I think at some point i'm going to be getting a Tourbillon for my collection, but two things are stopping me.
Firstly, the chinese tourbillons are currently only put in small case dress watches. We now see tourbillon's in HBB's, AP, FM's and lots and lots of larger case reps, but you can't get a 'rep' one in a case larger than 4cm which is just too small for me. I hope one day they will bring a bigger one out.
The second issue which for me is the most important is the mechanism itself. What happens when something goes wrong with it? Fixing a 6497 is easy enough, replacing an asian 21J, no problem, even the dreaded 7750 - just buy another mechanism. What about a chinese tourbillon though? I know Ofrei/Cousins can't help so what happens when it needs a service or perish the thought stops ticking after a year. Seems to me like it's tough luck - I am sure you can't ring up Seagull for the parts!!!. It's a lot of money to pay for a watch that might only have a shelf like of a year or two.
What do you think?
Firstly, the chinese tourbillons are currently only put in small case dress watches. We now see tourbillon's in HBB's, AP, FM's and lots and lots of larger case reps, but you can't get a 'rep' one in a case larger than 4cm which is just too small for me. I hope one day they will bring a bigger one out.
The second issue which for me is the most important is the mechanism itself. What happens when something goes wrong with it? Fixing a 6497 is easy enough, replacing an asian 21J, no problem, even the dreaded 7750 - just buy another mechanism. What about a chinese tourbillon though? I know Ofrei/Cousins can't help so what happens when it needs a service or perish the thought stops ticking after a year. Seems to me like it's tough luck - I am sure you can't ring up Seagull for the parts!!!. It's a lot of money to pay for a watch that might only have a shelf like of a year or two.
What do you think?