A tonneau case made from titanium and carbon fibre equipped with an haute horology movement. From that description many people would assume we’re talking about Richard Mille, currently the most famous watch brand producing modern, urban sports watches such as the RM 21-02. However, they are far from the only brand in that niche of the industry. Bianchet are also building their reputation with an impressive (if small) range of watches – and with the launch of the new Bianchet Flying Toubillon Sport GMT, the gap between them and Richard Mille is smaller than ever.
Starting with the case, there are two versions of the Flying Toubillon Sport GMT being produced. There’s a full carbon fibre version and a hybrid carbon fibre and titanium edition. Much as you’d expect, the full carbon one features the characteristic stripes of the material across its entire case including the bezel whereas the titanium one has a metallic bezel and caseback. Both versions measure 43mm x 53mm x 14.35mm giving them plenty of presence on the wrist.
It’s also worth noting that between the two case options, there are six colours to choose from. On the carbon model there’s white, olive, red and blue and the titanium is limited to just red and blue. The signature colour of each can be found on the rubber strap, crown grip, the centre band of the case and the hands. On specific carbon versions such as the red, the colours also make their way to the 3D globe of the GMT function at 12 o’clock on the dial. My favourite is the carbon case with blue accents because it has the most realistic globe thanks to its blue oceans.
The dial is pretty spectacular too. It’s skeletonised with arching bridges and visible gear trains and mechanisms, giving it a very urban and architectural look. As already mentioned, at 12 o’clock is the GMT part of the Flying Toubillon Sport GMT, allowing you to keep track of multiple time zones at the same time. The globe itself rotates with the 24-hour hand along the 24-hour scale with day-night indication, making it perfect for globetrotters.
As for the other part of the watch’s name, the flying tourbillon is found below the central hands at 6 o’clock. Tourbillons are designed to increase a watch’s accuracy by offsetting the effects of gravity on the escapement by rotating constantly. Being a ‘flying’ tourbillon means that it is suspended from beneath, giving it the illusion of floating in place as it spins. It’s one of the most strikingly visual devices in horology, hence its wide popularity.
The movement powering both the GMT function and tourbillon is a manual-wind movement with 90-hour power reserve and adjusted in six positions. The components are sourced from several Swiss manufactures but it’s assembled and finished in-house by Bianchet. The main plate, bridges and tourbillon cage are all made from titanium and it’s finished with a combination of sand-blasting and satin brushing with bevelled edges.
In terms of price, it’s difficult to describe the Flying Toubillon Sport GMT’s true value. On one hand, at CHF 75’500 (approx. £66,800) it is without question an expensive watch. However, on the other hand, it’s basically half the price of a Richard Mille so it’s also a great entry level watch for this type of extremely high-end horology that utilises amazing mechanics alongside cutting-edge materials.
Price and Specs:
More details at Bianchet.
