The relentless pursuit of excellence is a defining characteristic of Horage’s dedicated team of engineers. And, once again, that team has raised the bar and set a new standard for the entire Swiss watch industry with its latest innovation, the K-TMR Calibre.
The new movement represents a notable achievement in the world of horology with the fusion of a micro-rotor and a tourbillon, a pairing seldom seen in the watchmaking realm, and one that has long been the exclusive domain of the most discerning connoisseurs.
The challenge lies in harmonising these two distinct mechanisms within a single movement, a feat further complicated by their inherently contradictory demands. Thanks to the modular design of the K2 micro-rotor, Horage’s engineers have been able to seamlessly integrate it with the K-TOU tourbillon, resulting in the birth of one of the most efficient and precise micro-rotor tourbillon calibres ever conceived.
Many micro-rotor movements resort to smaller balance wheels to enhance efficiency, but this approach clashes with the demands of a larger tourbillon. The tourbillon, housed within a rotating cage that accommodates the balance and escapement, requires more space, sophistication, and power than traditional setups.
This presents a formidable engineering challenge, necessitating the reconfiguration of bridges and the gear train to successfully accommodate a micro-rotor tourbillon. Horage’s solution involves a titanium tourbillon cage weighing a mere 0.29 grams and measuring just 3.9mm in thickness.
With a silicon escapement and hairspring, this lightweight and efficient tourbillon complements a perfectly balanced PT-950 platinum micro-rotor. The result is an impressive power reserve of over 72 hours, a testament to the evolution of the COSC-certified K2 micro-rotor and K-TOU tourbillon calibres.
Swiss micro-rotor tourbillons are exceptionally rare, with only a handful of watchmakers daring to produce them. This scarcity has created a dearth of information and offerings in this particular niche.
A select few brands such as Bell & Ross, Hublot, and Corum, have ventured into this territory, but their limited productions command mid-five to six-figure price tags. In the world of watchmaking, multi-axis tourbillons, repeaters, and peripheral rotors reign supreme, making micro-rotor tourbillons a truly unique proposition.
The tourbillon, conceived in the late 1700s and patented by Breguet in 1801, met the micro-rotor much later, in the mid-1950s.
Marrying these two innovations within a single movement has proven elusive for most. But Horage, spurred by relentless customer requests, has successfully blended the K2 micro-rotor and K-TOU tourbillon into an integrated sports watch, the Autark Tourbillon in grade 5 titanium.
At Horage, the belief in customisation is unwavering. Following the success of its inaugural K-TOU tourbillon piece, the Tourbillon 1, the brand now offers three distinctive colour options for the new K-TMR: a sporty deep red, deep blue, or classic anthracite.
Hand-finishing includes Côtes de Genève, a quadratic black-gold bridge, and Horage’s signature open-worked grid pattern. Customising movements in the luxury watchmaking world is already unusual, and achieving it with a sophisticated movement like the K-TMR micro-rotor tourbillon is an even rarer feat.
Describing the Autark Tourbillon with the new K-TMR Calibre as an unprecedented opportunity is no hyperbole. The rarity of this movement combination, combined with Horage’s commitment to delivering exceptional value, lies at the core of their vision.
Horage refrains from artificially inflating prices, ensuring that watch enthusiasts from all walks of life can partake in the complexity and luxury of their timepieces. With the K-TMR micro-rotor tourbillon, this vision becomes a reality.
The inaugural timepiece featuring the K-TMR Calibre is the Autark Tourbillon. Horage anticipates an 18-month timeline from the commencement of pre-orders to the completion of these exceptional timepieces. During this period, more information will be shared on the intricate details of the watch and the precise pre-order date.
Priced just below CHF 10,000, the Autark Tourbillon will stand as the most compelling Swiss Made titanium flying tourbillon micro-rotor movement watch ever crafted.
