Audi’s “progress through technology” motto also applies to the importance of the tourbillon for watch design, because this eye-catching complication greatly enhances a timepiece’s visual appeal. A new trend contributes its fair share, too: many recent models are styled with such a strong emphasis on high tech that their tourbillons fit harmoniously into their overall designs. Here are 10 of these tourbillon watches.

1. Richard Mille 50-02 ACJ

Richard Mille RM 50-02 ACJ

Richard Mille collaborated with Airbus Corporate Jets, which builds luxurious aircraft, to design a technical miracle with an extremely modern-styled tourbillon at 6 o’clock. The split-seconds chronograph for measuring lap times, the torque indicator at the 2 to show how much tension remains in the barrel, and the display at the 4 to show which position has been selected for the crown are likewise readily visible. Titanium-aluminum alloy, manufacture Caliber RM 50-02, automatic, 30 pieces, $1,050,000.

2. Hublot MP-05 LaFerrari Sapphire

Hublot MP-05 LaFerrari Sapphire

In this transparent and very extreme wristwatch from Hublot, a vertically positioned tourbillon perfectly augments 11 vertical barrels, which team up to provide 50 – yes, 50! – days of power reserve. A battery-powered screwdriver is delivered along with the watch to wind the mainsprings. Sapphire, 29.5 mm by 45.8 mm, manufacture Caliber LaFerrari, hand-wound, 20 pieces, $575,000.

3. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie

A tourbillon provides additional visual appeal in the open styling of this newest technological tour de force from Audemars Piguet. This timepiece also offers a delightful audible treat in the form of the clearest and loudest minute repeater in the entire watchmaking industry. Titanium, 44 mm, manufacture Caliber 2937, hand-wound, 520,000 Swiss francs.

4. Ulysse Nardin Grand Deck Marine Tourbillon

Ulysse Nardin Grand Deck Marine Tourbilon

The tourbillon is the sole classically designed component here. The highly unconventional time display consists of a jumping hour with two separate disks and a minutes hand pulled across a linear scale by slender cables. The rollers that move these threads resemble the winches that tighten the lines that secure the mast on a sailing yacht. White gold, 44 mm, Caliber UN 630 by Christophe Claret, hand-wound, 18 pieces, $280,000.

5. Cartier Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon

Cartier Rotonde de Cartier Earth & Moon

Eclipse the tourbillon to indicate the moon’s phase? This may sound crazy, but it’s precisely what Cartier does. When the push-piece at 4 o’clock is pressed, a circular disk of stone cut from a meteorite slides in front of the tourbillon so the portion of the “whirlwind” that remains visible corresponds to the moon’s momentary phase. Rose gold, 47 mm, manufacture Caliber 9440 MC, hand-wound, 15 pieces, $239,000.

6. Montblanc 4810 Exotourbillon Slim

Montblanc 4810 ExoTourbillon Slim

“Ordinary” tourbillons are also still available. A handsomely closed dial and a tourbillon in a dedicated aperture are Montblanc’s interpretation of classical horological beauty at a comparatively affordable price. Rose gold, 42 mm, manufacture Caliber MB 29.21, automatic, $33,500.

7. Christophe Claret X-Trem-1

Christophe Claret X-TREM-1

The characteristically wavy grain of damascene steel makes the Christophe Claret X-Trem-1 look even more extreme. This watch set new technical standards in 2012: its tourbillon is positioned on a diagonal, which makes it difficult to connect the tourbillon to the movement. The “whirlwind” combines with floating balls, magnetically pulled through tubes, to show the hours and minutes. Damascene steel and rose gold, 40.8 mm by 56.8 mm, manufacture Caliber FLY11, hand-wound, eight pieces, $308,000.

