Our first live auction of 2024, the PHILLIPS Geneva Watch Auction: XIX, takes place on May 11 and 12, at the Hotel President, at Quai Wilson 47 in central Geneva. The auction includes more than 215 of the world's finest watches – and though we are loath to boast, we truly think it's one of the best catalogs we've ever put together. We'll be highlighting a number of the most interesting lots and stories featured in the sale over the next month, including every tourbillon-equipped wristwatch featured in this story.
The tourbillon is a mechanism that has captivated watchmakers since the time of Abraham-Louis Breguet.
Typically visible through a dial aperture, the tourbillon is a whirling dervish of a regulating organ that constantly rotates the balance wheel, balance spring and escapement while the movement is running. This is done to counter the affect of Earth's gravity on the isochronal properties of the balance wheel and spring.
The tourbillon was invented by Breguet himself in 1795, and patented in 1801. The tourbillon has captured attention for so long for one simple reason: It's mesmerizing to watch the balance wheel oscillate at the same time as it turns 360 degrees around the dial. Breguet sought to eliminate positional error, that is the error introduced by keeping the watch in one position for an extended amount of time. His theory was that if the regulating organ of the watch was constantly in motion, the positional errors would be averaged out.
Today tourbillons can be found everywhere from ultra high-end independent makers with an entry-level price in the six figures, to more democratically priced mechanisms coming out of the Far East. Even a few notable Swiss brands, such as TAG Heuer, have attempted a more affordable tourbillon in recent years.
But a true, world-class tourbillon mechanism is easily worth its price of admission. There are very few things like it in the watch world. The following text explores 10 fascinating tourbillon-equipped wristwatches that are included in the upcoming Phillips Geneva Watch Auction: XIX.
Lot 188: A Circa 2015 Akrivia AK-05 'Tourbillon Barette Miroir' In Titanium
Estimate: CHF 300,000 - 600,000
It is quite extraordinary to say that Rexhep Rexhepi today needs no introduction. In his early 30s, he heads a brand that is just a dozen of years old. The list of his clients include some of the world’s most demanding and scholarly collectors, his order books are full, waiting times are counted in years and he has won numerous prestigious awards.
However, he is far from an overnight wonder boy and his success was built on hard work and perseverance. Rexhepi arrived from Kosovo to Geneva at age 12. Two years later he joined Patek Philippe as an apprentice, then became a full time watchmaker. He then joined BNP Concept, a maker of high end watch movements, where his expertise and talent put him at the head of a team of 10 watchmakers. He then left for F.P. Journe. His experience there was an eye opening one and pushed him to want to create his own watches. He subsequently left Journe with the blessing of his mentor.
In 2012 he created Akrivia, inspired by the Greek word for precision. With the tourbillon as his main focus, he immediately created a very personal design language with a futuristic looking case being a fine mix of round, oval and tonneau, hand hammered dials, symmetrical movement architecture and superlative eye watering movements with a manual finish pushed to the extreme.
The present AK-05 also called Tourbillon Barrette Miroir in rela- tion to the mirror polish of the tourbillon bridge is his 5th watch. While the previous models featured the tourbillon with another complication the present timepiece is all about the tourbillon tak- ing centre stage with a large cage of close to 14mm and a blued escapement wheel.
The yellow gold dial is meticulously hand hammered giving it a grainy texture and the hands with their original shape provide an even greater graphic vibe to the watch.
The movement side is as attractive as the dial side, perfectly sym- metrical with gorgeous Geneva stripes, mirror polished elements and interior angles it is an ode to beauty and craftsmanship. The present AK-05 is the very first model to grace an international auction market. Bearing number 3, it is one of the earliest examples made. Momentous in its construction, beauty and collectability it has been with the origi- nal collector since 2015 and it will no doubt be a prize for any collectors of rare, contemporary horological masterpieces.
Further accompanied by Akrivia Certificate of Origin, where the new buyer will have his or her name written on the certificate.
