Unveiled during the Patek Philippe “Rare Handcrafts 2020-2021” exhibition, this grand complication watch with minute repeater and perpetual calendar features a white-gold case with a blue grand feu enamel dial. This new model replaces the Ref. 5374P-001 in platinum with a black grand feu enamel dial.
The Ref. 5374 with a minute repeater and a perpetual calendar was introduced in 2016 in a platinum version with a black grand feu enamel dial. Now, Patek Philippe is offering a new edition in white gold with a blue grand feu enamel dial.
Image Credit: Patek Philippe SA
The case shape shows the subtle and harmonious interplay of rounds and cambers. The bezel has a concave profile. The same finesse is encountered in the manually satin-finished recesses in the case flank. They contrast beautifully against the polished case segments and against the cabochons that decorate the ends of the lugs.
Image Credit: Patek Philippe SA
The blue grand feu enamel dial is high-gloss finished, and features applied white-gold Breguet numerals. The displays of the perpetual calendar – day, date, month, and leap year cycle – are placed on slightly enlarged subsidiary dials, complemented with a 24-hour display. The leaf-shaped hands in white gold are filled with a luminous coating for excellent legibility. The moon-phase aperture is executed with the champlevé technique and framed in white gold.
Image Credit: Patek Philippe SA
This grand complication timepiece houses the self-winding caliber R 27 Q. The minute repeater mechanism strikes on two cathedral gongs, and their extended length of nearly twice the circumference of the movement produces a full, reverberant sound.
The shiny dusk blue alligator strap is secured with a white-gold fold-over clasp. The scope of delivery includes a sapphire-crystal case back and an interchangeable solid back.
Technical details
Movement
Self-winding mechanical movement
Caliber R 27 Q
Diameter: 28 mm
Height: 6.9 mm
Parts: 467
Bridges: 12
Jewels: 39
Power reserve: min. 38 hours, max. 48 hours
Minirotor in 22K gold, unidirectional winding
Balance: Gyromax®
Vibrations/hour: 21 600 (3 Hz)
Balance spring: Spiromax®
Hallmark: Patek Philippe Seal
Functions
Minute repeater with “cathedral” gongs
Perpetual calendar
Day, date, month, leap year and 24-hour indication by hands
Moon phases
Case
White gold
Interchangeable full back and sapphire-crystal case back
Case is humidity and dust protected only (not water resistant)
Case diameter: 42 mm
Height: 12.2 mm
Strap
Alligator leather with scare scales, hand-stitched, shiny dusk blue
Fold-over clasp
About Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts 2020-2021 Collection
On the occasion of the “Rare Handcrafts 2020-2021” exhibitionin June 2021, Patek Philippe launched six exceptional wristwatches featuring artistic decorations such as manual engraving, grand feu cloisonné enamel, grand feu champlevé enamel, grand feu flinqué enamel, manual guilloching and gemsetting.
Adorned with 80 baguette diamonds, this new rose-gold version of the Patek Philippe Minute Repeater and Retrograde Perpetual Calendar watch belongs to the Geneva Maison’s “Rare Handcrafts” series. This new grand complication watch features a transparent sapphire crystal dial, allowing the wearer to admire the movement from the front side of the watch.
The first Patek Philippe grand complication with a transparent sapphire-crystal dial was launched as the Ref. 5104 in 2006; it had a platinum case with rose-gold intarsias. From 2014 to 2018, it was followed by the Ref. 5304 in rose gold with white-gold intarsias. Now, Patek Philippe has released a new haute joaillerie version in rose gold. Its bezel, lugs, and fold-over clasp sparkle with the fire of 80 flawless Top Wesselton baguette diamonds (~6.22 ct).
Image Credit: Patek Philippe SA
For this timepiece, Patek Philippe developed an ingenious system for displaying the day, month, and leap year cycle with transparent sapphire-crystal disks in which the respective displays stand out in white against the black background of the small apertures beneath them. To attach the extremely thin sapphire-crystal disks to their minuscule steel arbors, it was necessary to develop an exclusive, patented assembly process.
