CIGA Design Just Built the Most Interesting Tourbillon Watch of 2026 - Yanko Design

"The central tourbillon is the engine of this idea, its constant rotation a visual metaphor for momentum that the wearer sees with every glance at the wrist. The dial's concentric grooved rings radiate outward from this spinning core, amplifying the sense of energy in every direction. A 24K gilded horse at six o'clock connects the concept directly to its zodiac inspiration, rendered small and precise, more like a seal than a decoration."

"CIGA Design, the first Chinese watchmaker to win the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, has a track record of treating mechanics as design language, and this is the clearest expression of that philosophy yet. The cultural reference and the engineering are telling the same story, which is rarer in theme watches than it should be."

"The entire visual architecture of the watch is built to serve this mechanism. It runs at a modern 28,800 vibrations per hour, which gives the balance wheel a smooth, fluid sweep. A 38-hour power reserve is perfectly serviceable for a manual-wind piece, meaning you get to have that tactile interaction with it daily."

CIGA Design created a Year of the Horse timepiece centered on the Mandarin phrase 马上, meaning both 'on horseback' and 'immediately.' The watch translates this concept of swift momentum into mechanical and aesthetic design. A prominent central tourbillon serves as the visual engine of perpetual motion, with concentric grooved rings radiating outward to amplify the sense of energy. A 24K gilded horse at six o'clock connects the design to its zodiac inspiration. The CD-12-SI caliber operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour with a 38-hour power reserve, inviting daily interaction through manual winding. CIGA Design, the first Chinese watchmaker to win the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, treats mechanics as design language, making the cultural reference and engineering tell the same story.

Read at Yanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News