The HORAGE Tourbillon $1 Contest, or the Most Accessible Way to Get a Tourbillon Watch

As I’m sure you’re aware, a tourbillon adds thousands of dollars (usually tens of thousands) to the price of a watch, especially those from Europe and America. You can even include Japan with Grand Seiko and Citizen. Swiss independent brand HORAGE is wrapping up preorders of its Tourbillon 1 (now with in-house movement) with prices starting at just CHF 7,490. That’s already unprecedented for a Swiss-made tourbillon, but the brand is now taking things to the next level. And by next level, I mean three Swiss tourbillons for only $1 (yes, one dollar) each. What?

So, there’s got to be a catch, right? Well, actually there isn’t. When the brand designed and took preorders for the Tourbillon 1 last year, the plan was to use movements from Swiss manufacturer La Joux-Perret, but the partnership ultimately fell through. HORAGE went on to design and produce its own in-house tourbillon, but had also finished a handful of prototypes with the La Joux-Perret movements. These early models are very similar in appearance to the production models and although not officially certified, they meet the COSC chronometer standard of -4/+6 seconds per day. They also have anti-magnetic, wear-resistant silicon escapements. With the September 1^st deadline approaching for Tourbillon 1 preorders (no more will be produced afterwards), the HORAGE team decided to take three of the five prototypes and give them back to the community. 

How to Enter

Entries are based on donations and start at just one dollar for one entry. The more you donate, the more chances you have to win. All proceeds will go to watchmaking students to help with tuition, while three lucky watch enthusiasts can score a Swiss tourbillon for the price of a game or two of pinball. As far as I know, no brand has ever sold a Swiss tourbillon for a dollar, let alone three, so just enjoy this madness from HORAGE while it lasts. You can enter via a special page on the HORAGE website here, and know that even if you don’t win, you’re donating to a very good cause – helping the next generation of watchmakers. 

Horage Tourbillon $1

Specs for the three models, known as the Tourbillon $1 (instead of the regular Tourbillon 1), don’t quite match the in-house production models, but are impressive nonetheless. There’s a flying tourbillon with silicon escapement within a large 14mm aperture at 6 o’clock, while the mainspring at the top holds a power reserve of 72 hours (instead of 120 hours on the production models). The mainspring is also exposed, acting as an approximate power reserve indicator. There are 21 jewels and a frequency of 28,800vph (4Hz), and the movement is skeletonized with integrated grids on the front and back. These grids have open and closed “windows” that either reveal the movement or are closed and recessed with a bead-blasted finish. All edges are bevelled at a 30-degree angle and polished, and the overall aesthetic matches the production models. This grid pattern was inspired by the brand’s logo. The crown doesn’t screw down, but water resistance is still 100 metres. Applied hour markers and the hour and minute hands have Super-LumiNova, but there isn’t a marker on the tourbillon cage to act as a seconds hand. That’s also only on the production models – it’s just a dollar, folks. 

Donate for a good cause

What are you waiting for? Donate today for a chance to win a Swiss tourbillon valued at over CHF 7,000, which is already an incredibly affordable price for such a piece. At one dollar, it’s just ridiculous. Perhaps more important than winning is helping out aspiring watchmakers as they’re the next generation of mechanical artisans. We’ve already seen incredible talent from young graduates like Remy Cools with his tourbillon school watch (he’s now an independent watchmaker), so imagine what the future holds. For more information and to enter to win, visit www.horage.info/tourbillononedollar.