YouTuber Robert Murray-Smith has developed a functional tourbillon model that can be produced using 3D printing. He has made the components available free of charge on the Thingiverse platform. The design is based on classic movement principles, which he makes accessible using modern means.
Tourbillons are mechanical devices that were originally used to minimize the effects of gravity on pocket watches. The idea came from Abraham-Louis Breguet, who patented the principle in 1801. At the center is a rotating cage construction in which the balance and balance spring are located. The continuous rotation is intended to improve accuracy in various positions. Whether this actually brings measurable advantages in everyday life is still the subject of technical debate today. However, tourbillons are still elaborate in terms of craftsmanship and are considered a top achievement in the art of watchmaking.
Murray-Smith constructed the cage from several components and produced it using standard FDM printers. He uses standard bearings from the skateboard sector (22x7x8 mm) as well as simple rod connections and positive fits. The mechanical principles – such as the return transfer of energy between spring and flywheel – correspond to the basic ideas of real clockworks.
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