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Go upstream; aim at the accident; dare to go too far. These are the themes that Kerbedanz adopted for its Maximus tourbillon. Understanding its peculiarities is not rocket science: all it requires is a basic understanding of Latin. Maximus means "largest"!

Some achievements are so great that they need no further comment. No matter how you look at them, they will leave you speechless. Maximus' debut on Baselworld in 2017 is a good example. In the aisles of the largest watchmaking exhibition, a strange rumor spread abroad: a completely independent small company, crowded among the exhibitors gathered in the "Les Ateliers" section, has just produced the world's largest tourbillon. This has nothing to do with technical strength in the first place; it is art for art's sake. The watchmaking industry tends to focus on this feat. Measuring hundredths of a second or providing an accurate calendar for the next few centuries is an insult to common sense. But like general art, the art of watchmaking cannot be limited to the pursuit of common sense. This is not a reason for existence. Its mission is creativity, creativity and innovation; breaking boundaries, making scientific progress, and inspiring others to dream. On this basis alone, Maximus is a victory.

Although the idea of ​​designing "the world's largest tourbillon" sounds like a challenge that few watchmakers can resist, it is quite another matter to make it. Increasing the diameter of the tourbillon will inevitably cause problems related to frequency, accuracy, weight, and energy required to operate it, as well as problems with its position in the movement-thus affecting the way the movement is manufactured. All of this means starting from scratch-this is exactly what Concepto did, working with Kerbedanz to bring Maximus to life. It soon became clear that the tourbillon must be in the center. Not on the dial, but on the dial!

The diameter of the tourbillon is generally between 8 and 12 mm. Although Franck Muller may have produced the 20 mm Giga Tourbillon, Maximus went a step further, with a diameter of 27 mm, installed in a watch with a total diameter of 49 mm. The movement consists of 415 parts, of which the tourbillon has 73 parts-this is a relatively common number, which is consistent with the fact that the Maximus tourbillon has a huge size separated by a standard structure. To be as light as possible, the cage is made of titanium, a material that also enables Maximus to minimize the effects of magnetic fields.

Maximus does not complete a spin every 60 seconds, it takes 6 minutes. In order to allow this behemoth to move harmoniously and regularly, its frequency has been reduced to 2.5 Hz (18,000 vibrations per hour), which is the lowest frequency generally accepted by contemporary mechanical movements. Naturally, even at such a low frequency, the huge Maximus is very power hungry. Four parallel barrels provide the torque required to drive the center wheel mounted on ball bearings. Kerbedanz guarantees a power reserve of more than 48 hours (with its own indicator). However, the crown visible at 2 o'clock is not used to wind the watch: it is only used to set the time. Winding the four barrels of Maximus requires special keys introduced from the back of the case. What does Maximus add to the tourbillon? First of all, what is gratifying is its incredible and impressive technical performance. It is also educational: in such a large area, everything in the tourbillon can be clearly seen with the naked eye. The low frequency reveals the smallest details. This effect is fascinating and brings people back to the original neglected vibrating frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour, which can be traced back to the era when performance was secondary to the art of watchmaking.

*This year GMT magazine and WorldTempus started an ambitious project to summarize the past 20 years of tourbillon in the Millennium Watch Book-Tourbillon, a beautifully laid out coffee table book. This article is an excerpt. Millennium Watch Book-Tourbillons is available at www.the-watch-book.com, in French and English.

Kerbedanz provides highly unique timepieces to discerning customers, either as unique pieces or as strictly limited editions with symbolic meaning.

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