The pierced leaf-shaped hands in black-lacquered white gold also enhance the view of the movement and its steel parts with beveled and polished edges that stand out beautifully against the rose gilt plates decorated with perlage. The flyback date display features a hand with a crescent moon tip that marks the numerals on a scale at the outermost edge of the dial. The perpetual calendar is complemented with a moon-phase display at 6 o’clock and a subsidiary seconds dial.
Image Credit: Patek Philippe SA
To further refine the appeal of this timepiece, Patek Philippe integrated delicate white-gold inlays with engraved leaf motifs in the case flanks and the repeater slide.
The sapphire-crystal case back reveals the magnificent views of the self-winding caliber R 27 PS QR LU movement, especially the minute repeater mechanism with two gongs or the centrifugal governor beneath the pierced Calatrava cross motif. The recessed off-center minirotor in rose gold is decorated with a leaf motif and rhodiumed sinks.
Technical details
Movement
Caliber R 27 PS QR LU
Self-winding mechanical movement
Diameter: 28 mm
Height: 7.23 mm
Parts: 517
Bridges: 12
Jewels: 41
Power reserve: min. 38 hours, max. 48 hours
22K gold off-center mini-rotor
Balance: Gyromax®
Vibrations/hour: 21 600 (3 Hz)
Balance spring: Spiromax®
Hallmark: Patek Philippe Seal
Functions
Minute repeater with classic gongs
Perpetual calendar with retrograde date hand
Day, month and leap year in apertures
Moon phases by hand
Small seconds
Dial
Transparent sapphire, date and minute markers printed in white with golden powdered dots
Case
Rose gold
Sapphire crystal case back
Humidity- and dust-protected only (not water-resistant)
Diameter: 43 mm
Height: 13.3 mm
Gem-setting: 58 baguette diamonds: ~5.25 cts. (bezel and lugs). 22 baguette diamonds: ~0.97 ct. (clasp). Total of 80 baguette diamonds: ~6.22 cts.
Strap
Alligator leather with square scales, hand-stitched, shiny black
Diamond-set fold-over clasp
About Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts 2020-2021 Collection
On the occasion of the “Rare Handcrafts 2020-2021” exhibitionin June 2021, Patek Philippe launched six exceptional wristwatches featuring artistic decorations such as manual engraving, grand feu cloisonné enamel, grand feu champlevé enamel, grand feu flinqué enamel, manual guilloching and gemsetting.
On the occasion of the “Rare Handcrafts 2020-2021” exhibition, Patek Philippe released a new iteration of its Ref. 6002R-001 Sky Moon Tourbillon watch featuring a hand-engraved rose-gold case with a brown dial in grand feu champlevé and cloisonné enamel
Debuted in 2001, the Ref. 5002 Sky Moon Tourbillon is Patek Philippe’s second most complicated wristwatch. It is one of the grand complications most coveted by collectors and connoisseurs. From 2013 to 2016, this double-face wristwatch was available in a rare handcrafts version with a white-gold case and a blue enamel dial (6002G-001). It was followed in 2016 by a new version with a black enamel dial (6002G-010).
Image Credit: Patek Philippe SA
The new iteration released during “Rare Handcrafts 2020-2021” combines the warm shimmer of rose gold with brown grand feu enamel. The periphery of the dial, the moon-phase aperture, and the moon of the rotating disc are executed in champlevé enamel. With this technique, the base metal must first be precisely milled out so that individual elements such as the minute scale remain relieved.
Then, the recesses are manually filled with enamel compound. The center of the dial features a decor in grand feu cloisonné enamel that was created with the help of thin flat gold wire. The case, the crowns, the repeater slide, and the fold-over clasp are manually engraved with a motif of volutes and arabesques on all sides. The master engraver invests more than 100 hours of work and considerable patience to complete the process to the highest standards.
