor-intensive techniques for manufacturing, tuning and finishing technology, and making a tourbillon watch based on a method of re-evaluating the theory behind the tourbillon watches replica high quality.

Let's talk about the theoretical side.

First of all, let's talk about the tourbillon. The tourbillon was invented and patented by Breguet, possibly with some contribution from one or more of his contemporaries (although I'm not aware of no actual evidence that this is the case, other than whatever you might infer from this fact Unverifiable conclusion that his first or second tourbillon was in a watch specially designed for John Arnold and, for that matter, in a movement originally made). But, whatever its origin, tourbillons are made to solve specific problems.

The problem with this is this: For a number of reasons, the watch runs slightly faster or slower depending on where you hold it. The six positions you normally use to time your watch are four vertical positions (crown up, down, right and left) and two horizontal positions (crown up and down). If the rate is the same, you should theoretically have a perfectly accurate watch regardless of the position of the watch (putting aside other factors such as age on oil, disturbing effects of shocks, etc.).

The parts of a watch that are negatively affected by gravity are those responsible for maintaining a constant rate: balance, hairspring, lever, and escape wheel. Breguet's idea was to mount these parts in a rotating frame so that a single average rate could be produced for the sum of all vertical positions, rather than having to deal with several different positions. As we've mentioned elsewhere, you can adjust the horizontal position to match this single average vertical rate, and you should have a fake moon watch that keeps the same time regardless of position.

The problem with this system is that it works best in a pocket watch, and its advantages are less pronounced in a wristwatch. In fact, some have even gone so far as to say that Breguet has gone all the way in the wrong direction, and that it doesn't work in a pocket watch either—Professor Jean-Claude Nicolet, writing for trade publication Europastar, argues that "the tourbillon is actually a It’s an extra mechanism that consumes energy and doesn’t produce anything but error messages. It’s a parasitic mechanism.” Regardless of your point of view, the fact remains that tourbillons have been very Difficult to manufacture, extremely challenging to miniaturize, and enormously challenging to adjust; so you can understand why watch tourbillons have been very rare for most of watch history.

If you do accept the idea that tourbillons are based on sound theory, that still doesn't mean they make sense in watches. Unlike pocket watches, which are typically carried either vertically in a pocket or flat on a table or nightstand, the watch assumes a range of positions when worn. The bone of contention is that the watch on the wrist moves through a range of tourbillon-like positions throughout the day anyway, so why bother making a tourbillon replica watches uk?

Greubel Forsey's idea is this: by tilting the tourbillon, you create a situation where, for most positions the watch is in, the regulating member within the frame is never in the most extreme position for rate change (perfectly flat, or completely vertical). The concept of a tilted balance wheel in a tourbillon is not a new one - AW Potter did a famous example, done around 1860 (he's American, ahem) but his watch had a The upper rotating frame follows the normal configuration of a tourbillon. The Tourbillon 24 Secondes Contemporain, on the other hand, sets the entire frame on an axis of rotation at an angle to the vertical.

That's the theory behind the design - by the way, an interesting historical note is that the axis of the tourbillon cage for the 24 second contemporary tourbillon is tilted 25 degrees from the vertical axis, which is the same angle Porter used in his tilt 1860 balance tourbillon. The watch uses a superhelical balance spring and spins at a fairly fast rate of rotation - 24 seconds, which again aims to minimize the amount of time spent in or near any position, as it is at its worst due to gravity.

The theoretical aspects of Greubel Forsey replica watches sale are fascinating, but it may not be the specifics of the theory that get many people interested in their watches in the first place, but the aesthetics. These are special to GF; their watches are easily recognizable as Greubel Forsey watches. The overall design is determined partly by practical mechanical constraints (you wouldn't create a slanted axis, fast tourbillon watch, 72 hour power reserve, large balance wheel and winding spring and make it a super thin watch), partly The reason is that, generally speaking, GF watches are not only experimental high-precision timepieces, but also museums of fine artisanal watch finishing. Purely as experimental timekeeping machines, they may be simpler in appearance,

The finishing and overall movement design is an interesting combination of traditional Swiss-French and English elements. The mainplate of the Tourbillon 24 Secondes Contemporain is titanium, the cock and bridges are German silver ( maillechort ), as is typical for GF, neither is decorated with Côtes de Genève stripes, but has the brushed finish typical of handcrafted English pocket watches.

