Cabestan Winch Tourbillon Vertical Uniquely Precise Absolute Luxury ~ Men Style Note Blogazine

Cabestan Winch Tourbillon Vertical
Uniquely Precise Absolute Luxury

When does a tourbillon act like a tourbillon? When it is vertical. When a watch's balance is horizontal to the Earth's surface, the effects of gravity are equivalent on all parts of its surface and therefore no distortions in timekeeping are produced. But since we know that watches do not remain in the horizontal position all the time, tourbillons are added as a means of correcting for the gravitational effects that impact a balance that is vertical. This comes to the question: when is a balance or a tourbillon in a vertical position? According to our research, the physical and mechanical properties of verticalness appear once the balance is at a 30° angle or more to horizontal. This means that even relatively small variations in angle case the tourbillon's corrective effects to become relevant. But a horizontally positioned tourbillon still has a wide range of use during which it is "horizontal". To increase the percentage of time in which the tourbillon actually performs its intended function, the Cabestan Winch Tourbillon Vertical has a vertical tourbillon. When you think about the positions of tourbillon throughout a day of normal use, and even in storage, a tourbillon positioned vertically in the movement will be "vertical" a much greater portion of the time and thus be more relevant in terms of its corrective effects on the accuracy of the movement.

The chain and fusée is another important element in technical prowess of the Cabestan. A chain and fusée, with its automatic system of conical gears, enables the watchmaker to deliver a constant force to the movement. The fusée corrects for the decreasing torque in the mainspring. Since this decrease is not linear over time, the fusée is curved to perfectly compensate for the torque curve of the mainspring. As a result, the tourbillon receives a constant force and the variations in amplitude are dramatically reduced, thus increasing dramatically the accuracy of the movement. With the vertical tourbillon and the chain and fusée working closely together, amazing precision of ± 1 second per day can be attained.

The Cabestan Winch Tourbillon Vertical featuring a vertical tourbillon coupled with the chain and fusée is not only technically advanced but aesthetically enchanting. Its creator, Jean-François Ruchonnet, who was fascinated by the simple ingenuity of the capstan – a mechanical device characteristic of sailboats comprised of a large drum which is hand-operated with a lever, the winch, causing a rope or chain to wrap around the drum when raising the sail or lifting the anchor – invented a system to rewind a watch movement and to set the time using a miniature winch which is elegantly hidden in the deployant buckle of the watch strap.

Intrigued by the vertical tourbillon and the possibilities offered by displaying time on cylinders, Jean-François Ruchonnet had the inspiration to design the entire movement vertically. The wheels, drums, bridges, tourbillon and chain all astonishingly visible underneath the twin thermo-formed crystals that give this exceptional timepiece its retro-futuristic allure.

Featuring incredible precision and a unique design, the Cabestan Winch Tourbillon Vertical, a true manifestation of absolute luxury, is now exclusively sold at the Elegant Watch and Jewellery Central Boutique.

Technical Data

Functions

Hours, minutes, seconds read from two engraved rotary drums
Power reserve indicator on rotating drums (72 hours, with an average amplitude of the balance of 240°)

Movement

Mechanical with vertical tourbillon and chain and fusée
1,352 components
Manually wound calibre CAB EC 101 with Swiss lever escapement
Frequency : 21,600 alt/h or 3 HZ
Balance amplitude : 240°
Rewinding and time setting with an auto-disengaging torque winch
Stainless steel chain 230 mm long made of 450 links and 150 rivets assembled by hand
Vertical gear system with golden brass wheels, rhodium-plated bottom-plate and bridges, and steel pinions
Fully hand finished components: beveling, polishing, drawing, graining and hooping

Case

Brushed, natural or black PVD titanium, 3N yellow gold, 5N pink gold, palladium white gold, platinum
F baguette diamond settings
Case composed of 7 elements welded under vacuum in a controlled atmosphere
2 functional capstans (total number of components: 50)
2 ornamental capstans (total number of components: 20)
Back of the case can be engraved according to the client's wishes
2 thermoformed, metalized Pyrex crystals hand-fitted for each case

Strap & Buckle