
Triple Axis Tourbillon
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The creation of a set of three types of tourbillons required Prescher to invent a third individual construction. Inspired by Randall’s work, Richard Good became the first clockmaker to add a triple axis tourbillon to a carriage clock in the 1980s. Thomas Prescher took out his old apprenticeship notebooks containing his sketches and interpretation of Good’s work in creating a triple axis tourbillon carriage clock. He wanted to modify this for use in a wristwatch.
Spurred on by the success of his pocket watches, Prescher set to work further miniaturizing these multiple axis mechanics. He met the challenge and added a third axis that revolved once every hour. The construction of such a tourbillon wristwatch was considered long impossible: it was thought that the movement height would be too great for practical use and that the weight of the additional components would not let enough energy get through to the balance. However, Prescher found a number of solutions to address these issues.
The meaning of such a complicated timepiece is much more art for art’s sake than the search for any improvement of a rate. A triple axis tourbillon with its spiral-shaped movement takes up far more room in the space of a case than either the single or the double axis tourbillons. It is especially the unencumbered view that makes the tourbillon seem to hover in the air on its three flying axes.
A triple axis tourbillon is not only a technical masterpiece of the art of watchmaking, but it is above all a piece of art that draws our eyes to it—magically—a kinetic sculpture of time.
Technical Details
Special features
· Flying tourbillon construction on all axes
· Movement, Caliber TP 3W6A.3, designed and constructed in-house
· First triple axis tourbillon wristwatch with constant force mechanism in the carriage
· Tourbillon is secured in a specially designed flexible spring to absorb shocks
01
Movement Information
Diameter
Height
Number of components
Weight of smallest screw used
Number of jewels
Frequency
Number of spring barrels
Plates and bridges
Balance wheel
Balance spring
Power reserve
Number of subdials
Functions
37 mm
6.46 mm
327
0.0009 grams
47
21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
two
gold-plated brass, hand-engraved with Guilloché Triangulair
copper-beryllium CuBe2
flat hairspring
40 hours
two
hours, minutes, seconds
03
Distribution of Bearing Jewels (First Axis)
First axis
Balance
Escapement
Constant force mechanism
Axis
Second axis
Flying arm
Third axis
Drive mechanisme
Setting mechanisme
Movement
Time indication system
Drive mechanism
5
4
4
2
2
​
4
4
10
10
02
Tourbillon
Number of axes:
Height of tourbillon rotation
Revolution time:
Constant force mechanism
System of constant force
Constant force reloading
Diameter of balance wheel
Diameter of cage
Tourbillon weight first axis
Weight of first and second axes
Weight of first, second, and
third axes with ball bearing
three
12.2 mm
one minute
on first axis in tourbillon cage
inertia acceleration according to Jaenneret
6 times per second
9.5 mm
13.4 mm
0.347 grams
0.766 grams
​
2.879 grams
04
Case Details
Case
Crystal
​
​
Dial
​
​​​​
​
Height
Water resistance
Strap
Buckle
platinum 950 or 18-karat gold
convex sapphire crystal on front and back, anti-reflective on both sides, hand-engraved with individual number​
​
1.2 mm solid silver, hand guilloché with Guilloché Triangulair
18-karat gold applied indexes
18-karat gold dauphine-style hands
18-karat gold hand-engraved name and number plate
12.3 mm
1 ATM (10 meters)
hand-cut and –sewn black alligator skin uppers and lowers
platinum 950 or 18-karat gold