It’s also, in its implementation, very a lot a celebration of the pleasure watch fans, and lovers of mechanics generally, soak up mechanics as an finish in itself. The cam, rack, and equipment system is satisfying to observe in operation, uncommon, and designed in a manner very a lot in concord with the remainder of the watch and just like the tourbillon, the direct drive middle seconds, and the chain-and-fusee system, it’s each pointless and intelligent on the similar time, in addition to a tangible connection to antiquated however nonetheless fascinating practices in navigation. And, regardless of the complexity of the watch, Ferdinand Berthoud acknowledges that a watch ought to not be uncomfortable to put on, no less than sometimes – whereas the 44mm diameter appears a bit daunting as a uncooked quantity, the watch continues to be comparatively flat for a timepiece with a chain-and-fusee, at 13.95mm (that is partly due to the “hanging” mainspring barrel and fusee cone, which like a flying tourbillon are connected solely to the mainplate, with no further bridge so as to add thickness to the watch).
