We kick off the first listicle for the year. And what better way to start than with a tourbillon on a wristwatch. We make our pick of the top six from recently launched models.
Six tourbillons to start the new year!
I confess. I have a fetish for tourbillons. I just love looking at them. These tiny little mechanical marvels just mesmerise me, and I could start at them for hours on end. What is perhaps more perverse, is that personally I prefer the tourbillon to be hidden from view on the dial side. The only tourbillon in my collection is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Platinum 2, which has the tourbillon displayed on the reverse side of the Reverso. But one of my favourites, which I have never owned is the Girard Perregaux Tourbillon with Three Golden Bridges President, where the dial side shows a full grand feu enamel dial with no cutout, and the full magnificent movement is only visible on the case back.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Platinum 2.
The tourbillon was originally designed by A.L. Breguet to be a functional complication, to aid the pocket watch’s timing as it sat in the owner’s pocket all the time. In one position. But on a wristwatch, the function of moving the balance spring across various positions such that gravitational effects are normalised goes away. The owner’s wrist goes through all these positions, and arguably more, over the course of a day. And for chronometry, there are simpler, more elegant solutions. Ferdinand Berthoud made this as a bold statement, as their most accurate timepiece is sans tourbillon – the FB3 is only equipped with a cylindrical hairspring. No tourbillon, no fusée and chain nor remontoir. Just superbly crafted. And it does the job magnificently.
The tourbillon then becomes a show of virtuosity. A statement from the watchmaker that he has taken the additional time and effort to precisely balance the carriage, to exquisitely decorate the movement, and has the intent to improve chronometry.
So with this backdrop, let’s explore my six recommendations.
Ba111od Chapter 4 Infinity Flying Tourbillon with Moonphase
We kick off with the least expensive tourbillon that we can comfortably recommend. Ba111od, in collaboration with their movement partner Olivier Mory, have consistently impressed. Not only with the accessible pricing, the lowest in the market for a fully Swiss made watch, but also in the technical brilliance of the design and execution which is well above the pay grade of its asking price.
The entire lineup of Chapter 4, Ba111od’s tourbillon collection, is impressive. And the latest, released in 2025 is one which caught my eye. A flying tourbillon and a moonphase. Swiss made. All for CHF 10.6k. Naise!
Czapek Antarctique Tourbillon
Released in WWG25, in celebration of Czapek’s 10/180 Anniversary…180 years since François Czapek founded the company, and 10 years since it was revived with Xavier de Roquemaurel at the helm. This is their first in-house flying tourbillon. See our visit to their manufacture here.
The Glasier Blue model impressed me the most. The two bridge design, with a huge bar style bridge for the canon pinion where the hour and minute hands sprout is supported by a two armed bridges which are pierced to hold the jewel for the barrel. And a large, flying tourbillon. And a beautifully guilloché dial. Not a bad proposition for CHF 63k in SS.
Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Tourbillon Retrograde Date Openface
Stepping up the game to one of the Grande Dammes. Also in celebration of their anniversary, we have Vacheron Constantin’s Traditionnelle Tourbillon Retrograde Date Openface. 270 years is a great milestone to celebrate. And VC’s birthday bash is unlike no other, with the BIG Show in Paris Louvre and carried on to their HQ in Plan le Ouates. With The Quest exhibitions around the world. We featured the Abu Dhabi Exhibition as well as the one in Singapore. The maison released a slew of superb watches to showcase their horological excellence for this celebration. My pick from the crop is the Traditionnelle Tourbillon.
The watch is deeply rooted in classical watchmaking but elevated with modern manufacturing and decorative techniques. It is the perfect example of how traditional watchmakers can appeal to contemporary tastes without losing its identity. While this juxtaposition of old and new is not novel, it is executed to perfection in this watch. Pricing is only available upon request but expect it to be around the EUR 200k mark.
Arnold & Son Constant Force Tourbillon 11
Another celebratory watch. This time for Arnold & Son to celebrate their 250th Anniversary with a particularly interesting watch throwing back to the friendship between John Arnold and A.L. Breguet.
I am particularly attracted to the rear of the watch, where the view that greets us from the caseback is one which looks almost the same as the original watch made by Breguet from an ebauche by Arnold. This watch is currently displayed in the British Museum. The dial side bears no resemblance to the original watch, but I find it to be particularly beautiful. It features a white grand feu enamel with a play on negative space. A sub-dial carries the hour and minute display, sits in polished white opal and framed by a yellow gold ring. Balancing the visual of this off-center dial is the tourbillon with its single openworked cock. This visual is very beautiful to the eye. At CHF 129k, it is about par for the course for tourbillon by a small manufacturer.
Gerald Charles Maestro Tourbillon
We have been impressed with Gerald Charles, a brand which was founded by Gerald Genta with Franco Ziviani, but used as a vehicle to deliver special watches till recently. The maison has now passed to the second generation Ziviani. And under the leadership of Frederico, it has been impressive. I love the work done on their Masterlink series, but as this is an article on the tourbillon, their Maestro Tourbillon impressed me.
Constructed on their Maestro case, which is a masterpiece design of Mr. Genta himself featuring the smile as the frame of this watch. The dial is where the speciality is at. The dial is white gold and is hand hammered to produce an in rather heavy texture, looking to us like the bark of an old tree. The bezel follows the case shape, but is a deep blue titanium over the stainless steel case. Priced at USD 140k.
Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Tourbillon
A new expression of the Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon. Super cool watch, with an inside out approach to design. All you see is the whole movement. Fully displayed on the dial side. The sub-dial carrying the hour and minute as well as the mainspring, the keyless works and the magnificent tourbillon is shown.
The Tourbillon deserves some further attention. It looks like it floats on the dial. This feat is managed by removing the upper pivot, a la flying tourbillon, but Piaget went one step further. The entire staff carrying the cage is eliminated, and the carriage is held from the periphery by ceramic bearings. The case is only 2mm thick with a diameter of 41.5mm. Retail is set at EUR 600k. Limited Edition of 15 pieces.
Concluding thoughts
So here is our list. What is yours? In case this listicle sounds a little deja vu, well, we have covered the topic before. Albeit the latest being in 2025, now with three earlier articles:
- Top six recommendations for a tourbillon released in recent years 2022
- Five more tourbillons from our list – this time, a bit more wallet friendly 2022
- Das Tourbillon: six recommendations for the best of the best 2025
But we have really been doing it fairly regularly since 2015.
- Recommendations for six watches with more than just a tourbillon on Throwback Sundays 2020
- Throwback Sundays: Six Recommendations for a Tourbillon Timepiece from Independent Watchmakers In Our Archives 2015
- Throwback Sundays: Six Recommendations for a Classic Tourbillon Watch from Our Archives also 2015
- Throwback Sundays: Six Different Tourbillon Watches Modern to Classical 2017
- Throwback Sunday: Six tourbillons for when you win the lottery 2018
