Independents

The Thomas Prescher
Mysterious Automatic Double Axis Tourbillon

First pictures in the wild.

Thomas had a problem:
    How to make the visibility of the tourbillon even better than his present watches.
The solution:
    Just tuck everything except the tourbillon out of the way.

Hours and minutes on rotating cylinders with a moon phase indication between.
At the bottom the automatic winding weight slung like a hammock between the two sides.
Relaxing in the hammock the date and month indications.
In between the Prescher constant force double-axis toubillon.

The watch has two crowns not only for symetry, but one is for setting the time and the other for winding.

The entire movement is hidden in the two sides of the case.  Not a single gear outside the tourbillon itself is visible.

Note that the calendar is always visble from front and back.  Being on the winding weight it always faces up.

The case is with the impecable finish we assume from a Prescher watch.

Note that this is the first prototype and these are mineral glasses without antireflection treatment.  The final watch will have saphire glasses using the new and horribly expensive perfectly clear antireflection coatings.  No more blue streak!

It is difficult to get a picture of the serial number without holding the watch over your head.

I saw the very first design sketches of this watch about 18 months ago.  I was certain that Thomas was taking hard drugs.
Now that I could hold it in my hands, whatever has caused Thomas to find this design, this watch is truly stunning.

Don

These pictures are excellent, and really show it much better than I could have imagined.
It is a stunning micro-mechanical piece of horological art!
Well done Thomas!
Thanks for sharing Don,
Cheers,
Tim

Thanks so much for sharing, I really enjoyed this post. Love this kind of watches, they just brake the rules and I love when this happens, it amazes me. Fresh air.

Thanks.

Vte

That is amazing. Truly amazing. The hammock winders...the Tourbillon on a stick....

Are there any further details of say, where the mainspring resides? The power flow into and out of the tourbillon? How the date is changed without spinning the hammock.

I'd be scared to clap my hands wearing such a watch....that tourbillon.

That is a very unique watch!  You weren't kidding about the fact that I should be sitting when I see the watch. 

The watch has a month and date indicator on the bottom, does the watch have an annual or perpetual calendar function?  Or will the watch still assume every month has 31 days?  It was very clever to make this display as the winding weight, very clever indeed. 

Thanks for sharing this unique watch with us! 

This message has been edited by patrick_y on 2010-02-10 16:09:53

What an original and brilliant concept! 

The tourbillon floating in the middle is cool; but for me, the best part of the watch is how the calendar section is on the winding weight so it stays on top no matter which way you flip or angle the watch.  That is so cool IMO!

How many mm's thick is the case btw?

Thanks for this post Don.

Cheers,
Anthony

Thanks Don,

 

From an engineering perspective it is an amazing watch. It’s hard enough to imagine how the calendar display is functioning within an oscillating weight, leaving aside the double axis tourbillon itself. The date display that adjusts to the wrist/viewing position is eminently applicable to other watch designs. Aesthetically I prefer the earlier iteration of his tourbillon(s), but this is truly a brilliant piece of engineering. However, hairy arms are going to be a problem!

 

Do you have any information on the rotation times of the two axes?

 

Thanks for the live photos.

 

Andrew

Thanks Don, that is really cool.  I love how the tourbillon is almost floating in the middle of the watch. 
Regards,
ED-209

nt

 in Singapore a few weeks back en route to Tokyo.  It is indeed a marvel of a piece and putting it on the wrist was mesmerizing!  Hearing from Thomas about some of his motivations behind this piece which is so different in appearance (to me) than his other tourbillons created an added level of appreciate and desire for his work.

I think if I am to acquire a Prescher piece and can afford one, it has to be one of his multi axis tourbillon pieces.  For me, that is the Prescher signature.

Thanks for the thread!

What an amazing feat of engineering and imagination. Congratulations to Mr. Prescher for yet another wonderful achievement in watchmaking!

Thanks Don for your warning.

When I saw the your first photo, my thoughts were not good............But the more that I read your aticle and looked at the photos.

The more I appreciated and recognised the skill required to design and make such a piece.

Where can watch designs............I wonder go from here?

As little as I know about the technicality of watch-making, I can tell this takes some feat to make. Wow, thanks for the nice pics, Don. By the way, there were other gems at the Tokyo watch fair, where I presume you surveyed this Prescher piece -- any other reports coming

Especially, since I was just emailing with a fellow Purist about this very timepiece.  Now, to see live pictures (The closest I will probably ever get to one, unfortunately!), well, it's awesome.  Seeing the tourbillon just float within the case is mesmerizing.  I would worry about how shock-resistant the mechanism is, but what's life without a little risk?    It's an amazing-looking timepiece.  Mr. Prescher is to be heartily congratulated.

Thanks for presenting this marvel, Don!

Cheers,

Daos

and Thomas is one of the nicest guys you could ever talk too. I hope some day I can afford a piece like this

Very good post Don, The final product will be even better than the photos that you have posted.

Thanks for your post

in Japan, but hesitate to post cause I'm not sure whether I can post it before Basel. It's niiiiice and the size is just right. This watch, Parmigiani Bugatti, and Blu tourbillon will be the pinnacle of my watch collection.

So I can post my Tokyo Watch Fair photos now .

cen@jkt

No message body

 thanks for posting Don the watch is so tourbillon orinted i mean display wise. i love.... as i say for innovative time pieces light years ahead of time.

 

 Faisal

THE NEXT WAVE IN WATCHMAKING HAS ARRIVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a way to present the toubillon! Amazing design and innovation. Thanks for sharing.

.

Instead of just at midnight, or the hand may just look like it is not centered (illusion???)).   That is even more wild ! thanks for posting!

Wow wow wow! I don't think that I have ever seen anything to compare to this -- single-minded brilliance, in my opinion.

Thanks for this great report, Don!  I will hope to see this piece in person some day...

Best,

Gary G

if only Thomas Prescher can follow up with a thin model having a case half the thickness.

This is a timepiece that I'd love to wear if only I get to win a mega lottery.

Absolutely stunning, awesome, and breath taking!

Thanks, Don, for sharing these photos with us on the forum. Please forward my best wishes to TP for continued success in his challenging endeavors.

Regards,
Jack Freedman

Thank you Don for your great report - I cant wait to learn more about how this machine works

christian

this Watch is out of this World.!!!

 WOW. what a Stunning  & Innovative work of Art.

 thanks for sharing.

 Tony

but would LOVE to see a Video of the Watch Ticking, Rolling , Moving, Turning, Beating. Tourbilloning ?!!!! ;0))))))))))

T