Overview
Invented in the late 1700s by Abraham-Louis Breguet, the tourbillon was a technical marvel that aimed to negate the effects of gravity on precision timekeeping. Breguet’s unique rotating cage mechanism held the movement’s most sensitive parts in a constant “whirlwind” motion to cancel out gravitational errors caused by positional adjustments throughout the day. It was a complex system that would prove incredibly difficult to replicate, resulting in only a few examples built by the most master watchmakers between 1800 and the mid 20th century.
During the rebirth of mechanical watchmaking in the 1980s, several luxury brands focused their efforts on ushering the tourbillon into the modern age. Audemars Piguet would make the initial move, releasing the first series produced automatic tourbillon wristwatch in 1986. Daniel Roth soon followed with hand-wound entries through both Breguet and his eponymous brand. Just before the end of the decade, Blancpain made a splash with their contribution — the first “flying” tourbillon wristwatch.
Developed with the help of AHCI member Vincent Calabrese, the Blancpain Flying Tourbillon featured the rotating cage and balance on two separate axes. That, along with several other design choices, caused the mechanism to appear to “float” above the movement, hence its nickname. Additionally, Calabrese’s caliber set records for having the thinnest height (4.85mm) and longest power reserve (288 hours) of any tourbillon up to that point. It was quite the magnum opus for Blancpain’s Six Masterpiece collection, and in our opinion remains one of the more beautiful tourbillon executions with its classical accents, oversized viewing window, and asymmetrical layout.
Specifications
Brand:
Blancpain
Model:
Villeret Flying Tourbillon
Reference:
0023-1418-55
Year:
1990s
Case Number:
No. 111
Case Material:
Yellow gold
Diameter:
34 mm
Lug Width:
19 mm
Thickness:
7.9 mm
Lug-to-Lug:
38.3 mm
Dial:
White
Lume:
None
Crystal:
Sapphire
Movement:
Hand-wound
Caliber:
Blancpain 23
Bracelet/Strap:
Blancpain brown alligator strap with signed tang buckle
Max Wrist Size:
Hand model has a wrist size of 6.2 in
Condition
Case: The yellow gold case shows light signs of wear with a few hairlines, faint scratches, and tiny nicks present. Additionally, there is some light tarnish present on the case sides. The lugs are thick and full with excellent definition at the edges. The caseback shows moderate surface wear with light tarnish on the backs of the lugs. The brand, serial number, and hallmark engravings remain sharp and legible.
Dial, Hands, & Crystal: The white dial is in fantastic condition overall, with a couple (very minor) micro specs visible under a loupe. The gold hands and hour markers are also excellent, showing faint patina under a loupe. The front sapphire crystal is squeaky clean and scratch-free. The rear sapphire crystal has a tiny scratch.
Bracelet/Strap: The Blancpain alligator strap is in great condition with no notable chipping or fraying and plenty of life left to give. There is some faint darkening to the leather backing that is typical of light usage. The condition of the yellow gold buckle is consistent with the rest of the case. The brand engraving remains crisp and legible.
Performance
Functions: All functions including the crown winding, time setting, date changing, and power reserve indicator are working as expected.
Service History: Unknown.
