tourbillon

[ toor-bil-yuhn; French toor-bee--yawn ]

noun

1. Horology. a frame for the escapement of a timepiece, especially a watch, geared to the going train in such a way as to rotate the escapement about once a minute in order to minimize positional error. Compare karrusel.
2. a firework that rises spirally:

   Between two spectacular pinwheels, they launched a series of silvery tourbillons.

3. whirlwind ( def ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of tourbillon¹

First recorded in 1470–80; earlier turbilloun, from Middle French to(u)rbillon, from unattested Vulgar Latin turbiliōnem, dissimilated variant of turbiniōnem, accusative of turbiniō “whirlwind”; turbine, -ion

Example Sentences

That was followed almost immediately by Piaget, in its 150th anniversary year, issuing what it identified as the world’s thinnest tourbillon: the Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon, which at two millimeters all but sucks the third dimension out of the whirring anti-gravitational tourbillon device so loved by elite watchmakers.

From New York Times

But it contained neither the tourbillon cage that surrounds the watch’s oscillating escapement nor the 30 percent additional power required to fuel it.

From New York Times

The two horologists bonded over their shared interest in timepieces made by Breguet, of which Bloomfield owned many important examples, Crisford said, including a pocket watch that housed the world’s first tourbillon — a mechanism that improves timekeeping by suspending componentry in a rotating cage.

From Los Angeles Times

The mechanics of the watch are certifiably over the top, but wait, there’s more, according to Dubuis: “The flying tourbillon at 7 o’clock is rimmed by speedometer-like seconds counters enhanced with automobile-inspired pointers, while the multicolored power-reserve indicator represents a cool nod to racing-car cockpit fuel gauges.”

From New York Times

The four-minute tourbillon watch, made by Abraham-Louis Breguet and engraved with the king’s royal cypher and the letters G & R, was sold to George in 1808 during the Napoleonic Wars.

From Reuters