Swiss watch manufacturer Arnold & Son has claimed ownership of the world’s thinnest tourbillon:  the new A&S8200 tourbillon caliber measures a mere 2.97 mm thick.

This is more than 0.5mm thinner than Piaget’s Caliber 600P which is now the world’s second thinnest tourbillon. The caliber is in the Arnold & Son UTTE (Ultra Thin Tourbillon Escapement) which is also now the world’s thinnest tourbillon watch at 8.34mm thin.

The A&S Cal 8200 has a double barrel configuration for 80 hour power reserve — this is unprecedented and hugely impressive for an ultra thin tourbillon caliber.

The movement diameter is 32 mm, with a massive 14mm diameter tourbillon cage.  Arnold & Son created a totally spherical tourbillon cage that is not set into the caliber, but instead rises out of the movement and an fact sits at the same height as the hour and minute hands.

The overall aesthetic is magnificent, including its clean but refined dial and its caliber finishing which includes satin-finish with hand chamfered and polished edges, and a hand engraved tourbillon bridge.

UTTE is being offered in red gold ($70,185) and also palladium ($61,075), 50 pieces each. Each movement is finished in a color to complement the case color, and each features a different Côtes de Genève pattern: rhodiumed movement for the red gold model, grey NAC-treated movement for a more contemporary look on the palladium model.

Source: Perpetuelles