The brand invents the peripheral tourbillon

Image
The brand invents the peripheral tourbillon  - Carl F. Bucherer
Carl F. Bucherer unveils its third manufacture movement, a tourbillon with a truly innovative design, inspired by its peripheral rotor.

Watch calibres can sometimes have very esoteric names. But Carl F. Bucherer keeps things refreshingly simple: CFB A1000 and CFB A2000. CFB for Carl F. Bucherer, A for automatic, 1000 for the first generation and 2000 for second generation.

Carl F. Bucherer, to a T

So when the manufacture announced a calibre called the CFB T3000, collectors could hardly contain themselves. Could this be the first Carl F. Bucherer tourbillon calibre, and the company’s third major movement? Bullseye. But while the name follows the usual conventions, the movement’s execution certainly does not. The Lucerne-based watchmaker has decided to focus on its main differentiating factor in the watchmaking landscape – the peripheral oscillating weight. Carl F. Bucherer was the first brand to make use of it routinely, and today remains one of very few exponents.

The peripheral rotor is still present in the CFB T3000 calibre, but its inspiration has also crept into the construction of the tourbillon itself. This is the world’s first tourbillon whose cage is mounted on three peripheral ball bearings. This means that the tourbillon is fixed neither to the movement’s baseplate, nor to a bridge, as is common. As a result, the tourbillon appears to be suspended in mid-air, an effect that’s all the more striking given that it’s a flying tourbillon. The COSC-certified watch, with silicon pallet and pallet wheel, takes its place in the Manero collection. The first model to be released is in rose gold with a diameter of 43 mm. This is also the first Carl F. Bucherer watch with its tourbillon located at 12 o’clock.

Carl F. Bucherer invente le tourbillon périphérique

Manero for a day, Manero forever

Carl F. Bucherer has decided to beef up the rest of the Manero collection at the same time. There are already five variants of the Flyback model, but up to now it has not been possible to have a black dial with a steel case (black dials only came with gold, and steel was matched with green or silver dials). Now, the combination of steel case and black dial is an option. It’s a relatively common marriage in the larger watchmaking landscape, but apparently not at Carl F. Bucherer. That has now changed.

Carl F. Bucherer invente le tourbillon périphérique

Finally, the three hands plus date Manero models, which until now have been available in 40.6 mm, will now also come in a 43 mm diameter. Carl F. Bucherer is coming to Baselworld with no fewer than six references, all larger versions of the existing nine models in the collection. So, what’s happened to the three missing references, which haven’t been given the growth treatment? First, two of them are diamond-set models for women, which makes it easy to understand why they have not been promoted to the larger format, which would be rather unusual for a women’s watch. The ninth reference not available in 43 mm has a superb smoky blue dial, and will remain available in the 41 mm diameter only.

Adamavi update

Finally, Carl F. Bucherer is bringing some new references for the Adamavi collection to Basel. The watch is now available in a diameter of 31 mm, which completes the existing size range of 39 mm, 34 mm and 28 mm. Two key features of the nine new references are Milan mesh straps and understated styling. The watches are largely targeted at a female audience, but the 39 mm collection is intended to be unisex

Featured brand
Sascha Moeri