8. Breguet La Marine Équation Marchante 5887

Breguet La Marine Équation Marchante 5887

The tourbillon was patented by the French-Swiss watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet on June 26, 1801. For the 5887, the prestigious brand has not only added a perpetual calendar, but also measures time according to the current position of the sun (the central hand with sun motif), by which the length of a day can vary by -16 to +14 minutes compared to average or civil time. The difference is called the equation of time. The cam responsible for this is shaped like a figure eight, and visible on the dial through a window that also displays the tourbillon carriage. It runs on a sapphire disk so as not to block the view of the tourbillon. Platinum, 43.9 mm, manufacture Caliber 581DPE, automatic, $230,400.

9. Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Ultranero

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Ultranero

Bulgari unveiled the slimmest tourbillon movement ever in 2014. The caliber is just 1.95 mm tall and ticks inside a 5-mm-slim wristwatch, which acquires a sporty touch in 2016 thanks to blackened titanium. The straight lines in this watch’s design highlight the complication, which attracts everyone’s admiring gaze. DLC-coated titanium, 40 mm, manufacture Caliber Finissimo Tourbillon, hand-wound, $99,000.

10. TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer 02 Tourbillon

TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer-02T

A tourbillon watch with a chronograph, automatic winding and chronometer certificate is sensational, even if TAG Heuer tries to quell the hype by calling attention to its industrialized fabrication. An open and symmetrical construction further enhances this watch’s visual appeal. Titanium, partly coated with titanium carbide, 45 mm, manufacture Caliber Heuer 02T, automatic, $15,950.

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As the name suggests, the case has a modest diameter of 34 mm. At just 8.8 mm thick, it is harder than black ceramic, according to Audemars Piguet. It challenged the brand to adapt the their signature alternation of satin-finished and polished chamfers. The brilliance of the white ceramic is accentuated by the eight hexagonal screws, also crafted in pink gold, which secure the bezel to the case.

At the heart of the Royal Oak Selfwinding 34mm is the automatic caliber 5800, specially designed in 2020 for this member of the legendary watch family. It offers a 50-hour power reserve and a meticulous finishing quality. The sapphire crystal case back reveals parts of the mechanism and the special 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight. The Côtes de Genève, circular graining, satin and sunray finishes are also visible.

Pricing for the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding 34mm is marked at $53,000.

To learn more, visit Audemars Piguet, here.

In this article, we present divers’ watches without complex additional functions (e.g., chronographs) because the watches listed here are designed to focus your undivided attention on the time of day and the dive time. Screwed crowns and unidirectional rotatable divers’ bezels are standard equipment on dive watches and, therefore, are not specifically mentioned in the following descriptions.

IWC Aquatimer Automatic 2000

IWC Schaffhausen recently added bright yellow accents to its professional divers’ watch. Its other features are the same as those on the standard model with conventionally colored luminous material: water tightness to 2,000 meters, 46-mm titanium case, rubber strap with an extension piece, manufacture Caliber 80110, and special dive-time system. The dive time is preset by turning the bezel counter-clockwise, which causes the inner scale to come along for the ride; but when the bezel is rotated clockwise, the inner dive-time ring remains motionless. With so much built-in security, no reservations remain – except perhaps the price of $9,500.

Sinn U2 S

Boasting a case made of specially hardened submarine steel with a hard coating, this ticking jack-of-all-trades from Frankfurt am Main resists corrosion by saltwater and stays watertight to 2,000 meters. But that’s not all: Sinn’s own stay-dry technology relies on a sulfate capsule to effectively capture any moisture that might penetrate into the case as the years go by. Furthermore, tests conducted inside a climatic exposure cabinet guarantee that this 44-mm wristwatch functions perfectly at temperatures ranging from -49 to +176 degrees Fahrenheit. The bracelet and case are equally well protected against scratches; the former culminates in a folding clasp with a divers’-extension mechanism. Along with the time of day or night and the date, ETA’s self-winding Caliber 2893 also shows the time in a second time zone. Considering all you get for your money, $3,230 isn’t a bad price to pay.

