The funkiest straightforward tourbillon watch for 2011 might just be this limited edition Sixties Square Tourbillon from Glashutte Original. The 41mm by 41mm wide square cushion style watch case is great looking and the execution of the flying tourbillon just seems like a nice icing on the cake afterthought. It is as though the entire watch was done but it had a subsidiary seconds dial so someone said, “hey, I bet a flying tourbillon would look good in there!” (of course in a German accent), and it was settled.

This is the first cushion style watch in the Sixties collection and I think it looks pretty nice. The addition of the tourbillon makes it a much higher-end piece that it normally would be. The case itself is in 18k rose gold (I am certain a white gold version will come soon) and the detailing and polishing is amazing, giving it the feel of a smooth luxury pebble in your hands. On the back of the watch is a large domed sapphire exhibition window that makes the movement look as though it is just floating in the case – very cool. The slick case and its attention to detail really helps this timepiece shine.

The dial is also domed and done in galvanized silver. This is the Glashutte Original Sixties style dial we are now used to, with tiki style Arabic numerals and applied gold baton hour markers. There are thin lume strips on the matching baton hands and small lume dots on the outside of the hour markers. The Sixties motif lends itself well to this new case style, helping to reinvigorate the collection. The design holds its own with or without the tourbillon. In a sense, it feels as though the watch design could take or leave the tourbillon as it is just an extra in this tasty plate of German watch parts.

For the movement, Glashutte Original uses their in-house made caliber 94-12 automatic tourbillon with Panorama (big) date. As is common with high-end German brands, the automatic rotor is a 3/4 rotor (between micro and full-size rotor) and has a 21k gold weight in it. Overall decoration and presentation of the movement is impressive. I like the attractive flying tourbillon as it is present on the watch dial as the seconds indicator. I do question, however, if a plate with the term “tourbillon” engraved on it is a necessary feature in the movement.

Attached to the watch is a black crocodile strap. These days we like to mix rose gold with a brown strap but black also works – as it did in the 1960s. Glashutte Original will produce on 50 of these Sixties Square Tourbillon watches in this limited edition. Price will be 92,000 euros each.