Quadruple Tourbillon Secret, Pink Gold

Greubel Forsey’s Quadruple Tourbillon Secret embodies the pursuit of precision mechanical timekeeping as sporting competition, to the exception of all other considerations. Comprised of 519 components, its architecture is fundamentally unlike anything else in watchmaking: four tourbillons configured in co-linear pairs, inclined, and synchronized through a spherical differential that averages any of the few aberrations which would arise from the four high-beating oscillators fed through dual mainspring barrels. The height of technical precision, there is no caseback experience quite like a thoroughbred competition Greubel Forsey. This is the Quadruple Tourbillon Secret in pink (red) gold, made in just 8 examples. A thoroughbred meant to pursue mechanical precision alone, this is Grebuel Forsey fully unbridled. 

The Quadruple Tourbillon calibre was first accomplished by Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey in 2008, following their success in chronometry trials. The duo sought to create a calibre that would eliminate all timing errors by organizing a harmony of consecutive oscillators. Here, each inner tourbillon is inclined at 30 degrees, rotating once per minute. The outer cage is orthogonal to the wrist, rotating once per four minutes. The carriages for this setup alone comprise 216 individual components. The output of each of the four tourbillons is averaged through a spherical differential, a first of its kind, to achieve an averaged accuracy far higher than any individual tourbillon would be capable of. The upper section of the movement is dominated by two oversized mainspring barrels, which allow for a 50-hour reserve despite four high-beat rate oscillators. This is a mechanical ballet operating with perfect precision in tolerance, architecture, and finishing. Not able to be captured in images or text, the resulting high-beat rate sound is akin to hearing two Apache helicopters starting up next to each other. 

The Quadruple Tourbillon immediately won Best Complication at the 2009 GPHG. It is not just philosophical departure from all other types of watchmaking, but physical as well. At 43mm, it is as large as it must be. Proportions are simply not a priority here, all is in pursuit of mechanics. The Red Gold case features a sapphire aperture on its side to observe the tourbillon inclination. 

This Quadruple Tourbillon ‘Secret’ was introduced as a tiny production variant in 2012. 8 examples were made in Red Gold and Platinum. This model introduces a paradox by integrating a fully closed dial, making the watch considerably more enigmatic until flipped over. The black gold dial is equally focused on chronometric accuracy. Aside from time, the dial bears three displays. Between 7 and 8, a display tracks the rotation of the four-minute cages. The subdial at 5 tracks rotation of the inner one-minute inclined cages. Finally, between 2 and 3 there is a colinear power reserve and running seconds. 

Intellectually rich and mechanically accomplished, the Quadruple Tourbillon Secret is independent watchmaking with an attitude that all but gone in contemporary independents. Far from chasing finishing heights alone, this is complication in pursuit of timing to the exception of all other considerations. Few watches from history have been made with such unwavering focus and dedication to see a concept through from imagination to fruition. This is pure mechanical precision as seen through the genius lens of Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey.

This Quadruple Tourbillon Secret presents in excellent overall condition. The case shows only light signs of sparing use, with no significant marks. The calibre is running well in specification in timing, as one might expect. It comes with its full set and (quite large) box including all original accessories.

This example is modelled on an average-sized 7-inch wrist.