None. It's just overcomplicating the movement by introducing a feature, which costs a lot and doesn't improve accuracy in any noticeable way. Not to mention that the only situations where a tourbillon's capacity of reducing the g-force's effect on accuracy would be of any use, that being aviation and space flights, don't see the use of tourbillons. Tool watches without a tourbillon perform just fine there.

 

Advantage = bragging rights.

The whining and wailing will come late with the cost of servicing and or repair.

 

14000 for a Sea-gull? Sounds like an optimistic 3rd party seller.

 

They are a solution to a problem which doesn’t really exist in modern watchmaking - that of difficulty with positional variation. A well made watch can be so accurate that and benefit from a tourbillon is effectively useless. But, if we ignored all theoretical solutions to problems that don’t really exist then we would get rid of mechanical watches altogether.

However, making a good one is still very difficult and time consuming, and a good one can be beautiful to watch. Yes, mass produced and badly made ones are available, and usually in laughably inaccurate watches, but a good one is a real work of art.

They still sell for the same reason mechanical watches still sell, because they can be beautiful, difficult to make, and have a sort of romance about them...


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No kidding it is on the official Sea-Gull USA site!

-SeaGull USA

 

Wow

 

Gravity, it's all about gravity.

 

But gravity is free [emoji3]

 

Regarded as one of the stellar horological complications, the tourbillon used to improve the precision of a pocket watch by counteracting the gravity-induced disturbances affecting the regularity of the balance. A tourbillon is one of those watch categories that separates the sheep from the goats and only a small number of watch manufacturers are capable of developing and producing this complex mechanism in-house.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/arieladams/2012/09/14/the-eroding-exclusivity-of-the-tourbillon-watch/

 

You get to say the cool word "tourbillon" when you talk about your watch. The Tourbillon complication is now about as useful as putting nitrogen in the tires of a mini-van.

 

It is an excursion both into diminishing returns and interesting technology. And exclusivity.

 

Like most grand complications (PC, repeater, etc), Tourbillon is not about a functional advantage (granted perpetual calendar has one), but rather about demonstrating watchmaking expertise and complexity. Which is after all what most mechanical watches are about. So I like it. Don't own one, but respect the complication and appreciate the work behind it.

As to why so expensive - because it's complex, because it's exclusive, because it's uncommon...

 

they're just uber mechanical watches for richer people

 

Just to summarize what others already said, there is no real advantage for today's wrist watch. It was originally created by Briguet for a pocket watch which spent most of the time in one of two positions, horizontal on the desk or vertical in the pocket.
Wearing it on a wrist and other progress made in watchmaking eliminated the need for it to maintain watch accuracy.
Today it's more of a collector value than anything else due to its complication. That and amount of work that goes into it drives the price.

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It's not like anyone dives to three times the human dive record or cares about the moon's phase either. A lot of watch complications are more for fun and mechanical prowess than actual utility. The tourbillon is more expensive than most, but it's certainly not uniquely useless.

Hell, mechanical watches themselves are really more for fun and mechanical prowess than utility.

 

Hearsay is emergency workers like to know when there's a full moon.

 

Entertainment because they are fun to watch.

 

Hearsay is emergency workers like to know when there's a full moon.

Druids and werewolves as well, but it's safe to say that the vast majority of moon phase watches are worn by folks outside those groups.

 

Advantage: It looks cool. Isn't that the point of every watch?

 

I mean you could ask what's the advantage of a mechanical over quartz watch. Probably about as much as a tourbillon is on a mechanical watch. So I'm okay with watches that have them. The primary advantage is they look cool.

 

As has already been mentioned, they are meant to solve a problem that doesn't exist anymore. But being able to produce one puts you among a very small and very elite class of watch manufacturers. You can look at turntables the same way. You haven't needed to spin records to listen to music for a long time, but you still can if you want to, just like you haven't technically needed a mechanical watch to the tell the time for a long time, but of course they are still readily available. A $200 turntable will spin records, as will a $100,000 turntable. Only a couple of companies have the mechanical expertise to build tables like that though, for people who want the absolute best mechanical engineering they can buy, regardless of cost. Same principle. This video sums up tourbillons very well. And here's a $150K Transrotor, which is the turntable equivalent of a tourbillon.

 

Don't you find my topics interesting enough Mike?

I am here to learn from other people!

Bruno in Belgium

 

I do for one find Mike's comment funny. Half of all your posts are new threads you've started... and most of those on questions that are kind of easy to google.

Some ideas for future threads:
- Are chinese tourbillons basically as good as Swiss?
- if Swiss Tourbillon is machine made, why can't they be cheaper?
- If Tourbillon is intended to reduce gravity impact, will it work in space?
- Can I handwind an automatic tourbillon?
- What do tourbillon owners do for a living?

 

It enables watchmakers to use their old stock of damaged dials. They are able to excise the damage, leave a big hole and stick in a useless complication. Much like if you got a dent in your car, you could cut a big hole and stick in a porthole, and charge a fortune when you sold it.

Hope this helps.

 

Thank Mike I will pay attention in the future and first do a search on what is already available!

Kind regards,

Bruno in Belgium

 

Are watch snobs now so inverted as to look down on the tourbillon as overpriced crap?

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I don't really have a problem with watchmakers showing off. There a lot of complications that they put on their watches that are actually useful. However a tourbillon is merely a rather difficult complication but nothing more than a visual toy. It serves NO purpose other than that.

If that is something that appeals to you, that's fine but it has no more use than if they decided to come out with a mouse trap built in, or a spinner hanging off the crystal that a person could spin when they are bored.

 

They are a stunningly beautiful complication, if money were not an issue I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't want one

 

This is one of the best modern tourbillon dials I have seen but it seems even Patek cannot help themselves from at least writing "TOURBILLION" on the dial:

 

BTW, if you don't want just the tourbillon (because it's a useless complication, why not combine it with Perpetual Calendar, moonphase, big date and chronograph - all of which are more useful.
And no hole in a dial needed...