Lot 161: A Circa 2008 Christian Klings Tourbillon No. 06 In 18k Yellow Gold
Estimate: CHF 80,000 - 160,000
It is with great pleasure and pride that we bring to the international auction market for the very first time a Christian Klings tourbillon wristwatch, consigned by the original owner.
Christian Klings is a revered name of independent watchmaking, a discreet watchmaker who in the course of a 30 plus years
career has made less than 35 watches but his impact has been immense whether with the collecting community or with his fellow watchmakers. Klings is as much an artist as he is a watchmaker and thus focuses on creating bespoke timepieces upon commission from savvy collectors. His creations - with an almost unheard of degree of hand work using traditional tools and techniques- have ranged from a 10-second tourbillon with a free balance escapement, to detent escapements to highly finished time-only watches with single-beat escapements.
In a recent interview published on Phillips website Klings said: “The watches I make now need to be simple, have a clean look, a classic design, and an aesthetically pleasing movement with a high degree of finish. I want my movement designs to have a calming effect.”
The present Tourbillon number 6 is true to the master’s ethos: a slim case, hand guilloché dial with circular motif and silver chapter ring with hand engraved numerals frame a large 15mm tourbillon cage held by a beautifully finished cylindrical bridge. The large movement is also devoid of any frills with the blue screws, red rubies and gold chaton adding a dash of color. Interestingly the fourth wheel, connected to the tourbillon, sits on top of the movement to reduce the height of the movement.
Klings has made only 12 tourbillon wristwatches, each of them different, making the present N°6 unique and offering the rare opportunity to own a timepiece by a watchmaker of incredible talent who unfortunately has stopped making watches.
Lot 165: A Circa 1990 Daniel Roth Tourbillon C187 Numero 24 In 18k Yellow Gold
Estimate: CHF 50,000 - 100,000
It seems that the tourbillon is somewhat a right of passage for watchmakers launching their own brand regardless of generations, whether it be Journe in 1999 or a Theo Auffret or Rexhep Rexhepi in the past years. After having worked at Audemars Piguet and revived Breguet as we know it, Daniel Roth set out to launch his own brand in 1988 and introduced his Tourbillon ref. C187 the following year.
Upon launch of his brand, Roth immediately established his personal design language, the most obvious being the unusual ellipsocurvex shape, hands with pointed tips and dials with guilloché patterns, all elements you can find in the present yellow gold Tourbillion. However, the present early example number 24, is part of a very small selection of tourbillon wristwatches that were made with a full caseback as opposed to the two dial models that feature a power reserve indicator and date on the caseback.
Interestingly with the relaunch of the brand and the presentation of the new Souscription Tourbillon in 2023 it is this very combination that was selected as Daniel Roth’s 1st revival piece. The Daniel Roth reference C187 is probably on of the watchmaker’s better known creations. With classical lines and gentle curves, its design is as equally relevant in today’s standards as it was more than
Thirty years ago when it was released. Taking centre stage is the large tourbillon escapement with an original triple arm seconds hand featuring three hands of different lengths that indicate the seconds on three different seconds registers each calibrated for 20 seconds. Cased in yellow gold it features a remarkably executed guillochage. The hour-minute disc features classic Roman numerals and is in satin-brushed silver, as well as the lateral frames that indicate the number of the watch, the brand name and the seconds. The movement that powers this remarkable timepiece is based off the Lemania 387 ébauche, which has been highly modified and finished at the highest of levels.
Lot 200: A 1994 A. Lange & Söhne Tourbillon 'Pour le Mérite' Ref. 701.301 In 18k Yellow Gold On Matching 'Wellendorf Bracelet'
Estimate: CHF 120,000 - 240,000
On October 24th 1994 at Dresden Castle, Walter Lange, Günter Blümlein and Hartmut Knothe debuted their first collection comprised no less than four watches, and four new calibres: the Lange 1, the Arkade, the Saxonia, and the Tourbillon Pour le Mérite. While the Lange 1 was arguably the most distinctive timepiece by A. Lange & Söhne due to its disruptive design, the Tourbillon Pour le Mérite named after one of Germany’s highest orders of merit, is unquestionably the star of the show and dominates the domain of horological complication.
