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Lot Essay
This completely spectacular baguette diamond encrusted white gold De Ville Central Tourbillon is without doubt one of the most lavishly jewelled versions of this now legendary model. To the best of our knowledge, the present watch is the first example with diamond bezel and full baguette diamond-set white gold Omega bracelet to be offered at international auction. Only two pieces of this configuration were ever made. The overall combination of white gold case and bracelet coupled with ice-white diamonds is simply breathtaking.
When Omega’s De Ville Central Tourbillon was unveiled in 1994 it caused a sensation as the first automatic wristwatch ever to feature a centrally mounted tourbillon. Designed by watchmaker Maurice Grimm, and engineer André Beyner, it was launched to celebrate the brand’s 100th anniversary. No expense was spared on the manufacture of the model which was available cased only in precious metals and enriched by a traditional hand-guilloché solid gold dial.
The De Ville Central Tourbillon is a fascinating horological achievement developed over three years and presented at the Basel Fair of 1994. It was the most expensive and technically challenging movement constructed by Omega. Unlike traditional tourbillons that are placed at the 6 or 12 o'clock positions, the Omega De Ville Central Tourbillon, as the name suggests, features a patented centrally mounted tourbillon cage right in the middle of the dial. This design rotates completely once every 60 seconds and carries the seconds hand mounted on a bridge in the shape of the Omega emblem. Because the tourbillon occupies the centre where the hands are traditionally placed, the Central Tourbillon uses ‘floating hands’ facilitated by two superimposed sapphire crystal discs with etched or applied arrowhead indicators. The discs rotate around the perimeter to display the hours and minutes, creating the illusion that the hands are ‘floating’ in the manner of a mystery clock.
When Omega’s De Ville Central Tourbillon was unveiled in 1994 it caused a sensation as the first automatic wristwatch ever to feature a centrally mounted tourbillon. Designed by watchmaker Maurice Grimm, and engineer André Beyner, it was launched to celebrate the brand’s 100th anniversary. No expense was spared on the manufacture of the model which was available cased only in precious metals and enriched by a traditional hand-guilloché solid gold dial.
The De Ville Central Tourbillon is a fascinating horological achievement developed over three years and presented at the Basel Fair of 1994. It was the most expensive and technically challenging movement constructed by Omega. Unlike traditional tourbillons that are placed at the 6 or 12 o'clock positions, the Omega De Ville Central Tourbillon, as the name suggests, features a patented centrally mounted tourbillon cage right in the middle of the dial. This design rotates completely once every 60 seconds and carries the seconds hand mounted on a bridge in the shape of the Omega emblem. Because the tourbillon occupies the centre where the hands are traditionally placed, the Central Tourbillon uses ‘floating hands’ facilitated by two superimposed sapphire crystal discs with etched or applied arrowhead indicators. The discs rotate around the perimeter to display the hours and minutes, creating the illusion that the hands are ‘floating’ in the manner of a mystery clock.