Welcome back to Watch World — Aevitas UK's series celebrating the art, history, and obsession of fine watchmaking. In Episode 1 we covered fascinating watch facts and the biggest releases of 2026. This episode goes deeper — into one of watchmaking's most extraordinary complications and the independent makers who are redefining what a watch can be.
What Is a Tourbillon — and Why Does It Matter?
The tourbillon is arguably the most celebrated complication in mechanical watchmaking — and one of the most misunderstood. Invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1801 and patented that same year, the tourbillon was conceived as a solution to a very specific problem: the effect of gravity on a pocket watch movement.
When a pocket watch sits vertically in a waistcoat pocket, gravity acts unevenly on the balance wheel and escapement — the components responsible for regulating timekeeping. Over time, this positional error accumulates and the watch loses accuracy. Breguet's solution was elegant: mount the entire escapement in a rotating cage that completes one revolution per minute, averaging out the gravitational error across all positions.
In a modern wristwatch, the tourbillon is largely a technical tour de force rather than a practical necessity — wristwatches move constantly on the wrist, naturally averaging out positional errors. But the tourbillon remains the ultimate demonstration of a watchmaker's skill. A single tourbillon cage can contain over 70 components and weigh less than 0.3 grams. Building one by hand requires years of training and extraordinary precision.
The Different Types of Tourbillon
Since Breguet's original invention, watchmakers have developed increasingly complex variations on the tourbillon concept.
The Flying Tourbillon eliminates the upper bridge that traditionally holds the cage in place, creating the illusion that the tourbillon floats freely. First developed by Alfred Helwig in 1920, it requires exceptional engineering to maintain stability without the upper support.
The Double Tourbillon uses two rotating cages — one inside the other — rotating at different speeds and on different axes. Greubel Forsey's Double Tourbillon 30°, in which the inner cage is inclined at 30 degrees to the horizontal, is widely regarded as one of the most technically accomplished watches ever made.
The Tri-Axial Tourbillon adds a third axis of rotation, theoretically compensating for gravitational error in every possible position. Thomas Prescher created the first tri-axial tourbillon wristwatch in 2004; only a handful of manufacturers have since attempted the complication.
The Spherical Tourbillon — developed by Jaeger-LeCoultre and later refined by others — rotates the cage in a spherical motion rather than a flat plane, offering the most comprehensive positional compensation of any tourbillon design.
Independent Watchmakers You Need to Know in 2026
Beyond the grand maisons — Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet — a world of independent watchmakers is producing some of the most extraordinary timepieces ever made. These are the names every serious collector should know.
F.P. Journe
François-Paul Journe is widely regarded as the greatest living independent watchmaker. Working from Geneva, Journe produces every component of his watches in-house — including the mainspring, a feat almost no other manufacturer achieves. His movements are made in 18-carat rose gold rather than brass, a choice that reduces wear and improves long-term accuracy.
Journe's most celebrated pieces include the Tourbillon Souverain, the Chronometre Souverain, and the Resonance — a watch that uses the physical phenomenon of resonance to synchronise two independent balance wheels, improving accuracy without any mechanical connection between them. Production is strictly limited; waiting lists for new pieces regularly exceed five years.
F.P. Journe watches hold their value exceptionally well on the secondary market, with many references trading significantly above retail. The brand's decision to limit production and resist acquisition by any conglomerate has only strengthened its collector appeal.
Greubel Forsey
Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey founded their atelier in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 2004 with a single mission: to push the boundaries of mechanical watchmaking as far as possible. Their Double Tourbillon 30° — featuring an inner tourbillon cage inclined at 30 degrees rotating inside an outer cage — took seven years to develop and is produced in quantities of fewer than ten pieces per year.
Greubel Forsey's Hand Made 1 is perhaps their most remarkable achievement: a watch in which every single component is finished entirely by hand, with no CNC machining whatsoever. It took over 6,000 hours to develop and represents the absolute pinnacle of traditional watchmaking craft.
