The Gravitational Pull of Graham

In addition to its popular large-cased Chronofighter and Silverstone chronographs, Swiss-based Graham also makes a small series of limited edition dress watches replica dedicated to the British watchmaker and company namesake George Graham himself. Last year Graham CEO Eric Loth spoke with International Watch about the latest model in that collection, the Geo. Graham Tourbillon. The watch followed the incredible Geo. Graham Tourbillon Orrery, mechanical solar system model with a very unusual 100 years calendar that Graham debuted in 2013.

As Loth explains, Graham himself lived an interesting life and made important contributions to watchmaking and science, including inventing design improvements to the chronograph and the pendulum clock and who devised (with another famed British watchmaker Thomas Tompion) the design of the modern orrery in 1704. He was made Master of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers in 1722. Indeed, one of Graham’s apprentice’s, Thomas Mudge, became an influential watchmaker after inventing the lever escapement, which became the standard for pocket watches replica. Loth says he was inspired to develop this piece by one of many events in Graham’s life in London in which the watchmaker sat together with famed astronomer Edmond Halley and with scientist Isaac Newton in a historic discussion of timekeeping and Kepler’s Laws that influenced Newton as he developed his groundbreaking theories on gravitational forces.

This product both fights and utilizes gravitational pull, explained Loth. Which is why I wanted an automatic tourbillon.

The Geo. Graham Tourbillon is a classically designed thin 40mm pink gold watch with a 60-second tourbillon at 6 o’clock. Made in partnership with Le Cercle des Horlogers in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the watch features a white richly enameled and lacquered dial with a minute scale resembling a railway track around the its outer edges. This design echoes several of Graham’s own historic timepiece designs. The Geo. Graham Tourbillon is being made in a limited edition of 100 pieces and is finished with circular Côtes de Genève motif on the bridges, circular graining, chamfered and polished bridges and manipulate.

This 9.85mm thin watch is powered with an engraved gold micro-rotor that, unusually, spins inside its own sapphire case slot built into the clear sapphire caseback. Even though it utilizes a micro-rotor, the watch maintains a strong 72-hour power reserve. Loth says he insisted on the micro-rotor so that the watch’s owner (and his or her friends) can get a full, uninterrupted view of the finely constructed tourbillon from the front and the back of the watch without the regulator being being hidden by a full-sized rotor at any time. Price: $76,600