Taking the tourbillon to new heights, the Pour le Mérite was the first wristwatch to feature the most precious fusée-and-chain transmission, a refined constant-force mechanism that was developed together with Renaud & Papi at the time. Used to equalize the mainspring’s power, a fusée and chain was used on all 12 historic Lange tourbillon pocket watches produced by Walter’s ancestors. This complication optimizes the rate accuracy of the watch. The most famous of these twelve tourbillons, the reference 41000 “Jahrhundertourbillon” was exhibited at the Paris World Exhibition in 1900. The Pour Le Mérite Tourbillon is a direct descendent of the 41000, both technically and aesthetically, with the same finely constructed tourbillon carriage. Made in a production of only 200 pieces, the Tourbillon Pour le Mérite was available as follows:
18K yellow gold: 106 examples (Ref. 701.001/ Ref. 751.001/Ref. 701.301)
18K white gold: 20 examples (Ref. 701.007)
18K pink gold: 24 examples (701.011)
Platinum: 50 examples (Ref. 701.005)
Steel: 1 example
Most interestingly, the “3” in the reference number refers to the metal bracelet with which the watch was delivered by the manufacture. The A. Lange & Söhne 18K yellow gold bracelet was made by Wellendorff, and the fact that the manufacture confirms this watch was delivered with a bracelet is especially rare. Well-preserved, this important model will surely garner interest for the growing community of collectors seeking for fine and rare early Lange timepieces.
Lot 184: A Circa 2013 Harry Winston Histoire de Tourbillon 4 Limited Edition
Estimate: CHF 50,000 - 100,000
Harry Winston’s Histoire de Tourbillon was a project undertaken with Greubel Forsey’s Complitime to showcase the technical possibilities of this fascinating complication and push the boundaries going where few watchmakers had gone before or even since! Launched in 2013 the Histoire de Tourbillon 4 (the 4th installment as the name implies) is a mind boggling horological masterpiece featuring a complex triple tourbillon. Three concentric cages sit at different angles and rotate at different speeds. The outermost cage completes a revolution once every 300 seconds (five minutes), the intermediate cage rotates once every 75 seconds, and the innermost cage spins once every 45 seconds. To obtain a more than respectable 50-hour power reserve considering the fact that the 3 rotating cages would use a lot of energy, the 134 components of the tourbillon are made of titanium and weigh a mere 1.57 grams! The movement plates and bridges are also in titanium.
Hours are read via the subdial at 1 o’clock whereas the minutes are indicated at 10 o’clock via a dual semi-circle dial, minutes from 0 to 30 are shown on an inner ring with white text on a black background, in conjunction with a short white hand. Minutes from 30 to 60, are presented on a black outer ring in conjunction with a blue tipped hand. The power reserve is discreetly placed on the right side of the case.
A blue hand located above the outer tourbillon points to a 300 second scale on the perimeter of the domed area. The white gold case sandwiches a middle section made of zalium. The Histoire de Tourbillon is one of those watches that underlines mechanical genius and vision; a watch so complex that we understand it is more a laboratory of ideas than a commercial venture. Made in only 20 pieces, the resent example bears number 5.
Lot 190: A Circa 2015 Rudis Sylvia RS12 Grand Art Horloger Harmonious Oscillator, Made For The Sultanate Of Oman
Estimate: CHF 50,000 - 100,000
Rudis Sylva (meaning Rudis’ forest in Latin) was founded by watch industry veteran and enthusiast Jacky Epitaux in 2006 with the idea of creating a ground-breaking movement from scratch. Epitaux worked with movement constructor Romain Gillet and watchmaker Mika Rassinen and the result was the Harmonious Oscillator, a monumental movement- and watch - building upon the theoretical conclusion of better timekeeping through resonance.