Image Credit: Patek Philippe SA
The Sky Moon Tourbillon combines 12 fascinating complications, including a tourbillon and a minute repeater that strikes on cathedral gongs. The front dial shows a perpetual calendar with a retrograde date, a moon-phase display and the leap year cycle.
The other side shows a celestial chart on which the apparent motion of the moon and the stars can be viewed from the northern hemisphere. To orchestrate the grand ballet of the celestial bodies, Patek Philippe developed a system of three superposed discs that move in different, precisely calculated trajectories.
Image Credit: Patek Philippe SA
The new Ref. 6002R-001 Sky Moon Tourbillon is delivered with hand-engraved cufflinks in rose gold. It replaces the Ref. 6002G-010 in white gold with a black grand feu enamel dial.
Technical details
Movement
Mechanical manually wound movement
Caliber R TO 27 QR SID LU CL
Third wheel in gold
Flywheel
Diameter: 38 mm
Height: 12.61 mm
Parts: 705
Bridges: 24
Jewels: 55
Power reserve: min. 38 hours, max. 48 hours
Balance: Gyromax®
Vibrations/hour: 21 600 (3 Hz)
Spiral: Breguet
Hallmark: Patek Philippe Seal
Functions
Minute repeater with “cathedral” gongs
Tourbillon
Perpetual Calendar
Display
Front side: Perpetual calendar with retrograde date hand. Day, month, leap year in apertures. Hours and minutes of mean solar time. Moon phases
Reverse side: sidereal time, sky chart, phases and orbit of the moon.
Dial
Grand Feu champlevé and cloisonné brown enamel, gold applied Roman numerals
18K gold dial plate
Case
Rose gold
Sapphire-crystal case back
Humidity-and dust-protected only (not water-resistant)
Case diameter: 44 mm. Height: 17.35 mm.
About Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts 2020-2021 Collection
On the occasion of the “Rare Handcrafts 2020-2021” exhibitionin June 2021, Patek Philippe launched six exceptional wristwatches featuring artistic decorations such as manual engraving, grand feu cloisonné enamel, grand feu champlevé enamel, grand feu flinqué enamel, manual guilloching and gemsetting.
The Divina Mosaica collection offers high-jewellery wristwatches inspired by the roots of Bvlgari, the iconic Maison based in Rome. The Baths of Caracalla and its fan-paved floors are the major cultural icons of this historical city. To adorn full-set dials of the three new Divina Mosaica models, Bvlgari has utilized a motif inspired by the pattern of mosaics in the Baths of Caracalla.
Divina Mosaica Minute Repeater beats to the rhythm of the world’s thinnest striking movement. This high-jewellery watch features a 37 mm-diameter white gold case made by the jewellers of the Roman Maison.
The Divina Mosaica Minute Repeater chimes a crystal-clear melody on demand by activating the dedicated slide in the form of a gem-set lucky charm. The voluptuously curved lugs are accentuated by brilliant-cut and baguette-cut diamonds. Demonstrating impeccable craftsmanship and elegance, its mosaic pattern dial is set with brilliant and baguette-cut diamonds.
As of now, the Divina Mosaica collection is also offering two time-only variants. Both models highlight the fan motif in a variety of colours, with a dial alternating between baguette-cut gems such as diamonds and green tsavorites or pink sapphires. The case, bezel and lugs mirror this aesthetic, also alternating between these two colour combinations.
Movement
Ultra-thin mechanical hand-wound hand movement, Calibre BVL 362
Functions
Two-hammer minute repeater operated by a dedicated slide
Hours, minutes and small seconds at 6 o’clock
Case
White gold case, 37 mm in diameter, entirely set with brilliant-cut diamonds
Bezel set with baguette-cut diamonds
Bracelet lugs set with brilliant-cut and baguette-cut diamonds
“Lucky charm” to activate the striking mechanism in white gold set with brilliant-cut diamonds
White gold crown set with a cabochon-cut sapphire.
