Just when I thought I had seen and heard it all, this came across my desk. Kerbedanz has just released the Maximus, a limited edition of 99 pieces that features the largest tourbillon ever put into a wristwatch. This definitely required a closer look.
The Maximus is made of titanium and measures 49mm in diameter (and you thought Breitling made big watches) and features rose gold and platinum accents. The tourbillon is placed in the center of the dial and is visible through the large sapphire crystal, with the effect amplified by the bezel-less construction. The indexes are rose gold and claw-like, seeming to grip the edges of the dial. Likewise, there aren’t traditional hands, but rather curved indicators that are mounted on geared discs. It’s all very unusual.
But back to the flying tourbillon.
The tourbillon cage measures 27mm in diameter and is the centerpiece (literally and figuratively) of the caliber KRB-08. It makes one full rotation every six minutes, so it’s a much slower tourbillon than what we usually see, in addition to being much larger. If you think about basic physics, this makes perfect sense. All design work for the movement was done in-house by Kerbandz and they even made a special balance wheel and hairspring for this caliber to deal with the unique challenges it presents. The movement is made of 415 componentsk with the tourbillon cage itself being comprised of 73 components and all made out of titanium (weighing just 1.35 grams in total).
Now, Kerbedanz claims that this is the largest tourbillon ever placed in a wristwatch, and that it’s more than twice the size of the previous record holder. That’s a bold claim, so I did a little digging on just what that previous record-holder was. That honor goes to Franck Muller’s Giga Tourbillon, in which the tourbillon cage measured 20mm. So, yes, the Maximus does have the largest tourbillon in a wristwatch (and by a serious margin) but that 2x number doesn’t seem quite right.
While it may seem totally unnecessary to make ever-larger tourbillons (and it definitely is), it’s still a pretty cool horological feat. It’s important that watchmakers continue to push boundaries and keep things interesting for collectors and scholars. Mechanical timekeeping may no longer be a necessity, but that certainly doesn’t mean it’s time for innovation to stop.
For more information on the Maximus Tourbillon, visit Kerbedanz online.
Article from: Wristwatch News, Reviews, & Original Stories — HODINKEE, by Cara Barrett
Cool Watches For Sale
Visit here for more on sports watches.
from Best Watches For Men http://ift.tt/2pzFKWC