The tourbillon… is it an optical trick or a useful component? If you decide to put one in a watch to accomplish the task it was designed for, you might as well hide it. If the purpose is to captivate the viewer with its rhythmic ballet, make it big, make it visible so we can enjoy it without binoculars. When it comes to both show and functionality, still make it big, Moritz-Grossmann-sized!
Since Moritz Grossmann introduced his first in-house tourbillon caliber in 2013, the complication has been viewed as a kind of mechanical thesis: slow, easy to read and rooted in the Glashütte tradition. After several other iterations and last year's release alongside the Tourbillon Tremblage in white gold with a rose-colored dial, Grossmann reinterpreted the idea through a decidedly modern lens with the latest tourbillon titanium watch. While the tremblage is a beautiful piece, the titanium model with its color schemes draws the focus to the emotional center of the watch.
The 44.5mm titanium case feels large on the wrist, but sits comfortably thanks to its lightweight titanium, balanced mass distribution and manageable 13.9mm thickness. Titanium is often chosen to reduce weight; it also defines character. The darker, muted shine of the metal works well with the proportions of the watch. The slim bezel allows the dial to breathe, while the three-piece construction maintains the typical Grossmann look. The crown is large enough to be used easily. It is made of titanium to match the case, as is the small pusher. The water resistance is 30 m.
The dial is the place where tradition and modernity meet. It is made of solid silver and features a fine d'Orge guilloché finish and is cut line by line by hand on historic machines. Up close, the texture is clear and uniform, catching the light without becoming a decorative noise. The layout is familiar: the tourbillon attracts attention at 6 o'clock, central minutes, decentralized hours at 3 and small seconds at 9, all indications are made by the brown-violet hands made of annealed steel. The large tourbillon opening interrupts the minute scale between 25 and 35 minutes, bridged by an extended minute hand that can be read on a separate scale between the subdials – a logical and characterful solution.
The tourbillon is of course the star. The Grossmann flying tourbillon is large (though not as large as the Kerbedanz Maximus's 27mm tourbillon, more like the Voutilainen Détente Escapement tourbillon), with a 16mm cage that rotates every three minutes instead of the usual. This slower rhythm offers the opportunity to examine the construction in detail: the Alfred Helwig-inspired V-shaped balance bridge, the open design and the finely crafted cage top supported by just two pillars. It's dramatic, yes, and that's the point.
Turning the watch over reveals the “same old” caliber 103.0, a hand-wound movement with untreated German silver plates with wide Glashütte fluting and hand-engraved decorations on the plate and tourbillon cock. Gold chatons secured with polished screws hold white sapphire stones, while the ratchet wheel features a three-band worm. The balance traditionally beats at 18,000 vibrations per hour and the movement offers a power reserve of 72 hours. A characteristic Grossmann feature is the manual winding activated by a pusher, which separates the setting of the hand from the restart of the movement, complemented by a stop-second mechanism that acts directly on the balance wheel of the real hair brush.
The Moritz Grossmann Tourbillon Titanium is worn on a hand-stitched black alligator leather strap with white stitching, closed by a titanium butterfly clasp. Production is limited to 12 pieces; the price is 165,700 euros Because it is genuine haute horlogerie that offers mechanical depth, integrity and restraint, even if the Grossmann engineers have allowed themselves a bit of theater. Further information can be found at www.grossmann-uhren.com.
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