The New Etheral Twin Orbital Tourbillon from Cyrus, with a Revolving Dial

Established in 2010, Cyrus embraces the bold watch design traits reminiscent of the early 2000s, evident in every timepiece within its catalogue. The brand inherits a creative spirit, constantly striving for innovation and novel ways to depict time – and to master it. Consider the cosmic Klepcys Vertical Tourbillon series or the Klepcys DICE featuring two independent chronograph mechanisms – avant-garde aesthetics paired with captivating mechanical movements, meticulously developed by master watchmaker Jean-François Mojon from Chronode, who leads the independent brand’s manufacture in Le Locle. Cyrus’s latest creation, the Etheral Twin Orbital Tourbillon, upholds the tradition of unconventional aesthetics and stylistic innovation. It invites exploration of its intricate details while offering an intuitive time-reading experience, as we discovered during our time with the watch. 

The Case

Cyrus breaks new ground by introducing a round-cased timepiece, departing from its previous square and rectangular designs. The body of the new Ethereal Twin Orbital Tourbillon measures 44mm in diameter and 16.3mm in thickness, crafted from rose gold with titanium inserts for the mid-section and lugs. Titanium elements subtly protrude from the sides, creating a bi-colour effect that enhances the case’s visual appeal.

The watch features two crowns positioned at 3 and 9 o’clock, a signature Cyrus characteristic. This design choice ensures inclusivity, accommodating both left-handed and right-handed individuals alike. While wearing the Ethereal Twin Orbital Tourbillon higher on the wrist may alleviate any possible discomfort, it’s worth noting that its size may pose challenges when worn under a cuff. Despite being more suitable for larger wrists, the watch’s allure beckons anyone to try it on and experience it firsthand.

The Dial

The dial of the Twin Orbital Tourbillon is undoubtedly the focal point of attention, where one immediately notices three helix-shaped elements – notably, excluding the eight customised screws securing the exhibition caseback and the helix logo, a total of eight components in this watch pay homage to the brand’s symbol. Among these elements, the rotating minutes hand stands out with its curved arms and bevelled angles, featuring a gold-plated finish and a white Super-LumiNova tip to indicate the minutes. This hand traverses a black PVD-treated flange, marked with gold-plated double-digit numerals at 5-minute intervals. Additionally, the dial showcases two inclined flying tourbillon cages with helix-shaped, gold-plated bridges rotating clockwise, further adding to the visual dynamic of the timepiece.

Now that we’ve mastered reading the minutes let’s delve into the jumping hour indication. Here, two inclined rotating discs in black PVD finish come into play. These discs feature cutout digits that converge at the centre of the triangular minute hand, creating a striking contrast against the luminous white backdrop. The backdrop illuminates the numerals in the dark with a captivating blue glow.

Time setting (and winding) is performed via the crown at 3 o’clock. The crown pusher at 9 o’clock is for quick time setting of the hour, advancing one hour ahead. But the excitement doesn’t end there. Picture this: the hour and minute display indicators and the two flying tourbillons are mounted on a rotating frame. This frame completes a full revolution in one hour, adding an interesting, heavenly dimension to the timepiece. An elegant decorative touch is the anthracite tetrahedral patterned inserts visible through the cutouts.

The Movement

Responsible for the Twin Orbital Tourbillon’s spectacle and timekeeping, visible through the sapphire caseback is the hand-wound calibre CYR518-E, developed by Chronode. This calibre comprises 510 components and operates at 21,600 vibrations/hour, while its two parallel barrels offer a 72-hour power reserve.

The ratchet wheels sport the helix, and the power reserve display features an indicator resembling the minutes hand. It is also triangular (helix) shaped and gold-plated, with a white tip to indicate the remaining autonomy. The bridges, coated in PVD, reflect the dial’s colour scheme, showcasing a blend of golden hues, black, and anthracite finishes, all in harmony with the case’s golden frame.

Price, Availability and Notes

The new Cyrus Etheral Twin Orbital Tourbillon is reportedly priced at CHF 330,000. The brand will produce this rose gold and titanium version in a limited edition of 18 pieces. Cyrus often offers various iterations with different materials and colour combinations so that we can expect more releases of the model in the future.

It’s important to mention that the version we photographed is a prototype, which differs from the digital imagery displayed on the brand’s website. One notable difference is the jumping hour display, which is easily discernible upon closer inspection.

Regarding the timepiece, the project took six years to come to fruition, and the Twin Orbital Tourbillon marks the beginning of the new Etheral collection. It is characterised by complexity for the sake of complexity – a feature that will undoubtedly appeal to Cyrus’s regular clientele. I would ask for a 24-hour jumping display and not 12, yet watches like this prioritise aesthetic and mechanical ingenuity over conventional timekeeping. Nonetheless, they certainly can tell time, albeit uniquely and captivatingly.

For more, visit cyrus-watches.ch.