Posts Tagged ‘Switzerland’
Weird Watch Wednesday: The Mysterious Automatic Double Axis Tourbillon.
If you haven’t realized yet, we are big Thomas Prescher fans over here at The Watch Lounge. But, if you’re still not convinced, even after the triple axis flying tourbillion, the Qatar watch and of course our exclusive, in-depth interview with the man himself, this latest piece will remove any lingering doubts. Guaranteed.
So, without any further delay, we present to you this week’s feature watch for Weird Watch Wednesday; Thomas Prescher’s awe inspiring, mind-blowing Mysterious Automatic Double Axis Tourbillon.
If It Can Be Conceived, It Can Be Achieved
Few people would accuse Thomas Prescher of being predictable. The man thrives on breaking boundaries and pushing limits and has been gifted with the rare combination of talent and determination which allows him to realize even the most astonishing of his creations. Such as the Mysterious Automatic Double Axis Tourbillon.
When we interviewed Thomas earlier this week he actually said that this latest creation was his absolute favorite of all time, which is a pretty big statement when you consider the amazing watches this man has produced. The reason though was because for the first time he thought he had finally conceived a piece that was beyond even his exceptional skills. Fortunately for us, he was wrong.
As you can see in the picture only the time display, the Tourbillon, the calendar and the oscillating weight are visible. The movement itself is completely hidden, hence the name. The immediate and stunning visual appeal of this timepiece is undeniable, it’s almost as though your brain cannot comprehend it and that’s just the still photographs! Imagine what this piece must look like in motion with the brilliant Double Axis Tourbillon in flying form front and center!
So How Did He Do It?
Well, according to Thomas, while he was resting in a hammock the idea came to him to create an automatic movement with a horizontal swinging oscillating weight. However, this would be no ordinary piece (a Thomas Prescher creation never is) and so to crown this exceptional piece of art, it was a logical decision to choose something special for the heart. The escapement with its beating balance had to be a flying Double Axis Tourbillon with a constant force.
The idea to add a calendar to this creation came later while he was observing some people entering a giant swing. He noticed they were able to move on the surface of the swing and like any watch making genius he thought to himself; “why not create an oscillating weight with integrated calendar indications and then let gravity do the work so that the calendar on the oscillating weight remains always horizontal?”
Why not indeed!
Thanks to this unique feature, the calendar rotates with the watch to ensure it always facing upwards and therefore can be read regardless of which side of the watch is up.
Sculptured Symmetry
As important to Thomas as the mechanical complexity was, respecting the aspects of harmony was equally as essential. As such, the piece features two crowns to maintain the beauty of symmetry, with one used for winding and the other for setting the time and the calendar. To create the impression of a precise optical balance between the oscillating weight on one side and the indication of time on the other, a three dimensional moon was placed between the two barrels which indicate the hours and minutes.
Finally, to give the ‘mysterious’ appearance it was important also to hide the movement and so space was found on both the left and the right of the case, hidden by the bezel. Due to the limited space, it was necessary to locate the parts of the movement on both sides.
The Final Word
What more can be said? This piece crosses so many barriers, both mechanically and aesthetically that it is simply impossible to do it justice. The real appeal to me, however, is that is a timepiece created for both admirers and purists alike. To the untrained eye this is simply a visually spectacular piece which irresistibly draws the eye. However, to the hardcore enthusiast it represents a myriad of complexities and technicalities that are sure to delight even the most seasoned of watch veterans.
This piece is truly a testament to the skills and imagination of Thomas Prescher.
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Interview With Master Watchmaker Thomas Prescher
*Please note that thanks to the excellent work of Olivier Muller this interview is also available in French
A few weeks ago we told you about the amazing Qatar watch from Master Watchmaker Thomas Prescher. Held in the highest international regard for his exceptional skills, Mr Prescher has created some of the most awe defying timepieces ever seen, including the Triple-Axis Tourbillon. Renowned for his creativity and determination, Mr Prescher recently took a break from his busy schedule to talk to us about his career as a watch maker, the challenges he’s faced and essentially what drives him to do what he does.
Not be missed, please enjoy our interview with Master Watchmaker Thomas Prescher.
TWL: Have you always been passionate about watches and watchmaking? Where do you think this passion comes from?
TP: When I was twelve an aunt of mine presented me with some crystals. They became my hobby. I decided to become a goldsmith to work more with crystals. While I was still in school I did some work experience in a Jeweller shop and this is where I came into contact with watches for the first time. It became my new passion. Two years later I decided to start my career as a naval officer. I quit the navy after six years to realize my true dream and about a year later begun my apprenticeship as a watchmaker.