Seiko Prospex Automatic Diver

This Japanese manufacturer’s Prospex line includes higher-priced dive watches as well as excellent entry-level models. The classic among them is designated as reference SRP777K1. It measures 45 mm in diameter, stays watertight to 200 meters (thanks to a hardened mineral glass rather than a sapphire crystal) and costs only $495. Like every Seiko watch, it’s equipped with one of the brand’s own calibers. In this case (no pun intended), the movement is self-winding Caliber 4R36. The highly elastic, corrugated, urethane strap stretches to slip over the sleeve of a diving suit. Lumibrite luminous material, a Seiko development, glows with uncommon brightness.

Longines HydroConquest

A solidly built Swiss divers’ watch with ETA’s bestselling Caliber 2892, a steel bracelet, a divers’ extension in the bracelet, and a price tag of just $1,000: that’s what we call a favorable price-performance ratio. But those who opt for this 41-mm stainless-steel watch will have to make do with an aluminum bezel. The case stays watertight to 300 meters, which is 50 percent deeper than the required 200 meters, but it’s not in the extreme class of pressure resistance offered by some Breitling, IWC, Rolex or Sinn models.

Rolex Sea-Dweller and Rolex Deepsea

Manufacturers of professional divers’ watches essentially measure their products against these two Rolex models. While the case of its “little sister” (the Submariner) is 12.5-mm slim and can pass as a sporty and elegant dress watch, the approximately 15-mm-thick Sea-Dweller (shown above in the 2017 version) and the whopping 17.7-mm-thick Deepsea are genuine professional instruments. The Sea-Dweller stays watertight to 1,220 meters while the Deepsea keeps its feet dry all the way down to 3,900 meters. Outstanding features of these 43-mm and 44-mm models include Rolex’s special stainless-steel alloy (which is uncommonly resistant to corrosion by seawater), scratch-resistant bezels made from a ceramic developed by Rolex, an automatic manufacture caliber with chronometer certification, helium valves, and folding clasps with intelligently conceived divers’ extensions. The many technical advantages help justify the price: $11,350 for the Sea-Dweller and $12,050 for the Deepsea.

Oris Aquis Depth Gauge

Like the ordinary Aquis, this 46-mm special instrument is robustly constructed, watertight to 500 meters, and scratch resistant on its front side, thanks to a ceramic bezel. But this model also provides a unique technical highlight: no other brand offers a watch with a depth gauge quite like this one. When this watch submerges for a dive, water penetrates into a ring-shaped channel along the rim of the sapphire crystal and compresses the air inside the channel. The diving depth can be read on the dial’s periphery at the point where the dark water meets the bright air. Powered by Sellita’s automatic Caliber SW 200, this stainless-steel watch with a rubber strap and additional steel bracelet is delivered inside a watertight carrying case. Each wristband has its own folding clasp with integrated divers’ extension. For this power package with a unique depth gauge, $3,500 isn’t too high a price to pay.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver

Audemars Piguet ventures into colorful spheres with last year’s update to the Royal Oak Offshore collection. The most eye-catching versions of this 42-mm-diameter, 300-meter-watertight stainless-steel watch come in bright green, yellow or orange; white and blue versions are also available. Technical strong points in manufacture Caliber 3120 include a longer-than-average 60-hour power reserve, a soft iron inner case to protect against magnetic fields, and an inner rotatable ring that can be turned in both directions via an additional screwed crown. A shortcoming for divers: the rubber wristband has no extension mechanism. A shortcoming for the frugal: the price of this version is $19,900.

Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver

Last year, Bell & Ross introduced its first dive watch in the square case shape for which the brand has become renowned: the new BR 03-92 Diver. Its squared ergonomic case, made of satin-polished steel and measuring 42 mm in diameter, is water-resistant to 300 meters and houses the automatic BR-Cal.302, based on the Sellita SW 300. Price is $3,700.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms

Fifty Fathoms are equal to 300 feet or nearly 100 meters – the depth to which the original Fifty Fathoms from 1953 remained watertight. The contemporary version of this iconic divers’ watch is watertight to 300 meters and comes with a sapphire crystal that curves above the rotatable bezel. Caliber 1315 amasses a five-day power reserve and is protected against magnetism by a soft iron inner case. The stainless-steel case is 45 mm in diameter. The canvas wristband is water resistant, but its wearer has to make do without an extension mechanism. Divers who appreciate luxury must part with $14,500 to own this watch.

