Ferdinand Berthoud – Chopard’s sub-brand devoted to peak craftsmanship and rare exclusivity – unveiled its first movement graced with a flying tourbillon ahead of this year’s Watches & Wonders fair.

The Mesure du Temps 1787 Chronomètre FB 2TV.1 is exceptional not only in price, but in quality. One of its defining features is that the movement, a true masterwork, is beautifully visible from the dial side as well – effectively the signature of the Mesure du Temps 1787 collection.

For all its extraordinary detail, the case is somewhat more restrained than on the brand’s earlier models. The lateral sapphire windows that once allowed the movement to be observed, for instance, have disappeared; with the dial now transparent, they are no longer needed. The flying tourbillon is a novelty for the brand in both technical and aesthetic terms.

Every element of this remarkable movement is finished by hand to exacting standards. The precise execution of the decoration alone takes 300 hours of work. The ethically sourced white gold case is wide and tall in order to accommodate the vast 35.6 mm calibre – a diameter that firmly places the new Ferdinand Berthoud in the size category once reserved for pocket watches, yet is essential if the movement’s lavish decoration and advanced functions are to fit inside.

With the Mesure du Temps 1787 collection, the brand deliberately points back to its traditions and the continuity of its history. That is why each example is still produced within a true manufacture setting, using metal files, wooden pegs and other specialist tools.