Introduction to Tourbillon Watches
The French word “tourbillon” translates to “whirlwind” in English. However, a tourbillon is not a storm. It is a device incorporated into some mechanical watches to increase their accuracy. The tourbillon cage that houses the escapement constantly rotates to offset errors caused by gravity.
Purpose and Mechanism of Tourbillon
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Why Tourbillons are used in Watches?
- Mechanical watches can be affected by gravity, reducing accuracy.
- The tourbillon attempts to mitigate this by encasing the regulator in a rotating cage to negate gravity effects.
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How a Tourbillon Works?
- The tourbillon cage housing the escapement continuously rotates inside the watch.
- This balances the regulator parts and offsets perturbations, enhancing accuracy.
Significance and Complexity of Tourbillon Watches
Strictly speaking, a tourbillon does not provide extra functionality. It signals watchmaking virtuosity as an impressive, intricate mechanism requiring great skill. The rotating tourbillon cage aims to improve precision by minimizing gravity effects on the regulator. But it remains an aesthetic complication that demonstrates craftsmanship.