Tourbillon watch with Silicium Escapement Wheel. Based on its award-winning Heart Beat Manufacture Calibre, Frédérique Constant developed its Tourbillon fully in-house with a number of unique features:• Silicium Escapement Wheel• Smart Weight Balancing• Fast Oscillation at 28’800 BpH• Tourbillon Cage individually numbered

Silicium Escapement Wheel - In 2007, Frédérique Constant introduced a limited edition Heart Beat Manufacture watch with a Silicium Escapement Wheel. We noted the following three main advantages:

1. Age-related thinning and drying of lubrication will no longer occur
2. An escapement wheel without oiling avoids the risk that oil spreads to other parts of the movement.

3.The escapement wheel is accelerated and stopped at each tick and tock of the watch. The lower weight silicium escapement wheel has lower inertia, increasing energy efficiency.

 Good friction properties

 Lower friction reduces loss of energy, hence the energy requirement for the calibre is lower.

 With its three main advantages compared to a regular escapement wheel, a Silicium escapement wheel is particularly useful in a Tourbillon mechanism. In particular, the reduced weight of the Silicium escapement wheel and the better friction properties result in a substantially higher energy efficiency. As a result, the Frédérique Constant Tourbillon with Silicium escapement wheel has an amplitude of over 300 degrees in dial-up and dial-down positions. Even in the crown-down position, the is over 275 degrees, which is
substantially better than the performance of other high-end tourbillons.

Of all the delicate, complex mechanisms invented by watchmakers overthe centuries, the Tourbillon is one of the most complicated. A Tourbillon mechanism is extremely complex to manufacture due to the required
accuracy of all the parts involved. The Tourbillon is also valued for its engineering and design principles. Only very few and only the very best watchmakers have the necessary skills to manufacture a Tourbillon watch successfully.The Tourbillon is one of the most valued and sought-after complications by
collectors and aficionados of premium timepieces alike. The Frédérique Constant Tourbillon design allows the tourbillon mechanism to be seen through a large aperture in the watch dial at six o’clock. In addition to
enhancing the charm of the timepiece, the Tourbillon cage with itsincorporated hand acts as a second indicator as it rotates once per minute.

Technical Information – Frédérique Constant Manufacture Tourbillon

Reference: FC-980MC4H9 – Limited Edition 188 pieces

Movement: Automatic, Calibre FC-980. One minute Tourbillon, balance-cock on dial side. Diameter 30.50mm (30 ¼ ), 28.800 BpH, 32 jewels, Incabloc anti-shock system, Glucydur balance, Nivarox No. 1 balance spring, power reserve 48 hours, bridges decorated with Côtes de Genève and perlage, finished anglage and rhodiage. 188 components; each movement individually numbered.

Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Day-Night Indicator

Case: 18K Rose Gold, round shape, two-piece case, diameter 42mm,  thickness 11 mm, antireflective convex sapphire crystal, antireflective sapphire crystal case back, case back secured with 8 screws, water-resistant
to 3 atm. Each case individually numbered.

Dial: Silvered, Clou de Paris in dial centre. Fine black Roman numerals, black steel hands, rose gold and blued steel day-night indicator.

Strap: Genuine hand-stitched Alligator leather with water-resistant lining; additional folding buckle included. 

Retail Price: Euro 28’800,-

Please feel free to contact Caroline Delmonte

delmonte@frederique-constant.com

Tel: +41-22-860-0440