Harry Winston: A Tale of Complex Mechanisms that Challenge the Stunning Beauty of Machines

Histoire de Tourbillon tells 10 different stories based on the theme of the tourbillon, creating a unique history through a series of works.
In 2023, a new unique piece was added to the ninth series, which brings together Harry Winston's complicated watchmaking techniques. The astonishing mechanical beauty of the acrobatic three-axis tourbillon and bi-retrograde movements is sure to catch your eye.

HARRY WINSTON Histoire de Complication

　High jewelry and grand complications - if there was a symbolic representation of the creations of Harry Winston, one of the world's leading jewelers with its flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York, it would be this sky-high twin peaks.

　A representative example of Grand Complication is the "Histoire de Tourbillon," which was launched in 2009 following the "Opus" series, which was created in collaboration with some of today's most talented watchmakers. The French word "Histoire" means "story" or "history," and one can see the intention behind creating a series of stories through innovative designs and mechanisms, and building a new history in complicated watches.

　The newly released unique piece is a variation of the 9th model, released in 2018. Harry Winston has explored the possibilities of the tourbillon with each of its creations, and the 9th model is characterized by its fusion of a three-axis tourbillon and a retrograde movement. The tourbillon was invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet to eliminate the effects of gravity, but the multi-axis tourbillon applies this principle by rotating the rotating carriage itself in a three-dimensional manner, minimizing the effects of gravity and improving precision. The tourbillon, suspended in the openwork that occupies the lower part of the dial of the Histoire de Tourbillon 9, features three carriages: the innermost carriage, which houses the screw balance, rotates once every 45 seconds, the middle carriage every 75 seconds, and the outer carriage every 300 seconds. Its constantly changing shape and three-dimensional rotation are a mystical sight that never ceases to amaze.

　Like the fifth and sixth models, this ninth model is equipped with a three-axis tourbillon, but the mechanism is housed within a round case, giving it a sleeker impression. Another notable feature is the use of a retrograde movement, a specialty of Harry Winston, to display the time, conveying the high precision produced by the three-axis tourbillon. The left side of the symmetrical sector displays the time using a retrograde jumping hour display, while the right side displays the 60-minute minutes. The spectacle created by the acrobatic rotation of the three-axis tourbillon and the repeated movement of the jumping hands is reminiscent of an avant-garde modern art piece.

　This unique piece is a platinum model. What makes the face particularly striking is the blue color that brings out the retrograde movement. The coloring, which is similar to models such as the "Ocean" that use Zalium, gives this ultra-complicated watch a cool, light, sporty look. Its appearance is fresh and different from the one-tone gold model.