BaselWorld 2014: New Blancpain Tourbillon.
The Blancpain corporate values are based on continuous updating its capabilities by extending the boundaries of watchmaking and continuous improvement of watch complications. Two centuries after the invention of the tourbillon and 25 years after the creation of Calibre 23, the first and the world’s thinnest manual winding mechanism equipped with a flying tourbillon, Blancpain reinterprets this complication, intended to compensate for the effects of gravity, and is a masterpiece of traditional fine watchmaking. Designed in watchmaking manufactory, as well as all the mechanisms Blancpain, the new Calibre 242 raises the technical nature of complications "tourbillon" to a new level by improving record in all respects autonomy Calibre 25, created in 1998. He became the world’s first tourbillon movement with automatic winding, providing a power reserve of 8 days. The new self-winding movement has an exclusive 12 - day power reserve in the presence of a single barrel.
BaselWorld 2014: New Blancpain Tourbillon. (ref. 66240-3431-55B)
Consisting of 243 components, assembled in a single unit within a space as small as 6.10 mm in height and 30.60 mm in diameter, it is equipped with a silicon balance spring and pallet fork in order to eliminate the influence of magnetic fields. When creating this new model, the wizards of Blancpain used all their professional experience to provide aesthetic elegance. Every detail of the mechanism is designed so as to emphasize its bright finish, which can be seen through the sapphire crystal on the case back. The node of the automatic winding and power reserve display is integrated into the mechanism with a view to preserving its maximum subtlety.
BaselWorld 2014: New Blancpain Tourbillon. (ref. 66240-3431-55B)
The rotor is subtly skeletonized, including the deleted from it "borders" in order to provide a wider space for decoration. Bridges and drive power reserve indicator are hand guilloche - transmitted from generation to generation art requiring exceptional accuracy and precision, while the ratchet wheel has beveled edges characteristic design. On the dial, the offset tourbillon carriage at the 12 o’clock position offers a beautiful view on the balance and escape wheel of a new design. Since the flying tourbillon carriage suggests lack of upper bridge, is provided an unobstructed view of this complex mechanism. The carriage makes one revolution per minute in order to compensate for the effects of gravity.
As a reflection of the historical heritage collection Villeret, for the manufacture and application of dial Roman numerals was used the hot enameling grand feu. On the dial are smoothly gliding the hands in the form of a sage leaf with a slot. The watch in a two 42 - mm case is presented in a limited series of platinum, as well as versions of 18K red gold combined with a chocolate brown alligator leather strap lined with calfskin alzavel, equipped with a triple-folding clasp.
