Watchatlas

Alain Silberstein / Tourbillon

Alain Silberstein Tourbillon

Collection profile

Alain Silberstein’s Tourbillon family captures the independent French designer’s mix of haute horlogerie and Bauhaus-inflected playfulness, spanning unique early-1990s experimental pieces through early-2000s limited editions such as the Tourbillon Volant and later Tourbillon d’Art variants.

Why it matters

The Tourbillon collection is the clearest expression of Alain Silberstein’s importance as a design-led independent: it applied a serious complication to unconventional colors, playful hands, unusual crowns, and even experimental cases, helping make the tourbillon feel less conservative and more artistic.

Key references

Tourbillon Volant

Alain Silberstein Tourbillon Volant — Early-2000s limited-edition semi-skeletonized tourbillon with date; Phillips documented example no. 28 of 200 and described the model as released in the early 2000s.

Tourbillon d'Art 'Black Light'

Alain Silberstein Tourbillon d'Art 'Black Light' — Christie’s lists this semi-skeletonized stainless steel and lacquered model as no. 90/500, circa 2004, and places the broader Tourbillon Volant model introduction in the early 2000s.

Tourbillon Krono

Alain Silberstein Tourbillon Krono — Unique platinum tourbillon chronograph created circa 1997 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Alain Silberstein’s watch company, according to Christie’s.

Collection timeline

  • 1994 — Alain Silberstein presented a series of 10 unique tourbillon watches at the Basel Fair, including distinctive experimental pieces documented by Christie’s.
  • 1997 — The unique Tourbillon Krono was created to mark the 10th anniversary of the Alain Silberstein watch company.
  • 2000 — The Tourbillon Volant line was released in the early 2000s, bringing Silberstein’s colorful geometric language into a limited-edition serially produced tourbillon.
  • 2004 — Christie’s dates the Tourbillon d’Art 'Black Light' limited edition to circa 2004, showing the collection’s expansion into more decorative artisanal executions.

FAQ

What defines Alain Silberstein’s Tourbillon watches?

They combine high-watchmaking tourbillon mechanics with Alain Silberstein’s signature use of primary colors, geometric handset shapes, and playful Bauhaus-inspired design.

Is the Tourbillon collection a single model line?

Not exactly. The collection umbrella spans early unique 1990s tourbillon experiments, the early-2000s Tourbillon Volant, and later variants such as Tourbillon d’Art executions.

Back to brand

More from Alain Silberstein

  • KronoAlain Silberstein Krono Bauhaus2 chronograph on bracelet — Alain Silberstein’s Krono family is the brand’s signature chronograph line, pairing mechanically ambitious calendar or timing layouts with the designer’s Bauhaus-inflected language of primary colours, geometric hands, and playful dial graphics.
  • Marine — The Marine line translates Alain Silberstein’s colourful, geometric design language into sporty and diving-oriented cases, adding rotating bezels, luminous markers, and in some references high-complication calendars while retaining the brand’s unmistakably playful visual identity.
  • BolidoAlain Silberstein Bolido Noir wristwatch — Bolido is Alain Silberstein’s curved rectangular/cushion-like design family from the brand’s independent 1990s period, known for mobile lugs, playful geometric hands and pushers, and colorful Bauhaus-inflected styling carried across time-only, power-reserve, and chronograph variants.

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