Dial
White gold dial, Caracalla fan pattern composed of brilliant- and baguette-cut diamonds.
Bracelet
Blue alligator strap secured by a white gold folding clasp set with baguette-cut diamonds.
Movement
Mechanical self-winding Manufacture movement, Calibre BVL 191
Functions
Hours and minutes
Case
Rose gold case, 37 mm in diameter, entirely set with brilliant-cut diamonds
Bezel set with baguette-cut pink sapphires, bracelet lugs set with brilliant-cut diamonds and baguette-cut pink sapphires
Rose gold crown set with a cabochon-cut pink sapphire
Dial
Rose gold dial, Caracalla fan motif composed of baguette-cut pink sapphires and brilliant-cut diamonds
Strap
Purple alligator strap secured by arose gold folding clasp set with baguette-cut pink sapphires.
Stones
282 diamonds ~ 2.16 ct
261 pink sapphires (including 1 cabochon on the crown) ~12.7 ct
Movement
Mechanical self-winding Manufacture movement Calibre BVL 191
Functions
Hours and minutes
Case
White gold case, 37 mm in diameter, entirely set with brilliant-cut diamonds
Bezel set with baguette-cut tsavorites
Bracelet lugs set with brilliant-cut diamonds and baguette-cut tsavorites
White gold crown set with a cabochon-cut tsavorites
Dial
White gold dial, Caracalla fan motif composed of baguette-cut tsavorites and brilliant-cut diamonds
Strap
Green alligator strap secured by a white gold folding clasp set with baguette-cut tsavorites
Stones
282 diamonds ~ 2.16 ct
261 tsavorites (including 1 cabochon on the crown) ~11.6 ct
Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers department has been renowned for bespoke mechanical timepieces that represent the pinnacle of fine watchmaking and artisanal skills of the Geneva Maison.
Among the recent masterpieces from the Les Cabinotiers department, the the Les Cabinotiers Westminster Sonnerie – Tribute to Johannes Vermeer is a stand-out horological marvel. A project first undertaken in 2013, this bespoke pocket watch was made according to an esteemed client’s wish. This timepiece embodies art and beauty, exceptional mechanics and technical mastery.
This magnificent micromechanical wonder is equipped with a new in-house movement, Calibre 3761 with Grande Sonnerie and tourbillon, specially developed by the team of watchmakers who designed the Reference 57260 watch.
The craftsmanship adorning this timepiece is equally extraordinary. The case is hand-engraved on its bezel, back and sides using various artisanal techniques, as well as topped by a bow adorned with two hand-sculpted lion heads. The officer-type caseback is stunningly enhanced by a miniature enamel reproduction of Vermeer’s famous painting Girl with a Pearl Earring, created by enameller Anita Porchet.
Vacheron Constantin Reference 9910C/000J-B413 Pocket watch, Les Cabinotiers Westminster Sonnerie – Tribute to Johannes Vermeer
Les Cabinotiers is a department in its own right within the Manufacture Vacheron Constantin, dedicated to creating single-piece editions. Following in the footsteps of the Geneva master-watchmakers known as cabinotiers in the Age of Enlightenment, the team took up the challenge of giving substance to the dream of a passionate collector who wanted a pocket watch that was technically and aesthetically exceptional, reflecting the noblest traditions of 18th century Haute Horlogerie. To create this highly complex mechanical pocket watch, it took approximately eight years.
The Les Cabinotiers Westminster Sonnerie – Tribute to Johannes Vermeer pocket watch is powered by a new 806-part manual winding calibre, regulated by a tourbillon and comprising Grande and Petite Sonnerie Westminster chimes, coupled with a minute repeater. Within the range of watchmaking complications, Grande Sonnerie models have always enjoyed a special aura, not only because of the inherent complexity of these mechanisms striking several gongs, but also because of the musical qualities required.
Grande Sonnerie watches have a centuries-old tradition within the Maison. Among the oldest timepieces preserved to date, the first travel clock housing such a complication dates back to 1820. When it comes to pocket watches, the oldest model with Grande and Petite Sonnerie in the Vacheron Constantin private collection is dated 1827.
