(!) Lebih 500k Page Views...

"Lebih 10 tahun bersiaran di Blogosphere. Hari ini jumlah page view telah melepasi 500,000. Terima kasih kepada semua pembaca-pembaca dari Malaysia dan luar negara. Sokongan anda amat dihargai." - thetick-thetick2020

"More than 10 years publishing on Blogosphere. Today the total number of page view has passed 500,000. Thank you to all the readers from Malaysia and overseas. Your support is very much appreciated." - thetick-thetick2020

Pengetahuan: Apa itu Tourbillon?

"Ejaan dia tourbillon. Sebut dia ter-byon atau teur-byon. Bahasa Perancis. Inilah jam jenis payah nak sebut, payah nak buat. Mahal. Jam mewah untuk golongan elit bangsawan kayangan. Apa dia ter-byon byon byon ni? Apa yang istimewa? Sejak berdekat lamanya pembuat-pembuat jam dari negara Switzerland terutamanya, German, U.K. malah Citizen dan Seiko Jepun turut serta mengeluarkan jam tourbillon. Ada juga jam tourbillon tiruan dan murah dari negara China wujud mutakhir nih. Jangan tak tahu!” – thetick-thetick2020

Tourbillon dan Sejarah Penciptaan

Tourbillon telah wujud sekian lama dan dicipta oleh master watchmaker Abraham Louis Breguet (pengasas jenama Breguet) dalam tahun 1795. Ia kemudian dipatenkan oleh beliau pada tahun 1801. Paten ini telah lama luput dan membolehkan watchmaker-watchmaker lain membuatnya. Tourbillon, dalam bahasa Perancis bermaksud angin yang berputar (whirlwind). Ini adalah kerana mekanisma ini secara fizik berputar dengan sendirinya. Ia seumpama satu jam kecil yang berputar di dalam jam yang lain. Ini adalah idea asal Breguet. Namun komponen yang jelas kelihatan adalah balance wheel yang bukan sekadar berputar separa kiri dan kanan tetapi ia turut berputar mengikut arah pusingan jam. Ia dikenali sebagai ‘balance wheel oscillation’ atau putaran balance wheel. Satu putaran penuh tourbillon ada yang merakam kiraan 60 saat dan ada pula yang 30 saat. Untuk kitaran penuh 60 saat, ia sering dijadikan ‘sub-second’ untuk penunjuk masa.

Tourbillon. A - balance wheel pada mekanisma regulator bergerak separa kiri dan kanan. B - tourbillon carriage akan menggerakan keseluruhan mekanisma regulator mengikut arah jam dan sering dijadikan penunjuk masa sub-second.

Brequet. Jenama Swiss yang terkenal dengan pembuatan jam-jam tangan tourbillon. (sumber: Breguet)

Tujuan Penggunaan Tourbillon

Asas utama tourbillon adalah balance wheel yang bergerak pada kesemua arah (360 darjah) dikatakan mampu mengurangkan atau nyah kesan graviti apabila movement jam beroperasi. Ia tidak statik pada satu kedudukan seperti movement jam tangan mekanikal yang biasa. Tujuannya adalah supaya jam tangan memberi bacaan yang lebih tepat. Namun, ia hanyalah konsep dan setakat ini terbukti ia tidaklah setepat jam-jam tangan biasa yang bertaraf chronometer. Mungkin pada zaman ia dicipta ia adalah sesuatu yang bagus kerana diguna pada jam-jam poket. Jam jenis ini apabila disimpan dalam poket, kedudukan movementnya adalah tegak atau vertical. Tarikan graviti pada kedudukan ini juga bersifat vertical dan apabila balance wheel bergerak, ia dikatakan mampu nyah kesan graviti.

Kesan tarikan graviti pada balance wheel (anak panah merah). Konsep tourbillon adalah untuk nyah kesan graviti pada balance wheel. Asas yang sama digunakan untuk chronometer testing dan regulator tuning.

Komponen-komponen utama pada mekanisma tourbillon (sumber: ablogtowatch)

Jenis-Jenis Tourbillon

Penghasilan jam-jam tourbillon mengambilkira arah tarikan graviti dan paksi (axis) balance wheel apabila jam tangan dipakai. Ada tiga jenis tourbillon – traditional/classic tourbillon (one axis tourbillon), ‘flying tourbillon’, dan multi-axis tourbillon. Traditional Tourbillon menggunakan ‘bridge’. Ia adalah mekanisma yang memegangnya pada kedudukan tetap dan membolehkan ia dilihat apabila berputar.

Jam Danial Roth Classic Tourbillon. Menggunakan bridge yang dipasang pada movement secara kekal untuk memegang mekanisma tourbillon.

Jam tangan jenis 'open heart' seperti Orient ini hanya menunjukkan mekanisma balance wheel melalui bukaan pada dial. Bukan tourbillon.

