Description

The Grönefeld Parallax Tourbillon features a "flying" tourbillon with a large central seconds hand, stop seconds, a power reserve- and winding-setting mechanism indicator. The in-house movement displays sophistication and craftsmanship at the very highest level. This version won the Gronefeld brothers the GPHG prize in the tourbillon category. Well-designed and impeccably executed tourbillons are particularly accurate timepieces. The tourbillon is a circular cage encompassing the oscillating balance wheel, the beating heart of the movement. The cage rotates once a minute around its axis, minimizing the negative influence of gravity, and consequently improving the timekeeping of the watch. Invented in 1795 by Abraham Louis Breguet to compensate the effects of gravity on the balance, the tourbillon still continues to be counted as one of the most ingenious complications in watchmaking. In 1920 Alfred Helwig further developed the tourbillon, removing the necessity for an upper support bridge to create a "flying" tourbillon. The absence of the upper bridge enables uninterrupted views to the fascinating mechanism. The flying tourbillon allows full appreciation of the concentric, rhythmic "breathing" of the balance hairspring, while ensuring high precision. Bart and Tim Grönefeld further highlighted the tourbillon by raising it out of the movement and above the dial. As with the immaculately finished movement bridges, the tourbillon cage is crafted in stainless steel. Three days are required just for the hand finishing of the tourbillon components. The present version has a case in red gold and a sterling silver dial. It is a limited edition of 28 pieces.