Certina DS Action Diver Automatic

Certina’s entry-level divers’ watch is attractively priced and equally attractively designed. The 43.2-mm-diameter stainless-steel case comes in black or blue; a version with a gray titanium case is also available. Although the steel versions offer a sapphire crystal and a metal bracelet with built-in divers’ extension, they cost just $895. A useful feature: not only is the zero point luminous, so are all the other indexes on the bezel. The water tightness up to 200 meters satisfies the standard specified for divers’ watches.

Hamilton Khaki Navy Frogman Titanium

Hamilton’s new dive watch is available with dials and bezels in various colors. Notwithstanding its burly 46-mm size, the titanium version is comfortable to wear. From a technical point of view, this model offers lightweight and sturdy titanium in tandem with a special safety mechanism for the crown, a helium valve, and a further evolved descendant of ETA’s Caliber 2824 known as the “H-10.” If left unmoved after it has been fully wound, this new caliber will continue to run for 80 hours rather than the previous span of just 38 hours. The water tightness is quite deep (1,000 meters), but the individually designed rubber strap lacks an extension mechanism. This well-equipped watch retails for the surprisingly low price of $1,445.

Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Master Chronometer

Omega’s Seamaster family offers divers’ watches in a wide range of designs and in an equally wide range of prices. All of these time-pieces boast professional features and Omega’s own self-winding movements with chronometer-accurate coaxial escapement. A good cost-benefit ratio is provided by the 43.5-mm Seamaster Planet Ocean Master Chronometer: in return for its price of $6,550, divers get an attractively styled watertight steel watch that stays watertight to 600 meters and has a metal bracelet, a helium valve, a ceramic bezel and an-timagnetic manufacture Caliber 8900, which relies on two barrels to amass a 60-hour power reserve.

Omega Seamaster Ploprof

The Omega Seamaster Ploprof boasts an even greater number of professional features. The case, which measures 55 mm by 48 mm, is made from lightweight titanium and stays watertight to twice the depth (1,200 meters) of the Planet Ocean. For safety’s sake, the bezel can be rotated only when the diver presses the orange button. When this button is depressed, the bezel can be conveniently reset in both directions. Two easy-to-use divers’ extensions are contained inside the secure folding clasp on the titanium link bracelet. As with the Planet Ocean, innovative protection against magnetic fields is provided by a totally anti-magnetic movement (automatic Caliber 8912), so Omega can equip the case with a sapphire back. This companion for professional divers costs $13,800.

Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 Amagnetic 3 Days Automatic Titanio

With a 47-mm titanium case, ceramic bezel, and protection against magnetic fields, this model is one of the professional dive watches from Panerai. Also worth a mention: inside the watch is the automatic manufacture Caliber P.9010 with temperature-insensitive Glucydur balance and a three-day power reserve. The case stays watertight to 300 meters. The corrugated strap can be stretched to fit over the sleeve of a diving suit. The price is not insignificant: $11,000.

Luminox Deep Dive Automatic Scott Cassell Special Edition

Thanks to hands and indexes that bear tubules filled with tritium gas, this dive-watch leader from the Swiss sports watch brand continues to glow with undiminished intensity for many years, and without having its wearer recharge the luminous indicators at a light source. This watch is also convincing thanks to its water tightness (500 meters), helium valve, and sturdy rubber wristband with an extension piece to facilitate wearing over the sleeve of a thick diving suit. Power is provided by Sellita’s sleekly simple Caliber SW 200, which is fabricated in large series, thus enabling Luminox to offer this watch at the affordable price of $2,200.

Doxa Sub 1500T MKII

The orange-colored Doxa Sub is considered a classic among dive watch enthusiasts. It’s available in various designs and with water tightness to different depths. The model shown here can descend to far-reaching depths: its stainless-steel case protects Soprod’s self-winding Caliber A10 against incursions by water to a depth of 1,500 meters. The case is 44.7 mm in diameter and is equipped with a helium valve. As on almost all Doxa Sub models, the rotatable bezel is calibrated with a decompression scale. Military frogmen use such scales to read the number of minutes they can stay at a specified depth (measured in feet) without having to pause for a decompression stop during their ascent. An extension piece can be pivoted from the bracelet’s folding clasp. Each of the 1,500 pieces in this limited series sells for an affordable $2,390.

