SuitbertW
2411
The small ratchet wheel close to the tourbillon center...
Hi Jack,
that's a constant force mechanism!
During his countless hours trying to get it working, i.e. to achieve a little better rate stability, he realized that this escapement was very sensitive to this problem and he decided to add a constant force. You may imagine what that means once the base design is already done ;-)
The original idea (it's an old dream to somehow achieve a less harsh impulsing, I'm lacking the correct english term, perhaps it could be called "impact free" impulse?) goes back to Benoit and Himmelheber - bot designed torubillon escapements where the impulse is supplied through the hairspring (i.e. not directly to the balance).
As nice as it works in terms of smoothness of impulse, it's extremely problematic and complex to work precisely.
The exact timing for unlocking/impulse is most crucial and that's one of the weak parts of those designs.
BTW, Rieflers version with balance wheel (the pictures of Paul Gerbers table clock 
) is similar and I'd say belongs to the same group.
Christian Klings combined this basic design with his desmodromic escapement - but as said even investing far more time and energy as expected - it never worked reliably. But looking at the running escapement is incredibly mesmerizing and one easily forgets about such sterile things as "rate"
If' I'd have had to guess if it could work before I actually saw it in the flesh - I wouldn't have believed it could.
Best
Suitbert
The german "cabinotier".......
Hi all, I'm sure almost all of you've heard of the cabinotiers of old Geneva, those watchmakers working in the small workshops, often located in the garrets of Geneva's town houses. It was the place with the best availlable daylight, the most time of a da...
Beautiful watches!
I particularly like the No. 7 Tourbillon. Do you have a more frontal shot of it? Thanks for showing us the environment that these beauties were born in as well.
Hi, Allen,....
...here're two more, but no frontal dial shot - I'll upload one later. Due to the flying third wheel design, there's an amazing transparency for the tourbillon area. As you may see both, the flying tourbillon and the third wheel are supported by ball bear...
Here's a more frontal dial shot..
Hi Allen, but, they're not that good and I've to go through the pic files again, if there's some better, more doing justice to the work. As you say - the tourbillon cage is particulary beautifull ! Best regards Suitbert...
Just out of curiousity, Suitbert, is this the only . . .
. . . tourbillon that rotates on ball bearings, or are there others? Cordially, Art
I'm a great admirer of his work, thanks for the update!
Hi Suitbert, My understanding is that Mr. Klings was living and working in California about the time I got interested in watchmaking, but unfortunately he had already moved before I had ever heard of him, otherwise I would've loved to have visited his wor...
yes..I read about Klings california past, in a magazine some years ago.
I think we had some discussion about him way back in 2004.
Marvellous pics !
Thanks Suitbert, for these fantastic pics, of a real classic looking movement ! The finish seems incredible! BTW, in this country, the best tasting ice cream is,..... Klings :-) Cheers Doc
LoL - Doc, I've to tell Christian about that swedish ice cream.....
And thanks a lot for your kind words! Best Suitbert
What a great example of real watchmaking!
It clearly shows his talent and savoir faire, and also makes the manual process and execution visible. For me, this is much more desirable than a 100% perfectly finished end-product, which may look a bit sterile. I shall not forget to say that his technic...
Oh my god. . .
. . .Suitbert. Tourbillon no. 5. Ohhh, my goodness Love to hear more about that one. . . pleeeeeeeease??? Jack
I'm with you for number 5 Jack
Thanks a lot Suitbert. Amazing work, fascinating to teh extrreme. I'd love to knpw more about his "no-tourbiilon" watches!! Cheers Dje
Gotta hear more about it. Haven't been so excited since. . .
. . .I first became familiar with Kari Voutilainen's work. This is HOT stuff Jack
Hi Jack, Jerome....
.... No. 5 is a most fascinating piece, your pick isn't surprising to me It's a long story and perhaps much better to go into Christian Klings desmodromic escapement first as it's part of this very special piece as well. And, I should also point out that ...
OK, thanks Suitbert, what the heck. . .
. . . are those really two pallet forks. . . ?!? Jack
The small ratchet wheel close to the tourbillon center...
Hi Jack, that's a constant force mechanism! During his countless hours trying to get it working, i.e. to achieve a little better rate stability, he realized that this escapement was very sensitive to this problem and he decided to add a constant force. Yo...
OK, so let me get this straight. . .
. . .constant force escapement (!) impulsed through the hairspring, not directly to an impulse jewel on the balance? That's just wild. That it was done in a 7.5 second tourbillon just adds to the tastiness, even if it IS tempermental. I'd just love to hea...
You're absolutely right, Jack....
...only a "horologically obsessed" one would have started to build something like this I asked Christian for some drawings and he told me he might have some....let's see ;-) I'll put together some more about the desmodromic escapement the next days . Best...
Thanks Suitbert. Mr Klings' work is beautiful
Somewhat reminiscent of Urban Jurgensen yet subtly different. His movement work is quietly stunning, I like the careful finish that doesn't focus too much on unnecessary decoration. Kudos to Mr Klings. - SJX
Yowza! Now that´s really something different!
Independent watchmaking, as much as it can be! Thanks a lot, that´s truly eye opening! Can´t wait to see and hear more! Cheers, Peter
Large WOW Factor
Please do share more pictures and your insightful comments on these pieces. Great new surprise this morning, and I am very fond of the traditional design.
Suitbert, thank you for a most enjoyable post. No 5 is a beauty, can't wait
to read/see more about Mr Klings work.
For us "slower" people >>
In the Nr 5 Piece, do I assume that a 7.5s tourbillon does just that? Circulate in 7.5s. What tourbillon cages? I "see" no cages - only air; like faerie dancesteps on dandelion seeds Regards, MTF
Another tourbillon by Klings
Great report ! Many thanks! BTW, another tourbillon (No. 6) by Klings: click here photo by "Armband Uhren", 2005 Best regards....
... and another (photo)...
... for Lottermann & Soehne (2003 / 4): click here Cheers, otho...
Lottermann & Soehne by C. Klings in close-up
very nice, semiclassical regulateur tourbillon...
Thanks, Otho, for the additional input...
... unfortunately I don't have pictures of No.6 - :-( If I'm not mistaken this is the only tourbillon made by Christian for Lottermann&Söhne - very interesting design. While it does look like a flying tourbillon, it's in fact supported on both ends. On th...
Dear SuitbertW,
truly thanks for your equally important & interesting details ! Additional en face view of Klings's tourbillon for Lottermann: , ... and very exciting table clock in glass case with one-minute flying tourbillon escapement made by C. Klings (also signed by...