Unlike with F.P. Journe’s resonance movement, the present Harmonious Oscillator functions on physical resonance phenomenon as the balance wheels both have teeth on their rims and touch each other: one driving the other. One balance wheel is linked to the escapement, and it provides the impulse to oscillate the other balance wheel. Each hairspring breathes in the opposite manner to the other, so when one is open, the other is closed. As such each balance wheel has the same amplitude and averages the errors of the other, resulting in greater precision. Already technically impressive the balance wheels are mounted on a one-minute rotating carriage, similar to a tourbillon, negating the effects of gravity.
The movement is monumental but the finish and artistic crafts used are superlative. The large (17.4mm) rotating cage and bridge are beautifully hand finished, in fact just the cage features 28 inward angles! The baseplate is fully hand guilloché with a “pyramid” pattern, the caseback is hand engraved and features an enameled representation of an ancient subdial from the region of Les Bois (where the brand is located). The attractiveness of this horological masterpiece rises to stratospheric levels by the fact that it is a unique piece made for the Sultan of Oman. The green lacquer dial features Eastern Arabic numerals and a large Khanjar and Crown (the symbol of the Sultanate of Oman).
Lot 168: A 2014 Jaeger-LeCoultre Hybris Artistica 5 Duomètre Sphérotourbillon In 18k White Gold
Estimate: CHF 50,000 - 100,000
The Hybris Artistica 5 from Jaeger-LeCoultre is nothing short of a mechanical wonder. In addition to its rotation around the axis of its titanium cage, the spherical tourbillon further revolves around a secondary axis, angled at 20 degrees, to counteract the influence of gravity in any orientation.
Encased in a sapphire and white gold 44mm case, the Duomètre Sphérotourbillon showcases an 18K white gold dial which has been engraved with multidirectional strokes through the use of a special chisel. Such a technique gives the grand feu enamel subdials an interesting grainy glossy effect. Architecturally impressive, the dial then leads to the cage of the tourbillion through the use of “staircases” composed of finely chiseled steps. Off-centred at 12 o’clock we can find a second time zone in 24-hour mode indicator, extremely useful for the jet setter of the 21st century.
The second time-zone also showcases its individual power reserve indicator and is powered by its individual barrel. At three o’clock the oversized “home” time indicator is visible in typical Jaeger- LeCoultre style, off centred at 6 o’clock we can further find its sub-seconds indicator. All three sub-dials are enamel.
Rotating the watch around, we can find in all its glory the Jaeger- LeCoultre caliber 382. A horological marvel to witness, the flying tourbillon features a technically impressive cylindrical balance spring and sapphire tourbillon bridge that leads the eye to believe that the tourbillon is floating freely.
With the present example being one of only three pieces made, the present watch is preserved in excellent overall condition.
Lot 76: A 2021 Richard Mille RM17-01 Model MON-01562 In Titanium
Estimate: CHF 250,000 - 500,000
The quest for exceptional quality and perfection is the constant driving force behind Richard Mille, and RM017-01 is an epitome of such brand philosophy. Launched in 2017, the RM017-01 is based on the original RM 017, which is best known for its manual winding tourbillion, but imbued with the elements that Richard Mille is best known for, such as the iconic tonneau case, torque limiting crown, high-grade finishing and a sporty velcro strap. So rare is this watch that a cursory search on the internet of this reference does not yield many results, particularly for a titainum model. However, further research reveals that the present watch was offered to the very best Richard Mille clients.
The watch itself is powered by the manual winding tourbillon movement, function indicator with power reserve. The baseplate and the bridges are made of grade 5 titanium, which allows for the gear train to function effortlessly. Given its durability, grade
5 titanium is also often used in aerospace, aeronautics and automobile industries. The tourbillon is furthermore surrounded by a skeletonised baseplate and bridges.
The function indicator is also cleverly integrated on the dial side and located at the 4 o’clock position, whose function is similar to a car’s gearbox. It indicates the winding, neutral and hand-setting positions when the crown is pulled out.
As an even nicer touch, the watch is accompanied by its Richard Mille warranty dated July 22, 2021, warranty card, additional rubber strap, product literature, presentation box and outer packaging.