Overall solidity and even heaviness are also a feature of English pocket watches; as George Daniels wrote in Watchmaking, "The best Swiss manufacturers continue to apply jewel-like elegance to their watches. The finishes... British manufacturers also work to a very high standard, but make no attempt to lure customers in by displaying polished wheels and shiny components. Doesn't make sense... British handmade watches are expensive, only Gentlemen buy it. In general, they aren’t interested in wheels or polish, it’s just a trade show, something no gentleman wants to be recognized for.”

When it comes to the movements of its watches, Greubel Forsey is very inclined to stick to a design philosophy that always seems to me to be more English than Swiss-French, despite the use of movement bridges (which is a French an innovation) the French influence was there instead of the full board or 3/4 board designs used by British manufacturers. For this reason, if you don't know the background, they can look bland or even serious, but the longer you watch, the more you start to notice how perfect all the details are.replica Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes

Once you get over your initial surprise of not seeing the Côtes de Genève stripes, you start to notice things like the fine polish; well, everything; countersunk holes, screw heads and grooves, sharp inside corners, round brushes on the spokes and bevels, etc., have undergone the same meticulous treatment. There is no more dramatic ornate decoration common in modern high-end watchmaking, which means there is nothing to hide; everything has to be on time, and it is.

On the dial side, the attention to detail is just as unwavering and the quality of workmanship is equally high (naturally; it's the side you're most concerned with, after all), but it's here that the depth and design three-dimensionality reaches 10. A signature element is the three-legged steel column supporting the hour and minute hands, which provides much-needed visual contrast to the large tourbillon cage and balance wheel (this column is found on many Greubel Forsey timepieces).

The aesthetics on the dial side are as distinctive as those on the movement side, but more operative. Ultra-thin or ultra-thin watchmaking undoubtedly has its joys, but the relative bulk of the Tourbillon 24 Secondes Contemporain actually works in its own, very different way, thanks in part to sheer luxury finishing. One of the joys of mechanical watchmaking is that you can physically identify a mechanism - when people say quartz "has no soul", I usually think what they really mean is that solid state electronics seem too abstract to have what you get from A certain sense of life gained in a mechanical replica swiss Watches.

While you might mistake this for a flying tourbillon, there is actually a sapphire upper bridge that provides mechanical support for the large carriage while letting light into the lower half of the watch's dial side and providing an extra layer Mobile reflectivity. Somehow, the whole thing looks richly detailed without collapsing under its own weight, which is a miracle considering what's going on. The relative austerity of the movement side helps bring balance to the overall experience, but the dial side doesn't necessarily need to work on its own; it's balanced and beautiful enough to be judged on its own merits.

I think the best thing about this watch, and the Greubel Forsey in general, is that it's the type of watch you appreciate, both technically and aesthetically, the more you know what's in it and about watchmaking in general. If you want, you can enjoy it purely for its aesthetic strength or its level of craftsmanship (although many big brands would have us think so, this level of authentic handcrafting is rare to the teeth) or as a piece of technical watchmaking A compulsive experimentation, or how it references watchmaking history, or any combination of the above.

The worst thing that can happen to a watch owner is, as his or her knowledge improves, at some point discover that they already have it – and the watch becomes a source of disappointment. These days you take a lot of risks when collecting vintage and modern watches, but if you're a Greubel Forsey customer and find that you have less than you thought you'd buy, this isn't one of them.

Tourbillon 24 Secondes Contemporain in white gold, movement, caliber GF01c, tourbillon 24 seconds, inclined at 25 degrees from vertical. 36.40mm x 10.85mm; 10mm balance, free spring, with inertial chronograph weights; cross-spring with Geneva-style studs. Cage weight, 0.38 grams; titanium with Avional (duralumin) struts; gold weights ready. Titanium motherboard with German silver bridges. Display function: power reserve (72 hours) timing, walking seconds. Case: White gold, 44.50mm x 15.20mm, water resistant to 100 feet. replica Breitling Superocean