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Weird Watch Wednesday: The Mysterious Automatic Double Axis Tourbillon.

Tom is the founder and editor of The Watch Lounge. He is a long time lover of luxury watches. To read more articles by Tom please click here.

Article posted in: Watch News, Weird Watch Wednesday

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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