TWL: When you were first starting out did you ever think “Yes, I can become a Master Watchmaker and create some of the most complicated movements the world has ever seen?” Did you ever think that you would not succeed in achieving this goal?
TP: The first time was during my apprenticeship when my master asked me behind closed doors if I have done private work without asking his permission beforehand. I swore that I had not and asked why. He said that he found a complicated lever of an old chronograph in the cleaning machine. I wanted to know why this guided him to me. He said “you are the only one who has the skills to make this by hand, all the others would have asked me if they had found this”. Well it came out that it was somebody from another department but it told me that he saw something special in my work.
The second time I knew I could achieve great things was when I was able to finish my four year apprenticeship in three years. I was the first ever to be granted this special permission in IWC and I also managed to submit the best exam in Switzerland that year.
Last but not least, I was given permission to make my first Tourbillon as part of my apprenticeship, an almost unheard of challenge for an apprentice watchmaker!
Thomas Prescher Calendar QP1
TWL: What other watchmakers do you admire and why? Is there anyone in particular who stands out in your mind as having made a significant contribution to your knowledge and success?
TP: I would prefer to describe more what I admire as opposed to whom, and so in this way it will be impossible for me to miss anyone’s name out!
I admire strength and discipline in following ideas and visions to fruition, as well as the patience to realize things, even if that takes a long time. I also admire the strength and determination required not to give up, even if the target is not realistic.
I must make special mention though of several people who had a particular influence on my professional career. The person who made the most significant contribution to my handcrafting skills was my master, who taught me to continually search for improvement. I would also like to acknowledge Richard Habring, who not only convinced my master to grant me the opportunity to attempt the construction of a tourbillon but also gave me basic plans for the movement. And for sure Richard Daners who answered all my questions when I got the chance to make my first handmade watch as an employee.
In large part the knowledge I have now I got from many old books, networking and also most importantly from trial and error. I have also learnt an incredible amount from the restoration work I have done on the watches of old masters, who taught me through their watches what could work and what was better not to do.
TWL: What inspired you to create the first ever double axis tourbillon pocket watch and a double axis tourbillon wristwatch?
TP: I saw the picture of Randal and Goods multi axis Tourbillons in a table clock in a Tourbillon book and I thought to myself how nice but senseless this is to equilibrate different position in a clock which does not change positions. This must be done in a portable watch.
I started with a pocket watch but upon presentation to the public I learnt that the world was not waiting for pocket watches. I created the Triple Axis Tourbillon wrist watch for the next year, because the same people who originally said that the double was impossible were now asking for a third axis, again with the intention that this should be impossible for me to achieve.
Triple Axis Tourbillon Regulator Sport – The tourbillon with three axis – first and second axis turn once per minute, third axis turns once per hour
TWL: After the stunning success of those two remarkable pieces in 2003, you followed them up with the Tourbillon Trilogy at Baselworld 2004, where you unveiled the first ever triple axis tourbillon wristwatch. Did you ever think that you would not be able to achieve this remarkable feat?
TP: I knew it was possible but several times during the process I was ready to go throw it in Lake Biel. However, I refused to give up and instead continued to squeeze the piece, so to speak, and force it to give up its resistance. Finally I won the battle with the Triple. Making it is still like riding a full blood Arab Horse. Very difficult but it brings fun and satisfaction.
TWL: What were the greatest challenges you faced when conceiving and realising these pieces? How did you overcome them?
TP: To create the watch as an entire piece of art. From a technical perspective the greatest challenge was to realize that a constant force in the carriage is more or less a must for a system like mine. It was also very difficult to synchronize the arm of the Tourbillon with the minute hand. That took me nearly the half of the time.
Overall though, the most difficult thing was the realization of a prototype financed 100% out of my own pocket. No bank was willing to help. So I did nearly everything with my turning machine and through this process gained a lot of knowledge.
In my opinion the only way to overcome the problems of an independent start up is strong will, hard work and patience.
TWL: Looking back now, would you have done anything differently? Why?
TP: I have only one life and I am where I am because I have done things the way I have. So following this logic I would do everything the same, because I am happy now!
If I had a second life I think I would do many things different to make it easier for others and also for myself, although if this would result in the outcome I intended, I am not sure at all.
Mesmerizing – the inner workings of the Qatar watch.
TWL: Recently you announced the successful completion of the custom made Qatar watch, from your TempusVivendi range. What was the most enjoyable aspect of designing and creating this timepiece? What did you find most difficult?
TP: I am very pleased by the positive comments this watch has received. For me the most enjoyable but at the same time challenging aspect was the coat of arms. At first glance it seemed like they were almost made for my system, but this was to be misleading. I had to change so many things especially as the swords had to be carried from the external side and not from the centre. It took me a month to develop this new system and another again to make the new parts.