It was followed by several timepieces equipped with such mechanisms, some of them representing landmark creations endowed with an array of extremely sophisticated complications, such as the “Packard” presented in 1918 or the King Fouad I watch completed in 1929.
More recently, the world’s most complicated pocket watch, Reference 57260, was presented in 2015 on the occasion of the Maison’s 260th anniversary, affirming the expertise of the Maison in the realm of exceptional watchmaking.
The client who commissioned this model wanted a real Westminster chime pocket watch with striking five gongs with five hammers, featuring a Grande and Petite Sonnerie and adorned with miniature enamel. The Calibre 3761 measures 71 mm in diameter and 17 mm thick. It is regulated by a tourbillon majestically enthroned on the lower part of the movement, visible through the caseback and performing one full revolution per minute.
The tourbillon is driven by a 2.5Hz balance (18,000 vibrations per hour). The Westminster chime with which the movement is equipped with one of the most complicated striking mechanism to build, as it requires a sequence of five gongs struck in perfect harmony by their respective hammers controlled by four racks.
In wristwatches, Grande Sonnerie (grand strike) mechanisms are usually operated by a single rack, mainly for reasons of miniaturisation. The four rack and snail solution, with four racks for the hour and quarter chimes and one rack for the minute repeater, enhances the sequencing of the melodies and, as an added subtlety, enables different melodies to be played when passing the quarters.
The term ‘Westminster chime’ refers to the world-famous bells of Big Ben, the British Tower of Parliament in London: a four-bar melody consisting of four notes played at different frequencies. In “Grande Sonnerie” mode, the watch chimes the quarters in passing, with the hour repeated at each quarter, meaning three bars of the Westminster melody followed by five single notes for 5.45 am.
In “Petite Sonnerie” mode, it strikes the quarters at each change of quarter without repeating the hours; and at each change of hour, it strikes the fourth quarter – “the carillon” – as well as the hours. The strikework can be activated at any time by means of the slide on the side of the watch. The watch then functions as a minute repeater that chimes the quarters, minutes and hours in sequence. The selector switch positioned at 9 o’clock thus offers three possible modes.
In “Sonnerie” (strike) mode, the watch is automatically activated each time the quarters change, like a clock. In “Night Silence” mode, a special feature specifically developed and adapted to this 3761 calibre according to the time zone chosen by the customer, the alarm is deactivated between 11 pm and 9 am, thus saving energy as well as ensuring peace and quiet at night. The third and last “Silence” mode completely suspends the striking mechanism.
A second selector, positioned between 10 and 11 o’clock, serves to switch from Grande Sonnerie to Petite Sonnerie as preferred. The two barrels ensure an autonomy of approximately 16 hours for the musical mechanism in “Grande Sonnerie” mode and 80 hours for the time indications, with stable torque guaranteed until the end of the power reserve.
Calibre 3761 is equipped with a centripetal strike governor ensuring perfect regularity of the musical sequences, of which the notes must be both distinctly audible and pleasing to the ear. The system is characterised by a pair of weights whose very special shape has been optimised so as to generate a kind of “engine-braking effect” – by centripetal force – on the regulator’s pivot axis, thereby evening-out the energy released by the barrel.
This unique and original device is also perfectly silent. In another special feature regarding the flow of time, the calibre houses a double-wheel system with clearance adjustment. Given the size of the hands, in order to avoid any potential jerking of the seconds hand positioned at 6 o’clock, such a mechanism ensures its smooth flow thanks to a system based on two coaxial toothed wheels linked by a spring serving to eliminate gear play.
This Les Cabinotiers model demonstrates high standards and attention to detail in terms of movement finishing. All the components are thus hand-finished – from the completely engraved balance bridge to the bridges buffed with diamond paste to achieve a mirror-polished finish, as well as the galvanic treatment of the plates adorned with Côtes de Genève and featuring a soft champagne colour – creating an overall effect evoking the noblest watchmaking traditions.
