MTF initiates a series on Piaget's complicated movements, focusing on the hand-wound tourbillon. This introductory piece highlights Piaget's mastery of ultra-thin complications and the innovative 600P movement, which set a world record for thinness in a shaped tourbillon.

Piaget Complicated Movements: part 1; Tourbillon hand-wind

Piaget is one of the rare fully integrated Haute Horlogerie manufacturers.

In-house, Piaget has created 35 movements (including 11 complications) in the last 14 years.

Piaget has mastered 4 of the 5 classic major complications: Automatic Tourbillon, Chronograph, Perpetual Calendar and Minute Repeater,Â? with the added complication of being ultra-thin.

This series of articles will trace the Piaget Path through Complicated Movements.  

The development of the ultra-thin, mechanical, self-winding, tourbillon movement can be traced back to 2003 when the 600P movement was launched. It was the world's thinnest, hand-wound, shaped tourbillon movement.

Designed for the Emperador case, the 600P was rectangular shaped, hence the term 'shaped' movement. Conventional movements are round so other shapes are called 'shaped' movements.

Very much in keeping with the Piaget Founder's motto: "Always do more than is necessary", Piaget decided to use a flying tourbillon and make the 600P the world's thinnest movement of its type.

The tourbillon carriage was placed at 12 o'clock position and the insignia 'P' gave an aesthetic whirling signature on the movement.

The asymmetrical letter P required a masterly adjustment to balance the tourbillon cage. This allowed Piaget to demonstrate yet another company adage:Â? "Technique in the service of Aesthetique".

2003 Tourbillon HW 600P Video

600P

Manufacture Piaget ultra-thin, mechanical, worlds thinnest, hand-wound, shaped, tourbillon movement.

Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds at 12 o Â?clock (flying tourbillon), power-reserve indicator at 6 o Â?clock
Movement thickness: 3.5 mm (4.5 mm including carriage)
Casing dimensions : 12 Â?3/4 lignes x 10 lignes (28.6 mm x 22.4 mm)
Number of jewels: 24
Frequency: 21,600 vibrations/hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: approx. 44 hours
Flying tourbillon positioned at 12 o clock, one rotation per minute

Tourbillon carriage: 3 titanium bridges, weight of the tourbillon carriage: 0.2 g
Finishing: Circular Cotes de Geneve, mainplate and bridges circular-grained by hand, hand-drawn and hand-bevelled bridges and carriage, blued screws

Other variants of the shaped tourbillon movement followed, including this moon phase variant: 640P

Dr M. Teillol-Foo (2013)