Double Axis Tourbillon

 
In the 1970s, an Englishman named Anthony G. Randall created a double axis tourbillon for clocks—more as an intellectual exercise than to actually address the issues of rate deviation mentioned above. He built a carriage clock based on these principles, adding the double axis tourbillon.

 

In a double axis tourbillon, the second axis revolves parallel to the dial, influencing the rate positively when the watch or clock is positioned with the dial up or down. Thus, this mechanism has an advantageous influence on the rate of all six positions.

 

Since the double axis tourbillon can only realize its full potential in wearable watches, Thomas Prescher first examined his possibilities in a pocket watch so that the feasibility of his vision could be examined and later added to a wristwatch version. It turned out that directly miniaturizing the same arrangement of components was not possible. Problems concerning weight distribution, gearing, and friction of the micro mechanisms led to completely different reactions than in Randall’s clock since the smallest component of the new mechanism weighed a mere 0.0009 grams. The tourbillon had to be designed entirely new, most especially because Prescher wanted to create a flying tourbillon Version.