MB&F
Maximilian Büssер founded MB&F (Maximilian Büssер & Friends) in 2005 with a radically different philosophy: what if a watch didn't have to look like a watch? The brand's Horological Machines — known as HMs — are sculptural, three-dimensional objects that happen to tell the time. The HM3 Frog, HM6 Space Pirate, and HM9 Flow have attracted collectors who appreciate watchmaking as art as much as engineering.
MB&F collaborates with specialist complications makers — the Friends of the brand name — to incorporate features like music boxes, planetariums, and jumping hours into their machines. The brand has built one of the most passionate collector communities in independent watchmaking.
Richard Mille
Richard Mille occupies a unique position in the watch world: technically an independent brand, but one that has achieved mainstream luxury recognition through high-profile partnerships with athletes including Rafael Nadal, Bubba Watson, and Felipe Massa. Mille's watches are built using materials borrowed from Formula 1 and aerospace — carbon TPT, titanium, and NTPT carbon — making them extraordinarily light and shock-resistant.
The RM 27-04 Tourbillon Rafael Nadal weighs just 30 grams complete with strap and can withstand shocks of up to 10,000g — a specification that has been tested on court during actual Grand Slam matches. Richard Mille watches are among the most expensive in the world, with many references exceeding £1 million at retail.
Philippe Dufour
Philippe Dufour is the watchmaker's watchmaker — revered by his peers as the greatest living craftsman in the industry. Working alone in his workshop in Le Sentier, Dufour produces fewer than ten watches per year entirely by hand. His Simplicité — a time-only watch with no complications whatsoever — is considered by many experts to be the finest finished watch movement ever made. A Dufour Simplicité in good condition regularly achieves CHF 1–2 million at auction.
Storing Independent and High-Complication Watches
Independent watches and high-complication pieces deserve exceptional care. Many feature delicate tourbillon cages, hand-finished movements, and exotic materials that require specific handling.
For automatic independents — including most F.P. Journe, Greubel Forsey, and Richard Mille pieces — a premium watch winder with precise TPD control is essential. Our TPD settings database covers the major independent brands, and our premium watch winder range includes finishes worthy of the watches they protect — from Zebrano Ebony piano lacquer to dark walnut with piano lacquer.
For collections that include pieces valued at £50,000 or more, a watch winder safe is not optional — it's a necessity. Our insurance-rated watch winder safes combine precision winding with certified security, with ratings from £100,000 up to £1,000,000 — appropriate for any collection that includes independent or high-complication pieces.
You May Also Like
→ Premium Watch Winders — the finest winding solutions for serious collections.
→ Watch Winder Safes — insurance-rated security for high-value timepieces.
→ TPD Settings Database — correct winder settings for every brand.
→ Watch World Episode 1 — fascinating facts and the biggest releases of 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a tourbillon watch?
A tourbillon is a watchmaking complication invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1801. It mounts the escapement in a rotating cage to counteract the effects of gravity on timekeeping accuracy. In modern wristwatches it is primarily a demonstration of exceptional craftsmanship rather than a practical necessity.
How much does a tourbillon watch cost?
Entry-level tourbillons from established Swiss brands start at around £20,000–30,000. Pieces from independent makers like F.P. Journe and Greubel Forsey typically start at £150,000–£300,000 and can exceed £1 million for the most complex examples.
Are independent watch brands a good investment?
Many independent watches — particularly from F.P. Journe, Philippe Dufour, and Greubel Forsey — have demonstrated exceptional value retention and appreciation on the secondary market. However, watches should primarily be purchased for enjoyment rather than investment. Proper storage in a quality watch winder or safe is essential to maintaining condition and value.
Do tourbillon watches need a watch winder?
If the tourbillon watch has an automatic (self-winding) movement, yes — a watch winder will keep it running and prevent the need to reset complications. Many high-complication watches have manual-wind movements, in which case a watch box or safe is the appropriate storage solution. Check your watch's specifications or use our TPD database to confirm.
When is Episode 3 of Watch World?
Episode 3 arrives on 12 July — covering record-breaking watch auctions and what actually makes a watch valuable. Follow the Aevitas blog to stay updated.
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