The dial of the Gagarin Tourbillon is composed of a central stationary sub-dial with hours and minutes, and an outer rotating ring with the orbiting tourbillon. The inner dial features micro-engraving marking highlights of Gagarin’s flight and a red arc indicating the period Gagarin experienced zero gravity.

The highlights of the inner dial are:

• “Tyuratam 06:07 UTC” (9 o’clock) - the time and place of the launch (now known as Baikonur Cosmodrome)
• “Bering Sea” (7 o’clock)
• “Attitude Control On” (4 o’clock) - the capsule was fitted with a sun-seeking attitude control system to ensure it was orientated correctly for retrofire
• “Retrofire” (12 o’clock) - at 07:25 UTC retro rockets fired for about 42 seconds approximately 8,000 km (5,000 miles) from the planned landing zone
• “Separation” (11 o’clock) - at 07:35 the re-entry module separated from the capsule
• “Engels 08:05 UTC” (9 o’clock) - Gagarin ejected the re-entry module at 7,000 m (23,000 ft) and landed 26 km (16 miles) southwest of Engels, Saratov region. The module’s parachute opened lower 2,500 m (8,200 ft) and landed 10 minutes earlier (07:55 UCT) - 108 minutes after taking off

The outer ring of the dial features a distinctive sweeping bridge apparently supporting the tourbillon inspired by the famous 25-metre commemorative statue near the Vostok landing site at Engels. The complete outer dial with tourbillon rotates anti-clockwise (east/vostok) in 108 minutes (the duration of the VOSTOK’s orbit). Micro-engraved around the perimeter are the key statistics, “12 April 1961– Duration 108 mins – Apogee 327 kms”.