Lot 59: A Circa 2013 Greubel Forsey GMT Tourbillon GF05 In 18k White Gold
Estimate: CHF 100,000 - 200,000
With an asymmetric case design, a dial featuring three different GMT/world time indications, and an inclined tourbillon, this timepiece is a watchmaking tour-de-force both from an aesthetic and a technical point of view. The dial itself is simply mesmerizing. The main time indication is relegated to a subdial at 12 o’clock, flanked to the right by the fan-shaped power reserve indication and another subdial for the constant seconds. On the left side of the main dial, one finds the main GMT indication, controlled by the pusher in the band. The lower part of the dial is dedicated to the main features of the watch. On the left, a globe surrounded by a 24 hours ring gives a visual impression of the current time through the planet. A window on the band allows the beholder to gaze at the southern hemisphere.
On the right one can admire a 25 seconds tourbillon featuring a 24 degree inclination. This particularly complex configuration required enormous efforts in research and development (focused for example on the teeth geometry for the inclined escapement, or on the energy management in a 24 seconds tourbillon - a much faster rate than the usual 60 seconds) but allows for improved accuracy and a more striking visual effect. Turning the watch around to its case back, an additional world-time indication is prominently displayed by a wheel with 24 cities featuring an inner “summer time” ring and an outer “winter-time” ring - this being a less artistic but more readable rendering of the world time complication compared to the rotating globe.
The present piece is number 62 of a limited edition of 100 pieces. The present limited edition white gold example is offered in very attractive condition and complete of all of its accessory - a true delight for the connoisseur of high-end watchmaking.
Lot 166: A Circa 2020 Purnell Spherion Tourbillon Ref. CP.01RG In 18k Pink Gold
Estimate: CHF 30,000 - 60,000
Purnell is all about tourbillons.
The company is named after Cecil Purnell, a World War I veteran who studied watchmaking after being injured during the war and quickly became fascinated by Abraham-Louis Breguet and the tourbillon. Purnell was founded decades later in the mid-2000s by Cecil’s grandson, Jonathan Purnell.
The present Spherion Tourbillon, was revealed in 2020 and fea- tures the world’s fastest triple-axis tourbillon, which completes a full 360-degree rotation in eight seconds. The movement inside the Spherion Tourbillon was developed in partnership with the award-winning watchmaker Eric Coudray, who previously brought to life impressive tourbillon creations such as the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon. The inner tourbillon cage of the Spherion completes more than seven rotations every minute, while the inner, middle, and outer tourbillon cages complete their individual rotation in eight seconds, 16 seconds, and 30 seconds, respectively. All cages are made of lightweight titanium, and the clearance between each individual cage is under 0.2mm. It took Coudray and Purnell more than two years to bring the Spherion Tourbillon to life.
But the mechanics were just the start of the Spherion’s develop- ment. The unique three-dimensional architecture of Purnell’s triple-axis tourbillon created difficulties in finding the right case and sapphire crystal to house and best display the innovative CP.01 movement. Conventional suppliers of sapphire crystals turned Purnell away. When a sapphire crystal manufacturer willing to take the small-batch project on was finally found, it took an additional 14 months of work to finalize. In addition to sapphire crystal protect- ing the front and back of the watch, there’s an additional sapphire crystal window in the left caseband as well as at 12 and 6 o’clock, allowing an unobstructed view of the triple-axis tourbillon in action.
You can learn more, place a bid, and view the entire Geneva Watch Auction: XIX catalog here.
About Phillips In Association With Bacs & Russo
The team of specialists at PHILLIPS Watches is dedicated to an uncompromised approach to quality, transparency, and client service. Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo holds the world record for the most successful watch auction, with its Geneva Watch Auction: XIV having realized $74.5 million in 2021. Over the course of 2021 and 2022, the company sold 100% of the watches offered, a first in the industry, resulting in the highest annual total in history across all the auction houses at $227 million.
Recommended Reading
A History Of Harry Winston's Histoire de Tourbillon Collection
A Collectors' Guide To MB&F’s Early Horological Machines
The Enduring Appeal Of Wolf’s Teeth Gearing In Fine Watchmaking