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Tourbillon - a word in simple terms meaning whirlwind but maybe the most simplistic meaning is carousel. It is the tourbillon that was set to solve the problems regarding the watch escapement by Mr L.A. Breguet more than 200 years ago. Knowing that everything in life is greatly affected by gravity, Mr Breguet understood that watches, as not always being worn in an exact position at all times, suffered the effects of gravity.

It was the idea of Mr Breguet to mount the entire watch escapement in a carriage that made one revolution per minute to compensate for the gravitational forces and bring timekeeping to a more civilized rate.

As a matter of fact, the tourbillion idea was very quickly incorporated by English watchmakers and known as thecarousel. While the tourbillon generally rotates at one revolution per minute, the carousel platform (carriage) generally rotated at a slightly slower rate ranging from a few minutes to one hour. In conclusion, both the tourbillon and carousel each accomplished the goal of improved timekeeping.

History

Arguably the most visually arresting of all the high complications, the tourbillon is famously credited to L. A. Breguet, who indeed filed a patent for it in 1801. Breguet is reported to have actually invented the mechanism in 1795 but it only came to light when he filed for a patent. The first pocketwatch equipped with a tourbillon was sold in 1805, one year prior to its introduction to the public at a Paris industrial fair. In 1930, the tourbillon made its way into the wristwatch.

Unlike the previous three complications, this one does not directly relate to the features and functions of a watch. Essentially a solution to a technical problem, it has been elevated to a position of privilege by both collectors and the industry in contemporary times.