Turbine XS
A Day with an XS Turbine from Perrelet
Back in 2009 Perrelet launched their first model of the turbine – a rather masculine timepiece with the brand’s signature: the double-rotor. The constant movement of the component inside the case triggered question, attention and amazement. This year, a smaller version, set with diamonds was made for women for the pleasure of all.
By Eléonor Picciotto
«Why is she wearing a plane watch in a train?» says to his father the little girl sitting next to me… Oh Kids!
Stepping up into the conversation and looking at the seven maybe eight years-old girl in the eyes, I continue, «If you want to know, I will explain a few things on what is called an XS Turbine made by Perrelet and this intriguing moving component resembling some part of a plane called a rotor, helping the watch mechanism to function, triggering the engine.»
Let me tell you a story…
Wondering who I was, and what I was about to say, the kid stopped giggling on his seat, looking after his father’s approval to talk to a stranger. I pressed the two external pushes of the deployant buckle to remove the watch from my wrist.
«Magic!» claims the kid. Handing it over to her, she analyzed the piece with meticulous eyes, as if she was an expert on the subject. Two maybe three minutes later, she stopped, moved her lashes with some sort of contempt and pointing out the lower part of the strap, she said, «It’s dirty!» Oh kids!#again. The father laughed, I didn’t, taking her comment over-seriously.
«Well,» I started, «as you can see, not only the bracelet is white- which is a color that shows the dirt easily, but the material used on this particular one is made of satin. The other option is to adapt a white rubber strap that also comes with the piece, but I left it at home because I needed something less casual.»
«Maybe but it doesn’t match your dress,» she yield.
Oh kids…!
«White matches everything and diamonds even more,» I replied. «Can you imagine that there are over 200 diamonds between the case, the bezel and the sunrays dial-base you can guess when the rotor is moving?»
«Real diamonds?» she questioned. «As real as you are!» I said.
But how do they work?» she asked. «Diamonds don’t work, they are set on the watch with a technique. What works is the mechanism of the watch made by the brand, which is why it is called in-house. The watch will only stop working after 40 hours if don’t wear it and will then need to be rewinded.
In case you wonder, the part that moves on the top of the dial, and what looks like a component of a plane jet engine moves by the only movement of your wrist. Sometimes, it moves so fast that you will only see the diamonds and nothing else. Magic right?»
Hypnotising!» she sighed before adding, «Dad, next time, can we go on a plane with diamonds?»
Oh kids! #never-ending.
Pictures credits: Edouard Bierry