Tourbillon - "To Be" or "Not to be"

[johnswatch]

I've been thinking about the utility of a tourbillon for a while and I'm not sure I agree that it has no purpose.

Whole the original application was for pcket watches where it makes perfect sense by applying it to a wristwatch it does at least laregely eliminate several positional variations such as crown up and crown down which essentailly just become "sideways".

I accept that given enough time and talent many watches can be adjusted for minimal variations in all positions ( the watchtime magazine test of The Glashutte Original Chronometer illustrates what is possible) but in reality almost all watch firms including the haute horlogerie brands don't invest the time despite the sticker price.

A tourbillon makes their job easier and so you'll likely get a better performing watch as a result. The independent time trials which were recently won by JLC with their Master Control Tourbillon seem to bear this theory out. The second place was I think won by the Gyro Tourbillon.