Blancpain Tourbillon Volant Heure Sautante Minute Rétrograde Watch Review
The Blancpain Tourbillon Volant Heure Sautante Minute Rétrograde was released at Baselworld 2018. The watch unites a flying tourbillon, retrograde minutes and jumping hours with the age-old technique of grand feu enamelling. Angus Davies shares his observations on this high-end timepiece from the Vallée de Joux.
Vallée de Joux
The Vallée de Joux is a picture-perfect region of Switzerland, where swathes of green land sit adjacent to coniferous forests. The accompanying soundtrack is best described as a monastic hush interspersed with the sound of ringing cowbells. In winter, the landscape is draped in a blanket of snow and the inhabitants shelter from the sub-zero temperatures.
Historically, the hostile winter months persuaded many residents to make watch movements in their homes. As the winter temperatures gave way to Spring’s temperate climate, these movements were sent to other parts of Switzerland where établisseurs encased them, culminating in the creation of completed watches. Even today, this region is known for its expertise in making movements, especially complicated movements and ultra-thin calibres.
Blancpain, Le Brassus
Blancpain is a longstanding resident of the Vallée de Joux with sites in both Le Brassus and Le Sentier. The brand produces a diverse array of models, including the firm’s legendary Fifty Fathoms, the Air Command, Ladybird and an array of models encompassing artistic crafts. All of the aforementioned watches have their merits, but as a self-confessed conservative fifty-something, I am particularly drawn to the Villeret collection, a suite of classically styled timepieces.
Recently, I spent some time at the Blancpain Boutique in London. My host showed me a selection of wonderful watches, some appealed to me more than others, but it was the Tourbillon Volant Heure Sautante Minute Rétrograde that particularly caught my eye.
Blancpain Tourbillon Volant Heure Sautante Minute Rétrograde dial
Set aside any preconceived ideas of co-axially positioned hour and minute hands; the Blancpain Tourbillon Volant Heure Sautante Minute Rétrograde does not subscribe to convention. An off-centre subdial features one lone, open worked hand that nuzzles a crisp chemin de fer, beyond which sit Arabic numerals. As the minute hand slowly advances in a clockwise direction, it ultimately reaches ’60’ and then springs back to its point of origin in the blink of an eye.
The hours are presented in a dedicated circular aperture, framed with a gold circlet. No hands this time, jumping Arabic numerals are the order of the day. When the minute hand returns to zero, the hour disc advances in one clean step. Despite dispensing with horological norms, both the hour and minute indications converse with the wearer succinctly and with a notable degree of style.
Flying Tourbillon invented by Alfred Helwig (1920)
A flying tourbillon resides in the upper portion of the dial. It’s delineated from neighbouring dial elements with a diamond-polished gold ring. Alfred Helwig, a German watchmaker who taught at the German School of Watchmaking Glashütte, invented the flying tourbillon in 1920. Unlike Breguet’s tourbillon (patented in 1801), Helwig’s invention eschews the upper bridge, thereby granting sublime views of the tourbillon cage, balance wheel and escapement in flight. However, Blancpain has taken the concept of transparency to a new level by shunning a conventional lower bridge, fitting the tourbillon’s fixed wheel to a circular pane of sapphire crystal instead. The resultant appearance is stunning, allowing the wearer to effectively see through the watch.
Blancpain Tourbillon Volant Heure Sautante Minute Rétrograde – grand feu enamel
Blancpain is known for its expertise in the field of métiers d’art. Its in-house facility, teamed with time-served artisans, create various artistic canvasses using an array of traditional techniques.
In this instance, the luxury marque has employed a champlevé technique. The dial, made of solid gold, is hollowed out to create a number of recesses. In turn, these pockets or compartments are repeatedly painted with enamels and fired at approximately 800°C. By its very nature, a number of dials will acquire flaws or may even crack, hence the Manufacture will often produce extra dials just in case. Grand feu enamel dials are time-consuming to produce, however, such effort is justified with every dial exhibiting a depth and a comely lustre. Moreover, unlike lacquer, grand feu enamel never fades despite the passage of time.
Blancpain Tourbillon Volant Heure Sautante Minute Rétrograde case
Housed in a 42 mm 18-ct rose gold case, the Blancpain Tourbillon Volant Heure Sautante Minute Rétrograde is beautifully proportioned. Its scale grants sufficient room for the indications to breathe while at the same time proffering suitability for most wrist sizes.
With its stepped bezel and slender, elongated lugs, the case upholds the styling seen on other Villeret models. The crown does not unduly project from the caseband and contributes to the overall feeling of understated elegance.
