Heinz Eberhardt

Reinhard Meis, Das Tourbillon, Munich: Laterna Magica, 1986, p. 359.

Among the finest examples of the tourbillon produced before the modern era of precision-engineered manufacturing are those created by, and under the guidance of, the German watchmaker Alfred Helwig (1886-1974). One of the most important horologists of the 20th century, Helwig made significant contributions to the advancement of precision watchmaking and was renowned for his teaching at the Deutsche Uhrmacherschule Glashütte (D.U.S.), where he trained over 800 students.

Among Helwig’s most celebrated achievements was the design and development of his version of the flying tourbillon. Before the late 20^th century, tourbillons were rarely made due to the cost and complexity of their construction. Prior to Helwig’s designs, most tourbillons followed the designs of its inventor, Abraham-Louis Breguet, featuring a sturdy and relatively heavy cage construction. By contrast, the Glashütte flying tourbillon created by Helwig was markedly lighter in construction and more delicate in appearance.

Although the exact number of flying tourbillons produced at the D.U.S. is not known with certainty, it is believed that 21 were made under Helwig’s supervision, with perhaps another 10 finished according to similar principles outside the school itself. In total, approximately 14 watches are known to feature a one-minute flying tourbillon with spring-detent escapement, two spring barrels connected in series, and a differential gear visible on the movement’s back plate - all elements found in the present watch.

Almost all of these tourbillons were subjected to the most stringent German tests for portable timepieces. At least eleven of the school tourbillons are known to have passed the Sonderklasse (special class) test of the German Naval Observatory in Hamburg, which corresponded broadly to the standards of the English Kew-Teddington testing centre and the Swiss observatories in Geneva and Neuchâtel. The accuracy of the Glashütte tourbillons could therefore be directly compared with observatory-grade watches from England and Switzerland, making them among the most precise timekeepers of their era.

Helwig trained many watchmakers at the D.U.S. in a career which began in 1913 and spanned 41 years. His legacy continues to inspire modern horologists. Of Helwig’s 800 students, only the most gifted were granted the opportunity to construct a pocket watch incorporating a flying tourbillon. One such prodigy was Heinz Eberhardt, the maker of the present watch.

Heinz Eberhardt was born on 3 June 1915 in Neustadt/Dosse. He attended the D.U.S. from May 1933 to September 1935, completing his apprenticeship in 1934 and passing his final examination in 1935. He subsequently earned his Master’s certification in 1938. His exceptional craftsmanship is embodied in the present school tourbillon no. 3884, one of the fourteen documented spring-detent tourbillons created at the Glashütte school.

Students received only a limited number of semi-finished components - such as balances, jewels, pinion blanks, keyless-work parts, escapement wheels, and screws - which they had to finish themselves; all other elements, including the dial, had to be made by hand. The gold case is attributed to Karl Richter, who is understood to have supplied cases for D.U.S. watches from 1923 onwards.

School watches such as the present timepiece are each distinctive in their own way yet uniformly of exceptional quality, reflecting the individual pupil’s ambition to demonstrate their skill. In this example, the use of a gold case further attests to Eberhardt’s pride in his creation, lending the watch a distinction rarely afforded to school pieces.

This note draws on the research of Dr Helmut Crott, ‘Alfred Helwig’s Flying Tourbillon,’ SJX Watches, 2024.