A very nice aspect is that I always have the opportunity to come in close contact with a new field of things when I do the research for a watch like this. I discovered a new and extremely interesting country and culture.
In the end the most difficult thing was to make the design balanced so that it shows perfect harmony in both positions; showing the time and swords up.
TWL: How long does it take you to design and manufacture a custom piece from start to finish?
TP: Depending what the client wants between four weeks and two years. The Qatarwatch took me three months.
TWL: What is the most unusual request a client has ever made from you for a custom piece?
TP: Can you make me this mechanism for a Quartz watch!
TWL: Finally, out of all the timepieces you have ever made, which is your favorite and why?
TP: My new Mysterious Automatic Double Axis Tourbillon with calendar on the oscillating weight. When I first had the idea I thought this is now beyond even my limits. So I started to realize each part of this watch as a single part and then I have put all the parts together to form one extraordinary watch!
Make sure you keep your eyes out for this amazing new piece from Thomas Prescher later this week!
MB&F Unveils The First Image Of The New HM2-SV!!
Precious few details have been given as yet other than that the newest variation will be limited to only 25 pieces worldwide!
The official unveiling is scheduled for the 12th of January at SIHH in Switzerland!
Maîtres du Temps– The Story Of The Masters Of Time (Part 2)
Chapter One represented advancements in watch making never before thought possible.
Welcome to Part Two of our two-part special on Master Watchmaker Maîtres du Temps. If you missed Part One earlier this week, you can find it here.
Selling The Dream
“When Steven first told me about his idea, I think I may have laughed…” chuckles Peter Speake-Marin, an extraordinary independent watch maker in his own right and (as he would become) a hugely important member of the Maîtres du Temps team.
This unintended reaction was expressive of Speake-Marin’s incredulity at what Holtzman was proposing. Whilst the concept seemed straightforward the reality was far different.
The proposed groundbreaking collaboration would mean the constant juggling of a myriad of ever present complexities, not the least of which were conflicting schedules and ideologies. Yet the allure of what could potentially be achieved was simply too much to resist.
“It definitely wasn’t easy”, reflects Holtzman, “there were a lot of people out there who thought what I was proposing simply could not be done.” Unperturbed, however, he pushed on, calling on the innumerable contacts he had amassed within the industry over his extensive career.
Thanks to his long-standing relationship with master watchmakers Roger Dubuis and Christophe Claret, Holtzman was able to form the core of his first collaborative effort. In a flash of brilliance he recruited the talented Speake-Marin to manage the project and act as a medium between the two master watch makers, both students of very opposing schools of thought.
Almost from the outset though, the new team faced considerable challenges. “Effectively we had brought together three different styles, three different schools of watchmaking if you will and so everyone wasn’t always on the same page” Holtzman reveals.
The Masters at work – Daniel Roth and Peter Speake-Marin (right) review finishing details on the Chapter Two movement – image courtesy of Maîtres du Temps.
Each maker had a different point of view on the correct design, manufacture and assembly protocols and so often unexpected issues arose. He credits Speake-Marin’s direct approach and experience with ensuring that the project kept on track, praising his willingness to tackle tough issues and force decisions to be made.
On the flip side, however, it was also this creative process that Holtzman found the most rewarding. Each of the members of this elite team knew each other previously but not well and whilst they initially displayed some reluctance to working together, they soon realised how much they had to share with and learn from each other.
“It was truly a gift” Holtzman recalls, “to be able to watch them teach other and pass on unique skills they had acquired in their own experiences. To witness it all coming together and seeing these people learning and working together was simply amazing.”
The Culmination of Collaboration
The end result of the first piece created by Maîtres du Temps was nothing short of mind-blowing. Representing advances in watchmaking not previously thought possible, Chapter One was the first wristwatch to ever feature a tourbillon with mono-pusher column wheel chronograph, retrograde date, and retrograde GMT, as well as moon phase and day of the week on their own rolling bars.
What is even more impressive, however, is the legibility of a piece that is so exceptionally complex. The ease of both reading and adjusting Chapter One’s many indications disguises the fact that this is a world-first combination of complications crafted from 558 components.
Chapter One – a world-first combination of complications crafted from 558 components.
Chapter Two was equally as impressive featuring an instantaneous triple calendar, big date, day indication on roller, month indication on roller, sub-seconds and an automatic winding mechanical movement. It was this movement that really established the technical qualifications of Chapter Two, incorporating the mechanism responsible for driving the rollers. Whilst appearing almost simple the instantaneous change of big date, day, and month on the trademark rollers represents a truly incomparable level of mechanical complexity and attests to the inventiveness of three masters involved in the process.
