or-rer-y: a mechanical model of the solar system, or of just the sun, earth, and moon, used to represent their relative positions and motions. This concludes our word-a-day calendar enlightenment. Now, on to why we’re talking about mechanical models – the Geo Graham Orrery Tourbillon.
As BaselWorld draws nearer, the trickle of watch release news has started to find weakness in the NDA dam, and we are getting hit with a ton of news. A lot of that is from luxury brands that we normally don’t cover here on WWR, but some of them are just plain cool. Such as this Geo Graham Orrery Tourbillon (and yes, we’ve covered plenty of Graham before).
I will not claim to be any expert or aficionado of the celestial bodies hurtling through space and time. I mean, I do not even own a telescope. However, you take those and put them into a model on a watch, and I’m practically on the edge of my seat.
In the case of the Geo Graham Orrery Tourbillon, we do not have the full universe. Rather, we have the Earth (made from turquioise) and it’s moon (made from meteorite), as well as Mars (made from another type of meteorite), traversing the dial. Yeah, it’s simplified, but it’s still pretty cool if you ask me, and would be a treat to see in person.
As would be that toubillon that calls the center of the dial home. Sort of like the sun to this tiny mechanical universe. Frankly, it wouldn’t be that hard to draw some imaginative parallels to the mechanical whirlwind with the solar flares that fire off from the sun’s surface, either. At least for me.
As far as pricing on this little beauty of mechanical model-making goes, we’re told that it’s available upon request. That said, I feel fairly confident placing the Geo Graham Orrery Tourbillon in the “Over $1000” category, especially with only eight being made (and that prior versions have been north of $300k). This is one of those watches, I feel, that if you have the chance to see it in person, you must make it a quest. Through space and time, or even in a Police Call Box, if you must. graham1695.com
Tech Specs from Graham
- Manual Tourbillon Orrery
- Decorated and refined movement exclusively made for GRAHAM by Manufacture Christophe Claret
- Mechanical Solar System model (Moon, Earth, Mars) with 300 years calendar in total
- Pink gold 18K
- Genuine fragments of the Moon and Mars. The Earth is made of Kingman Turquoise.
- Hand-engraved pink gold (18K) Tourbillon bridge with 2 Phoenix heads
- Functions:
- Manual Tourbillon Orrery, mechanical solar system model with 100 years calendar (two additional graduations of 100 years – 300 years in total)
- Year counter on the case back with planet correction indicators. (Moon: 7 years, Earth: 1156 years, Mars: 25 years)
- Hours, minutes
- Calibre: G1800, Tourbillon Orrery
- High precision mechanical movement by Manufacture Christophe Claret
- 21’600 A/h (3Hz)
- Incabloc shock absorber
- 35 jewels
- Power reserve: 72 hours with 2 barrels
- Case: 48 mm pink gold (18K) 17.60 mm thick
- Pink gold (18K) right hand control crowns (planets’ crown at 2 o’clock which also enables to set the calendar, manual winding and time crown at 3 o’clock)
- Moon corrector at 4 o’clock
- Mars corrector at 10 o’clock
- Dome sapphire crystal (semi-spherical), anti-reflective coating on both faces See-through sapphire crystal case back with 100-year scale, Moon and Mars correction indicators and serial number hand-engraved
- Bezel: Pink gold (18K) bezel
- Water resistance: 160 feet / 50 m / 5 bar
- Dial:
- Blue lacquered dial with Geo.Graham Tourbillon Orrery inscription at 4 o’clock
- 3 scales: Hours and minutes scale, Gregorian calendar (365.25 days), Zodiac scale (12 astrological signs)
- Solar system: The Moon (from NWA4881 meteorite, Ø0.90mm), The Earth (Kingman Turquoise, Ø3.20mm), Mars (from Tissint meteorite, Ø1.70mm), The Sun (pink gold (18K) – hand-engraved Tourbillon bridge with 2 Phoenix heads inspired by George Graham decoration and a cabochon close set diamond at the centre
- Off-centre skeleton pink gold (18K) hands with white Super-LumiNova coating
- Strap: Hand-sewn blue alligator, pink gold (18K) folding buckle
