Time Capsules: Watch Finder — Frederique Constant Manufacture Tourbillon Grand Feu

Every once in a while a watch comes a long that you have to turn your head and look again because everything lines up so perfectly. That’s what Atimelyperspective calls a Watch Finder — and keeper – if you can get it – it’s a great watch with great value. The new Frederique Constant Manufacture Tourbillon Grand Feu is just such a watch, thanks to its great movement with patented system and its hand-enamel dial – this is a work of art and craftsmanship. A real beauty the watch is exceptional – the hand enamel dial is created by hand enameling the finely powdered colored glass to a metal plate and then firing each level and enameling it again and again in a kiln at a heat of more than 900 degrees Celsius. While the dial is a work of art, the inside of the watch is equally as attractive with its award-winning Heart Beat Manufacture Calibre developed by Frederique Constant. It features a silicium escapement wheel and lever, a Smart Weight balancing system, and beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour. The silicium escapement wheel offers lubrication freedom and less friction.  The Smart Weight Balancing, developed by Frederique Constant, is designed for the tourbillon escapement to have equal distribution of weight amongst its 80 parts to run accurately. It accomplishes this with a patented “Smart Screw” system on the outer edge of the tourbillon cage, which is constructed with a slight over-weight opposite the Smart Screw system on the main Cage wheel. Then, the weight is balanced in relation to the center of the tourbillon cage by adding tiny metal rings under the two screws on the main cage wheel. It typically takes a watchmaker 8 hours to adjust the tiny rings and balance the weight perfectly to run at 4 Hertz. What makes this watch even more alluring is the price. It retails for an incredible $46,500 — for a tourbillon! But there is a catch … just 188 pieces are being created.