Flying Tourbillon mempunyai binaan yang bersifat aesthetic dimana bridge tidak digunakan supaya tourbillon dapat dilihat sepenuhnya tanpa halangan. Ia terhubung pada movement yang memegangnya. Ia amat rumit untuk dibina secara artistik.

Jam Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon. Tiada tourbillon bridge. Mekanismanya dipasang pada movement.

Kebanyakan movement-movement tourbillon beroperasi pada satu paksi (one axis). Namun ada juga movement-movement tourbillon yang bergerak pada pelbagai paksi (multi-axis). Tujuannya adalah untuk nyah kesan graviti apabila jam dipakai bergerak ke pelbagai arah. Secara lumrah, tangan kita bergerak sepanjang masa maka Multi-Axis Tourbillon dicipta untuk tujuan tersebut. Ia umpama gyroscope. Jam tourbillon jenis multi-axis mahal dengan harga ratusan ribu.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grand Tradition Gyrotourbillon. Jam tourbillon mewah. Tourbillon yang bergerak di pelbagai paksi. Rekabentuknya unik.

Kemajuan teknologi rekabentuk 3D dan precision engineering kini banyak membantu master-master watchmaker untuk mencipta pelbagai jenis tourbillon. Ada yang single tourbillon, double tourbillon, triple, quadruple, dan pelbagai komplikasi lain.

Jam tangan Deep Space Tourbillon ciptaan independent watchmaker Vianney Halter. Canggih dan futuristic.

“Mahal, namun tidaklah sehebat jam yang menggunakan movement tradisional yang bertaraf chronometer. Jam-jam tourbillon memang mengasyikkan apabila diperhatikan. Komplikasi dan pergerakannya menggambarkan kemampuan sesebuah jenama untuk membuatnya. Mengeluarkan jam tangan tourbillon hanyalah kebanggaan. Kebanggaan kepada watchmaker atau jenama yang mampu membuatnya dan pemilik yang mampu membelinya.” – thetick-thetick 

Exploring Horology: Great Old Japanese Steel

"Pick a vintage 60s or the 70s. Dressage, sporty, field or tool watch… it will tell you a story about its existence. Open the case back, there are more to tell about the workhorse. I love vintage watches, never get bored of them. They are the antiques that survive through time. Not to forget, the abuse from their previous owners. Swiss or Japanese, Germans or France; it is a must have in my collection. Cheap or expensive, it is a subject of one’s preferences. I prefer the Japanese... the old steel. Why?” – thetick-thetick2020

The Golden Era
The golden era of watchmaking started in the late 50s and last towards the end of 70s. It is a period where watches becoming affordable to ordinary people and the market was flooded by numerous brands. The industry was moved by the 'one movement - multi brands' phenomenon. Movement makers like A. Schild, ETA, MST, Valjoux, Unitas, Lemania, Venus, Peseux, and Standard Time have to upsurge their production in order to meet the overwhelming demand for 'blank movement'. The era also witnessed the rejuvenation of watchmaking industry in Germany, France, UK, and the US. Not to forget India with the establishment of local watchmaker, Allwyn and HMT. Prevailing Swiss house of horology have no choice but to set their own playing field and compete among the elite few. They remain in the same league until today. The golden era also remind us of the design transition. I call it the thirty-five-forty! From standard 35mm timekeeper, watches got bigger to 40. Plenty of choices - dressage, sporty, field or tool watch. Apparently, these trends were not set alone by the European. The Japanese house of horology like Seiko, Citizen, Orient, and Ricoh are the real mover. Seiko presence especially have been a mammoth challenge to the Swiss with their chronometer standard and world’s first achievement. The golden era has brought the Japanese on global stage and became household brands until now.

Seiko and Citizen mechanical chronographs; storming the market in the 70s. They are among the top-selling sports watches during the golden era. Not to forget, Seiko's world first column wheel vertical clutch chronograph invention. A design principal later adopted by the Swiss watchmakers.

Another stunner from the 70s. The Seiko World Time 6117-6400. Sportier, bigger, and colourful compared to the monotonous design from the past decades. Today, other than the Grand Seiko automatic; the company only produce the 4-hands world timer or GMT using the Kinetic movement.

The Japanese Originals
The 60s and 70s saw Orient and Ricoh join the bandwagon following the path set by Seiko and Citizen. While the non house of horology brands busy manipulating the dials to fit in blank movement for new models; the Japanese originals (Seiko, Citizen, Orient, and Ricoh) have plenty to offer from varieties of movement they produced in-house. Seiko and Citizen relished the golden years exceptionally with their advancement and manage to break the Swiss hegemony through their affordable, robust yet accurate wide range of movements. Some of the Japanese movements produced during that period are in fact much better than those new ones used today.

Citizen calibre 7790 after cleaning and oiling. One of the movement used for the Seven Star series in the 70s. After tweaking and tuning, this 1973 timekeeper runs excellently at -5/+10s per day. Great Japanese original.

