Wyler Geneve WT3 Tourbillon

Geneva, 2nd June 2009 – The manufacture movement used in the new Wyler Genève WT3 tourbillon has a breathtaking design, a unique type of decoration and is the first to be produced in accordance with strict quality criteria that have been registered as the Poinçon du Jura®.

The criteria to be met under the Poinçon du Jura® label are very strict: All movements produced under this label must be 100% Swiss made, of which a minimum of 90% must be made in the famous arc jurassien – the heart of Switzerland’s watchmaking industry. Furthermore, such movements must be produced by a company that is totally independent from any watchmaking group.

For Wyler’s WT3 tourbillon movement, the plates and bridges are produced individually from a block of raw material, with no mass production stamping involved. This complicated, meticulous procedure allows numerous variations on the same calibre as well as a level of quality that is considerably higher than that of other calibres stamped in large series. The resulting movement is a refreshing take on the 200 year-old tourbillon design. Its skeleton structure shows off the different levels of its construction, while scratch-resistant sapphire crystals on both sides of the titanium container allow light to pass through the movement and reflect off the individual components

The WT3’s flying tourbillon completes one rotation every 60 seconds from a balance operating at 21,600 vibrations per hour and its manually-wound movement offers a 72-hour power reserve. The timekeeping indicators are discreet, with just the hour and minute hands to distract the wearer’s attention from the mechanical dance beneath.

Wyler Geneve WT3 Tourbillon

The new WT3 models are available with the patented shock-absorbing Code-R case in matt black ceramic or 18-carat white gold. Inside this sandwich case, the movement is housed in a titanium container suspended on springs inside a carbon fibre frame to which the outer plates are fixed by polished titanium screws on the white-gold model and black DLC-coated screws on the ceramic model. The result is the world’s only sprung-mounted, shock-absorbing tourbillon.

A proprietary material exclusive to Wyler Genève is used to decorate the WT3 tourbillon. It is the result of two years of development backed by decades of experience in laser technology. Although the production method for this fragile material is a closely guarded secret, Wyler Genève can reveal that no less than 11 consecutive operations and treatments are required to transform a solid and irregular sheet of silicium, by layer depositions, coloration by precious material etc., into very precise components within tolerances of one hundredth of a millimetre. The resulting composite lends itself to the decoration of flat surfaces, making it ideal for the decoration of the movement bridges, where it catches the light to draw the eye to the complex mechanism beneath. Last but not least, each crystallisation is different, making the decoration and, therefore, each WT3 tourbillon unique.

The new WT3 models are fitted with Wyler Genève’s signature rubber strap with an elegant foldover clasp. This comes with an engraved buckle in titanium and stainless steel on the gold model and black PVD steel for the black ceramic model. These luxury timepieces are water resistant to 100 metres and, like all Wyler Genève watches, come with a 2-year international warranty and a high-quality watch box inspired by vintage car toolkits.

Technical specifications

Functions:
Hours, minutes, 60-second tourbillon

Movement:
Mechanical manual winding skeleton movement, 72-hour power reserve, 21,600 vibrations/hour, flying tourbillon.
Movement bridges decorated with proprietary deposition for which each crystallization is unique

Case:
Available in black ceramic or 18-carat white gold
4 titanium screws

Case middle:
Carbon fibre, 2 sapphire crystals

Inner movement case:
Titanium, suspended on 4 independent shock absorbers,

Water resistant to 100m

Crown:
titanium or 18-carat white gold coated with natural rubber, stylised design motif

Crown protector:
DLC-coated steel or 18-carat white gold with engraved Wyler logo

Crystal:
Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating

Back:
Screw-on case-back in ceramic or 18-carat white gold with scratch-resistant sapphire crystal aperture

Dimensions:
Width: 42 mm
Length: 52 mm
Height: 12.5 mm

Strap:
Black rubber with foldover clasp

References
R05.T3X.00.00.BA001.RBA07.99 – Ceramic case with black rubber strap and PVD steel foldover clasp

R06.T3X.00.00.BA001.RBA07.41 – 18-carat white-gold case with black rubber strap and steel/titanium foldover clasp