Design and Horological Highlight BASELWORLD 2013: The new PanoLunarTourbillon
This year Glashütte Original honors the traditional art of Glashütte watchmaking with yet another masterpiece of haute horlogerie: The PanoLunarTourbillon. With its progressive design, this model enriches the new Pano timepieces being introduced last year.
Belonging to the Art & Technik pillar of the Saxon watch manufactory, this treasure catches the observer’s eye with the modernly arranged dial and the filigreed Flying Tourbillon.
PanoLunarTourbillon
A fine number of models in Glashütte Original’s Pano line were presented at Baselworld 2012 in a contemporary reinterpretation that saw a larger cylindrical case and enhanced dial visuals framed by a slim, elegant bezel. Debuting at Baselworld 2013, the PanoLunarTourbillon takes up the sophisticated new look with a 40 mm case in red gold and a warm silver dial. The characteristic asymmetric design of the Pano timepieces finds the large hour/minute dial positioned to the left of centre, in alignment with the Flying Tourbillon set within it and centred at hour seven. The new model’s Panorama Date display to the lower right presents black numerals on an ivory coloured ground, perfectly matched with the warm silver dial.
To the upper right, the moon phase display shows a golden moon and shimmering stars against a dark blue night sky. The placement of the dials has been determined in accordance with the divine proportion, otherwise known as the golden ratio, the legendary law of aesthetic harmony that has fascinated artists, musicians and architects throughout history.
The Flying Tourbillon
The Flying Tourbillon was developed in 1920 by the master craftsman Alfred Helwig, one of Germany’s most remarkable watchmakers and instructor, who taught at the German School of Watchmaking beginning with the year 1913.
The traditional tourbillon mechanism, designed to counter the effect of gravity on rate precision, is anchored at both the top and the bottom. Alfred Helwig’s version implemented a cantilevered mechanism anchored on one side only, which led to it becoming known as a “flying” tourbillon. The Flying Tourbillon remains and extraordinary aesthetic and horological invention, and is presented with a blued steel tipped seconds hand in the manufactory’s new PanoLunarTourbillon. A sapphire crystal, anti-reflective on both sides, protects the dial, offering a fascinating view of the Flying Tourbillon mechanism and superbly harmonious dial visuals.
The new Glashütte Original Calibre 93-02
The PanoLunarTourbillon is powered by the calibre 93-02: based on the calibre 93-01, the new mechanism is an automatic winding mechanical movement with 48 jewels and 2 diamonds. The timepiece comes with a 48 hours power reserve and a fully integrated moon phase mechanism. An improved oscillating system with 8 regulating screws and 12 weighted gold screws ensures perfect rate precision. Easily visible through the sapphire crystal of the case back are the finely finished movement, bevelled edges, polished steel parts, blued screws and the off-centre skeletonized rotor with 21-carat gold oscillation weight.
A screw-mounted stainless steel plate, bevelled and brushed by hand, indicates the wording “Flying Tourbillon” engraved in gold. The Glashütte Original PanoLunarTourbillon is fitted with a semi-matt black Louisiana Alligator leather strap or a brown Louisiana Alligator nubuck leather strap and fold fastener in red gold.