Tag Heuer Aquaracer Caliber 5 Blue Camo

Last year’s Aquaracer update from Tag Heuer came with an “Arctic” blue camouflage pattern and matching NATO strap as well as a water resistance rating of 300 meters. Its 43-mm case is made from Grade 2 titanium with a matte black PVD-treatment. The watch is powered by Tag Heuer’s Caliber 5, which is based on the ETA 2824 or the Sellita SW200. The price for this version is $2,800.

Ms. Resta is a joint Swiss-Italian national and resides near Geneva, Switzerland. She brings over 26 years of international experience in leading major divisions of highly respected companies, most recently serving as President, Global Perfumery & Ingredients at Firmenich. Prior to joining Firmenich, Ms. Resta worked for Procter & Gamble for over two decades with senior roles in its European and US headquarters, where she built iconic global brands. 

“We are delighted to welcome Ms. Resta as our new Chief Executive Officer. A visionary leader with a passion for craftsmanship, Ilaria will take Audemars Piguet into the future as we continue to develop our brand, blend tradition with innovation, and strengthen our direct connection to clients. Her proven record of delivering results through a clear strategic thinking based on deep consumer insights will keep AP’s legacy relevant for generations to come and ensure long lasting growth. Ilaria’s belief in the empowerment of teams and her accomplishments as an inspirational leader in corporate sustainability fully align with Audemars Piguet’s long-standing values as an independent family-owned company. On behalf of the Board of Directors, we would like to thank François for his three decades of service. His transformational leadership has been essential in building the success story AP is today. We are grateful for his indelible contribution and his commitment to stay until the end of the year to ensure a smooth transition.”

Alessandro Bogliolo, Chairman of Audemars Piguet.

To learn more, visit Audemars Piguet, here.

Comic Hero: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Black Panther Flying Tourbillon

In 2021, AP’s President François-Henry Bennahmias announced the collaboration between his watchmaking company and the Marvel comic book franchise. The first watch to emerge from this partnership is the Royal Oak Concept Black Panther Flying Tourbillon. This model didn’t exactly win over the fans of traditional watches, but one of its achievements is undeniable: it faithfully depicts the animalistic superhero Black Panther, who was most recently portrayed by the late Chadwick Boseman. Clad in a high-tech suit and wearing clawed gloves, the Black Panther’s hand-painted white-gold figure seems to be getting ready to pounce. His lower body elastically embraces both the shaft of the main hands at the center of the dial and the tourbillon cage at 6 o’clock, while the skeletonized barrel is clearly visible under the superhero’s right arm. The 42-mm case of the Royal Oak Concept model series is made of titanium; the bezel and crown are made of scratch-resistant ceramic. Complicated hand-wound manufacture Caliber 2965 heroically keeps time inside the case. This comic-inspired wristwatch is limited to 250 timepieces. Price is upon request.

Stun Gun: Hamilton Ventura Elvis 80 Skeleton

Today’s Ventura automatically winds itself, but Hamilton created it in 1957 as the world’s first battery-powered wristwatch — and gave it a nearly triangular case. As in the early days, a stylized zigzag voltage line traverses the dial of some new models to symbolize the former electrical power supply. Elvis Presley was the Ventura’s most famous fan: he wore the original model not only in private life, but also in the 1961 film, Blue Hawaii. One of the latest Ventura models is the watch shown here, which not only attracts attention thanks to its modern reinterpretation of the case shape, but also with its skeletonized dial and its combination of elegant rose-gold plating and a sporty rubber wristband. ETA’s automatic Caliber Powermatic 80 ticks inside the 42.5-mm-by-44.6-mm stainless-steel case. The Ventura is by far the most accessibly priced watch in our roundup of crazy timepieces: it sells for an affordable $1,795.

