Tourbillon Regulator

 
AkriviA Tourbillon Regulator
 
Rexhep Rexhepi was born in Kosovo, but he grew up in the capital of watchmaking: Geneva, where he began his apprenticeship at the age of 14, enabling him to learn from a number of anonymous artisans. After a decade as an employee, he became aware of the increase in automation to the detriment of manual craftsmanship. Rexhep Rexhepi founded AkriviA to preserve and pass on traditional skills.
 
For AkriviA, the Tourbillon Regulator is one of the cornerstones of its horological foundations: the inspiration notably came from the historical “school pieces” that were a mandatory part of watchmaking training and served to demonstrate a student’s talent.
 
The style of this Akrivia Tourbillon Regulator is a study in minimalism: the 42.5mm steel case pays tribute to the movement finishes. The broad lugs are chamfered in a manner reflecting the bevelling on the calibre; the grey dial features a “polished-matt” finish that is both vintage and innovative. While it recalls the sandblasted bridges of pocket watches, the Akrivia “polished-matt” effect differs from habitual sandblasting in terms of its means of application: the crushed stone is mixed with vegetable oil and applied using a new hand-crafted technique.
 
The only fanciful aspect of the dial is the regulator-type arrangement of its indication, with the hours counter at 12 o’clock, the central axis bearing the minutes hand only, and the seconds hand fixed to the tourbillon at 6 o’clock.
 
The latter is indeed the only clue to the exceptional nature of this timepiece: the austerity of the exterior finishes highlights the wealth of finishes lavished on the movement. This simple dial opening reveals a bridge featuring eight inward angles and which bears the escapement block. The latter is composed of a 13.7mm carriage revolving in one minute and housing a Breguet balance-spring connected to the “AkriviA” balance wheel oscillating at the rate of 21,600 vibrations per hour. The 100 hours of autonomy is supplied by a single barrel. The 11.6mm “Akrivia” balance wheel features four spokes forming a “Quadriskell” , with four fine-adjustment inertia-blocks at the end of each.
 
The purpose of putting in place these various devices is to have the Tourbillon Regulator certified by two institutions: the COSC and the Poinçon de Genève.
 
With this in mind, the elaborate nature of the movement finishes is the exact opposite of the outward austerity: the movement features 50 inward angles and is entirely decorated on both visible and hidden parts: domed chamfering, hand-crafted Côtes de Genève, circular graining, straight graining. This AK-04 calibre was both developed and finished entirely by Rexhep Rexhepi and his team.
 
One of its major characteristics is its complete symmetry: it nobly comprises two third wheels so as to ensure optimal visual balance. This rare construction, combined with a high level of finishing, reflects Rexhep Rexhepi’s perfectionism: nothing is left to chance and nothing is done just because it has to be.
 
With this Tourbillon Regulator, AkriviA displays its serious determination to be a custodian of traditional skills and even makes its own contribution to the existing know-how.