Introducing the Moritz Grossmann Tourbillon Tremblage: A Blend of Traditional and Modern Watchmaking Craftsmanship from Glashütte, Saxony. This luxury timepiece, available in limited quantities of eight pieces each in pink and white gold, exemplifies exquisite craftsmanship in both its technical and artistic elements.
The dial of the Moritz Grossmann Tourbillon Tremblage is a testament to the balanced design and meticulous handcraft. It revives the ancient tremblage technique, originally employed to enhance dial readability. Skilled artisans manually engrave the inner surface using a range of burins, creating a textured effect achieved through a delicate trembling motion.
Achieving a uniform appearance presents a challenge, as the goal is to create a textured effect that is simultaneously rough and matte. Following the engraving process, the dial is galvanized in ‘black-or,’ a signature Moritz Grossmann color characterized by its anthracite hue.
Crafting the dial, from the intricate engraving to the meticulous finishing, demands several days of work by skilled master craftsmen. This painstaking process provides a stunning backdrop for the flying tourbillon, positioned prominently at 6 o’clock.
The impressive flying tourbillon, boasting an unusually large diameter of 16mm, is the centrepiece of this timepiece. Positioned between the off-centre hour display at 3 o’clock and the second display at 9 o’clock, it commands attention with its intricate yet powerful design. The hands, meticulously crafted either from gold in the pink gold version or polished steel in the white gold version, are tailored to their respective functions: the delicate small second-hand contrasts with the bolder design of the hour hand.
The minute hand’s fine tip gracefully glides along the outer perimeter of the dial’s minute scale. To accommodate the aperture for the tourbillon in the lower half of the dial, the minute hand extends beyond the centre, accurately indicating minutes 25 to 35 on a dedicated scale. This unique twofold minute display, a patented feature exclusive to Moritz Grossmann, enhances the timepiece’s functionality and visual appeal.
Featuring Arabic numerals in white and delicately tapered hands crafted in-house, the Tourbillon Tremblage pays homage to the clean aesthetics of 19th-century precision instruments from Glashütte.
More than ten years ago, Moritz Grossmann introduced its first tourbillon calibre, showcasing the brand’s commitment to reimagining traditional mechanics in modern iterations. The hand-wound calibre 103.0 exemplifies this vision, with a tourbillon construction inspired by Alfred Helwig’s flying tourbillon, featuring a generously sized oscillator mounted on one side. Unlike traditional tourbillons, it completes a rotation every three minutes. Notable features include the filigree cage top supported by two pillars and the distinctive V-shaped balance bridge, protected by a registered design.
The intricate design of the cage, featuring two triangular pillars, lays the groundwork for another notable construction feature. According to Grossmann watchmakers, the precise mechanics of a tourbillon prioritize precise time setting.
To stop the balance without interruption, the stop device must avoid contact with the frame pillars. An elastic brush made of human hair smoothly glides past the triangular pillar, gently slowing the balance down at the rim perimeter. This patented stop solution completes the mechanism, in line with the precision expected from a Grossmann timepiece.
The meticulous craftsmanship evident in the construction and manufacturing of timepieces at Moritz Grossmann extends to the highest level during the decoration stage. Each component undergoes individual hand-finishing, showcasing unparalleled attention to detail. Hand-engraved Glashütte ribbing adorns the plates and tourbillon cock, while hand-bevelled edges and three-band snailing on the ratchet wheel enhance the aesthetic appeal. Gold chatons hold polished screws in place, while white sapphire jewels adorn them.
The pink gold edition of the Moritz Grossmann Tourbillon Tremblage is paired with a brown alligator leather strap, while the white gold version comes with a black alligator leather strap. Both versions are priced at approximately $254,000 USD.