Transparency Artist: MB&F Horological Machine No. 9 Sapphire Vision

Max Büsser and Friends have opened their streamlined Time Machine Number Nine to the eyes of mechanics-savvy viewers. For this, the Geneva-based think tank used an extremely complex sapphire crystal cover with multiple curves and domes. A symmetrical architecture is created inside the rear of the transparent sapphire shell by a hand-wound manufacture movement with two balances. It collaborates with a centrally positioned planetary differential, which averages the time kept by the two movements and thus ensures optimal timekeeping. The vertical dial shows the hours and minutes. MB&F builds models in rose and white gold, each with two differently colored movement bridges. Each of the four model variants is made in a strictly limited series of five watches. Each timepiece is priced at $440,000.

Breaking Tradition: Hublot MP-09 Tourbillon Bi-Axis 5 Days Power Reserve 3D Carbon

The design of this “Masterpiece” (MP) from Hublot carries all visual habits to the absurd. The bezel breaks out of its conventional circular shape at the 6, where it also slopes downward to approach the back of the case. This creates a unique “hanging jaw,” where a tourbillon rotates on two axes, and keeps on turning for five full days after the watch has been fully wound. The running autonomy is shown by a large-format inscription at the 7, while the current status of the power reserve is indicated at the 3. The skeletonized, three-dimensional main dial is enclosed by a skeletonized semicircular date display with two arcs of numerals. The crazy frame for manufacture hand-wound Caliber MHUB9009.H1.RA.B is formed by a 49-mm-wide and 18-mm-high case made of so-called “3D carbon,” a composite material that Hublot makes from multiple layers and can shape into even the most complex forms. The MP-09 is made in four series of eight watches each: in yellow, green, blue and red. Each watch sells for $200,000.

Shining Piece: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Single Flying Tourbillon “Glow Me Up”

This Geneva-based manufacturer is known for its tourbillons and double tourbillons, but it also likes to experiment with new forms of gem-setting. The latest result is this creation, which looks like a jewelry watch by day, but becomes colorfully avant-garde at night. Glowing diamonds? You’ve never seen anything like this! The appearance is striking, but the technical background is not that complicated. The settings of the 60 baguette diamonds along the bezel are filled with differently colored Super-LumiNova, so the gemstones glow in different colors at night. Luminous material is also applied to the star-shaped movement bridge, the rim of the tourbillon and the outer ring of the nearly non-existent dial. This results in a unique light spectacle of at night. When the sun rises, this timepiece transforms back into a technically sophisticated but visually almost demure jewelry watch. Each of the eight 42-mm rose-gold watches encases in-house hand-wound Caliber RD512SQ and sells for $215,000.

Flaming Beacon: Urwerk UR-220 SL “Asimov”

The Geneva-based manufacturer Urwerk has been making a name for itself for years with its satellite displays. Now these moving and rotating display blocks for the hours also start to light up. And that’s not all: in addition, luminosity usefully highlights the numerals on the arcing minutes scale, along which the glowing hour numerals sweep, and also accentuates the brand name on the plate as well as the power-reserve display, which appears on two indicators at the upper left and right. Despite the new and radiant optics, the patented hour display remains the most astonishing feature of this new watch. A skeletonized arm serves as the frame for the hour cone on this display. The hour cone turns its correct side upward as it quickly moves back to the beginning of the minutes scale, where it’s picked up by the hour hand and gradually carried forward along the scale. After the frame hand has completed one hour-long task, it hurries back to the start of the scale and picks up the next hour cone. Hand-wound manufacture Caliber UR-7.20, which runs for 48 hours after it has been fully wound, is responsible for this function and for several other technical tricks. The case, which measures 43.8 mm by 53.6 mm, is made of 81 layers of TPC carbon composite. Urwerk uses a special manufacturing method to give the case a concentrically circular texture. The price for so much innovative spirit? $168,000.

A version of this article first appeared in the WatchTime 2022 Special Design Issue, on sale now.