Despite all gold surfaces being presented in a highly polished format, the watch remains softly spoken and proves tastefully discreet. Indeed, this timepiece is the very antithesis of conspicuous consumption, crafted for unpretentious watch aficionados. The brown alligator strap proves a tactile delight, feeling sumptuous when appraised between the forefinger and thumb.
Blancpain Tourbillon Volant Heure Sautante Minute Rétrograde – calibre 260MR
A pane of sapphire crystal, positioned to the rear of the case, affords sight of the hand-wound movement, the Calibre 260MR. The movement is beautifully finished and the bridges are adorned with a highly attractive hand-guilloché pattern.
The ratchet wheel resembles a wheel typically found on a high-performance sports car while the power-reserve is depicted with a swooping motif using guilloché. And, in terms of the power-reserve, the Tourbillon Volant Heure Sautante Minute Rétrograde proffers 144 hours of autonomous operation. This is a particularly impressive figure as jumping hour and retrograde functions have a reputation for quaffing energy.
Furthermore, this movement is incredibly refined. Indeed, close examination of the regulating organ reveals the movement is endued with a variable inertia balance.
Most watches have an index-adjusted balance where the hairspring passes through two ‘curb pins’ fitted to the ‘raquette’. A competent watchmaker moves the raquette towards or away from the ‘stud’, changing the effective length of the hairspring and making the watch run faster or slower.
On the Calibre 260MR, the length of the hairspring is fixed. In order to change the rate, the watchmaker adjusts the position of four timing screws affixed to the rim of the balance wheel. This alters the moment of inertia, making the watch run faster or slower. This approach is superior to the ubiquitous index-adjuster as the hairspring breathes more concentrically, thereby enhancing isochronism. A further benefit of a variable-inertia balance is the rate is less susceptible to positional influence.
Blancpain has also placed the timing screws within the four recesses set within the rim of the balance wheel. This means that when the balance wheel oscillates to and fro, the screws create less air turbulence, again augmenting precision. It’s this attention to detail that distinguishes the Calibre 260MR as special.
Blancpain Tourbillon Volant Heure Sautante Minute Rétrograde – closing remarks
This exquisite creation from Blancpain seamlessly unites two very different worlds. On one hand, the Tourbillon Volant Heure Sautante Minute Rétrograde is a highly technical watch encompassing a flying tourbillon, retrograde minutes and jumping hours. On the other hand, the dial is a wonderful artisanal canvas suffused with deep, lustrous grand feu enamel. Where many brands focus purely on mechanical complexity or artistic crafts, Blancpain has brought both elements together in spellbinding union.
The dial breaks with horological norms, conveying the prevailing time in its own unique way. However, this eye-catching composition does not sacrifice practicality on the altar of style. Indeed, one glance at the dial and its incredible intelligibility is clear to see.
Blancpain has taken the idea of Helwig’s flying tourbillon and heightened its transparency by eschewing the customary lower bridge and affixing the tourbillon’s fixed wheel to a circular pane of sapphire crystal. The resultant view is distilled to merely the tourbillon cage, balance wheel and escapement. This will inevitably captivate onlookers as these parts perform their mesmerising dance.
Ordinarily, I would expect the combination of a tourbillon, retrograde minutes and jumping hours to quickly consume vast amounts of energy. However, the Calibre 260MR has a prodigious power reserve and is capable of running for 144 hours between top-ups.
But beyond its technical prowess, this watch is achingly beautiful. Everything is wonderfully proportioned and free of flaws. As for the grand feu enamel dial, it elevates the prepossessing appearance of this dial still further, courtesy of its pure, chaste character.
Life in the Vallée de Joux may not be for everyone, however, the landscape, climate and culture provide the ideal terroir for making complicated watches, something that is manifest with the Blancpain Tourbillon Volant Heure Sautante Minute Rétrograde.
Further reading
Technical specifications
- Model: Blancpain Tourbillon Volant Heure Sautante Minute Rétrograde
- Reference: 66260-3633-55B
- Case: 18-ct red gold; diameter 42 mm; height 11 mm; water resistance 3 ATM (30m); sapphire crystal to the front and exhibition case back.
- Functions: Flying tourbillon; jumping hours; retrograde minutes; power-reserve indicator
- Movement: Calibre 260MR; hand-wound movement; frequency 21,600 vph (3 Hz); 40 jewels; power reserve 144 hours.
- Strap: Brown alligator leather strap with folding clasp
- Price: £123,300 (RRP as of 26.2.2022)