Venerated watchmaker Greubel Forsey has unveiled its newest mechanical marvel—the Tourbillon Cardan. The striking timepiece debuts the brand’s 8th Fundamental Invention, an ingenious reimagining of the tourbillon that promises enhanced chronometric performance through a fusion of complex mechanisms.
Nestled within the new watch’s titanium case is a choreography of 389 components orchestrating a dynamic three-act performance. The star is undoubtedly the namesake Cardan tourbillon, occupying center stage with mesmerizing motion. Here the traditional tourbillon is reinvented—liberated from its parallel restraints and endowed with vivid vigor through a spirited 16-second rotation, far swifter than the usual sixty. This vivacious waltz maximizes the tourbillon’s mastery of physics, artfully averaging out the fickle forces of gravity.
Yet the tourbillon alone does not command the spotlight. A 30-degree slant uplifts the mechanism into an inclined plane, optimizing its poise for positioning on the wrist. Meanwhile, a pair of rotating rings tilted on dual axes waltz around the tourbillon, perpetually shifting its orientation with captivating complexity. This sequence of calibrated motion compounds the tourbillon’s chronometric capabilities.
Beyond the rhythmic procession, three-dimensional bridges and plates crafted and finished by hand rise upwards, forming an architectural landscape upon which time unfolds. Frosty waves and glistening bevels catch light across nickel silver topography, golden engraved dials shimmer below, and a luminous titanium tourbillon cage floats above it all.
With mesmerizing mechanical ballet to enthrall the eye and pioneering physics to perfect timekeeping, the Greubel Forsey Tourbillon Cardan consecrates horology’s most exalted complication through peerless artistry and technical ingenuity. This rarity of only 55 examples in five years exemplifies high watchmaking at its zenith. For those fortunate few collectors able to secure this $532,000 mechanical marvel, it promises a transcendent experience that no other timepiece can replicate.