The Quartz Effect

The advent of quartz movement was a stopper to the golden era. Traditional Swiss mechanical watchmaking was profoundly affected. Quartz accuracy and lower production cost makes the mechanical less attentive. During the rise of quartz in the 80s; Seiko, Citizen, and Orient have cut down the cost on mechanicals with the introduction of new and cheaper movements. Although there are few elders from the 7000 series, Seiko is famous for their 7S movement and Citizen is acceptable with their Calibre 82. We don’t get hand-winding and hacking functions from these two original base movements. It is a waning point where Japanese mechanicals started to perceive as low quality and cheap. Look at Seiko 5 and the eagle emblem on Citizen’s dial! Cheapo watch huh! But, during the golden era, Seiko 5 is among the top Seiko lines fitted with variety of good movements and the eagle emblem only available on the case back of Citizen’s chronometer. This is the utmost reason why Japanese vintage collector prefers models from the golden years. Better movement, great old Japanese steel.

The legendary bond 007 diver from the SKX series. World's famous diver besides the Rolex Submariner. Enhanced from the previous 7002 diver, the SKX is among the few Seiko's downgraded mechanical models that manage to succeed in the overwhelming quartz market.

The Survivor’s Fate

Although not that many, vintage watches are still available on the market. Those survivors from golden era have travelled thru time, places, and owners. Vintage Japanese, Swiss, Germans, and other brands are still there for one to acquire. Some are rare, some are all-original, and not less of them are ‘frankened’. Due to scarce of parts, all-original models are getting lesser and hard to find nowadays. In Malaysia, famous models and brands are valued more especially the Swiss and rare Japanese. Ordinary Japanese are mostly undervalue albeit their pristine condition and good movement. Famous model versus good movement! Collectors choose famous model compared to good movement. That’s what I can conclude, honestly. Vintage Seiko Turtle 6309 has more value compared to Lord Matic. And, the 6105 diver is more expensive than the Presmatic. If you want to compare, those movements used in Lord Matic and Presmatic are far more superior compared to 6105 and 6309. Am I right? In general we love cars by the design, but not the engine that moves them around. These are impediments to those survivors from golden era. Undervalue and less appreciated.

The all-original Lord of the 70s. The Seiko calibre 5606 in this Lord Matic is better than the new calibre 4R and 6R used in the Presage and Prospex lines. It is one of the best movement produced by Seiko during the golden era.


The Seiko 6139-7002 mechanical chronograph. Getting an all-original is very hard these days. I call this fatso the 'silent chronograph'. You can't see the seconds hand moving unless you start recording. What a seventy!

The Return of the Kings

Continuing since the last decade, famous models from golden years return to the market with modern essence. New movement, new material, better finishing, and relevant. Re-issue, re-edition, and anniversary edition are trending and they are from those signature lines of the golden era – the kings. But only a few can meet the stumpy budget. Many are limited editions and expensive. During the golden years the original models are not cheap either. Buying a 100 ringgit watch during that time might cost half of ordinary man’s take-home pay. True kings are not cheap.

The Champion of the Kings. This Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 VFA returns on its 20th anniversary. Honoured in platinum, this king is a limited edition luxury and very expensive. (source: grandseiko.com)

My Preference

All the while I prioritize my budget for new release; brand new or pre-owned. But not anymore. After many years of collecting, I value the old Japanese steel more than the new lines in collection. I have my regret by letting go some of them. Those still in possession have thought me a valuable lesson. Keep vintage with good movement - let go those contemporary modern pieces! Vintage hunting; cheap or expensive, I always look for good dial-set condition and importantly the movement inside. The all-original if possible! Other than the in-house, many Swiss vintage are fitted with ETA, AS, or the cheaper no jewels movement. I had enough of them. Japanese vintages are better because they use in-house movement and plenty of choices to experience with.

Minting my vintage. Servicing the movement, brushing and polishing. Make good all the vintage in collection is my passion. Doesn't matter if it is cheap or expensive, Japanese timekeepers from the golden era are amazing.

"I still remember the day I bought my first vintage Seiko Lord Matic. The seller gave me the option to pay a little bit extra for a vintage Omega Constellation. Both are using in-house calibres but I choose the Lord Matic. The seller (an old avid watch collector) asked me why I choose the Seiko and not the Omega. My answer, the Lord Matic Calibre 5606A is far more superior compared to the Omega Calibre 1021. The seller smile at me and said that I made the right choice! Now... which one? Vintage Rolex 6694 or vintage Grand Seiko? For me, I don’t mind spending the same amount for 6694 just to get the vintage GS. No second thought about it. Again, why? GS uses far more superior movement compared to the nothing to shout about 6694 movement. For me the 6694 is more of a brand value preserving the antiques of Rolex. The GS is a true value. I guess the wonders of the Japanese old steel from golden era is fading and soon will be forgotten. Less appreciated because they are not Swiss.” – thetick-thetick2020