It was not just the watches that proved successful, however, Holtzman’s was also able to realise his other grand idea to stunning effect. Accompanied by Daniel Roth, a highly regarded independent watch maker and one of the visionaries behind Chapter Two, Maîtres du Temps went on tour.
The tour included a presentation to a select number of individuals at the Sincere Watch Academy in Singapore. Here a guest of the colloquium is pleased to meet legendary master watchmaker, Daniel Roth – image courtesy of Maîtres du Temps.
“It was fantastic” exclaims Holtzman, “being able to watch collectors sit in awe as they listened to Roth speak, lining up to get his autograph afterward. He was as mesmerized by them as they were by him, disbelieving at the attention he was receiving. It was truly a remarkable experience!” And one that he plans to replicate with each new Chapter.
The Final Word
The story of Maîtres du Temps is a truly fascinating one, filled with exceptional achievements and seemingly insurmountable hurdles. Yet throughout it all Steven Holtzman and his outstanding team have maintained their incredible focus and sense of indomitable optimism, even in the face of some of the most inconceivable challenges. Not only have they successfully created horological history and redefined the way we view high-end watchmaking, they’ve also proved that conventional wisdom doesn’t always hold true.
Where there is a will, there is almost certainly a way.
Perhaps what is most exciting though, is that with six Chapters in total planned and the release of Chapter 3 still several years away this journey is still very much at its beginning. The anticipation of what this pioneering Marque will do next is almost unbearable, but you can be absolutely certain of one thing: it will take your breath away!
Dare I say that the best is still yet to come?
* Special thanks to Steven and his team for giving me this opportunity to share with you this insight into what is a most captivating Marque. For more information please visit the official Maîtres du Temps website.
Girard-Perregaux ww.tc Tourbillon – Sensationally practical
Often high-horology pieces, whilst exceptionally beautiful, are not always practical to be worn on a regular basis. Fortunately though, this does not necessarily have to be the case. Renowned for their superior skill and craftsmanship the ww.tc Tourbillon from Girard-Perregaux successfully combines two of the watchmaker’s most iconic hallmarks, the world time function and the emblematic Tourbillon with three gold Bridges.
This is, as the brand proudly proclaims, an expression of Girard-Perregaux’s savoir faire in crafting superb Haute Horlogerie timepieces. In our opinion, it is also a timepiece that has been designed to be worn.
Practical In Nature…
The ww.tc from Girard-Perregaux has become a much admired and cherished piece, with several variations of the original being made, including the infamous ww.tc Financial which indicates the global stock market trading times. With its established style and traditional design, the watch displays the practical world time function, which allows the wearer to easily read the time simultaneously in all 24 time zones with just a glance at the stunning dial.
The piece also features a Day and Night indicator so that you know whether its morning or afternoon in London as well as small second indicator at 6 o’clock.
Exceptional In Design
However, it is not just about practical usability. You see, the clean dial of the ww.tc Tourbillion hides a breathtakingly beautiful secret of its own. The unmistakably Girard-Perregaux Tourbillon with its iconic gold bridges is only visible through the case back, making it a very personal and understated complication. This is almost a shame given the stunning visual appeal of this movement, but at the same time it makes this exceptional piece of high horology a very real and practical option for everyday wear.
The manual wound movement is simply spectacular, paying homage to its historical roots. In 1884, Constant Girard-Perregaux applied for a patent from the United States Patent Office to provide protection to the movement he had created, which was designed with three parallel arrow-like bridges. At this time this was a completely unheard of concept in the world of watch-making – the movement was considered to represent not simply a technical and functional part of a timepiece – it was also a design feature. In 1889, this Tourbillon with three Gold Bridges received a gold medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition.
As such, the rich heritage of the piece is self-evident. The attention to detail required to construct a Tourbillon of this level of sophistication is almost unfathomable. In total it is assembled from 72 components, all of them required to fit into a diameter of just one centimeter. The trademark three bridges which adorn the movement are hollowed out and painstakingly hand-polished to achieve an incomparable finish. A task which takes Girard-Perregaux’s master watchmakers an astonishing seven days to complete!
The Final Word
The ww.tc Tourbillon from Girard-Perregaux represents the successful marriage of practicality with high-horology. Complex enough to delight even the most seasoned of enthusiast but at the same time sensible enough to be worn everyday this piece guarantees the proud owner illimitable satisfaction. As Girard-Perregaux’s marketing campaign suggests, it has certainly been worth the wait.
See the official Girard-Perregaux website here.
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Latest Comments
- Nick Orloff: Beautiful piece, regrettably a little (?) out of my price range. I’d love to...
- Olivier Muller: Thanks, BMW
Stay tuned ! - Jack: Looks like a really nice watch for the price!