The work on the ratchet wheel and the two barrel wheels is an excellent example of these meticulous tasks. The wheels first underwent surface treatment in the form of sandblasting and then sunburst finishing, before the teeth were glazed on all five gear portions. This type of finishing consists of chamfering the teeth and giving them a mirror-polished finish on the flat parts, a skill formerly used in watchmaking and that the Maison is committed to preserving. A week of patience and meticulous care was needed to decorate these three components.
The tuning of the gongs also requires a perfectionist’s spirit. First tested before being cased-up, they are shaped in such a way as to obtain the right note for each of them. This inevitably requires touching up with a file to achieve a perfect sound. There can however be surprises once the chiming mechanism is cased up. On this model, two of the five original gongs had to be replaced for the sake of harmony. By modifying the steel alloys, the sound of the two new gongs acquired a more crystal-clear entirely in tune with the other three.
This “tuning” of the Grande Sonnerie thus requires several successive casing-up procedures, since the mechanism has to be removed for any adjustments during the “trial runs” of the mechanism. These are indeed not the only elements of the assembled movement that undergo retouching during these various phases, which is why the latter take place even before the case is decorated. An additional difficulty with this single-piece edition was that it was impossible to case up the entire finished movement and part of the final assembly had to be done directly inside the case.
Given the level of finishing and decoration of each component, including the case, as well as the fact that any handling manipulation could potentially impair the quality, the ten operations involved in fitting the calibre – which had to be removed the same number of times for retouching – followed by the final assembly required an uncommonly deft touch. In the end, a very small team of specialised watchmakers conducted the making of this Calibre 3761, from the development, manufacturing and finishing of the various components to the final assembly and casing-up of the movement.
The client expressed the wish that the cover of the officer-type caseback should feature a miniature enamel painting by enameller Anita Porchet. The work chosen was Girl with a Pearl Earring, painted circa 1665 by Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer.
Above and beyond the challenge of reproducing the work of a great master, the size of the 98 mm-diameter surface implied additional difficulties. This size of watch, corresponding more to that of historical carriage watches than to a pocket model, requires a degree of dexterity all the more accurate in that the slightest irregularity is glaringly obvious.
The result is reminiscent of the grand miniature enamel painting tradition in which Geneva came to specialise. Acknowledged since the late 16th century for its production of high-quality enamels, Geneva in fact lent its name to several terms referring to the quality of the work of its craftsmen. “Geneva enamels”, a term commonly used since that time, refers to painted enamels covered with a flux known as the “Fondant de Genève”.
This technique consists of adding a final transparent and colourless protective coating to the layers of vitrified enamel, thereby giving brilliance and depth to the artist’s work. This invention greatly benefited the timepieces of the period, which were subjected to repeated friction as pocket watches.
Only a few rare master enamellers still master these techniques. One need only think of the fact that a single layer of enamel on the young girl’s oriental turban requires at least two weeks of work given the size of the model.
The colour palette is similarly complex, notably including a composition of seven shades to obtain black, as well as 20 or so firings in the kiln required to stabilise the colours. In all, seven months of intermittent work were necessary to bring this portrait to life. The research and development work – notably relating to the pigments and enamels to be used – began in 2018 and the final result was completed in 2020.
While the decoration of watches and clocks using the various enamelling techniques strongly contributed to the reputation of the Fabrique de Genève which encompassed all the watchmaking and jewellery trades in the 18th century, the term “Geneva enamels” refers above all to enamel miniature painting.
This process consists of painting colours – based on metallic oxides ground to powder and then mixed with an oil-based binder – onto a layer of white enamel coating a copper or gold leaf base. Much like in gouache or oil painting, the master artisan then applies colours to a canvas, enabling a meticulous depiction – these days under a binocular microscope – of even the smallest details. After each phase, the colours are stabilised by successive firings in the kiln, with no chance of touch ups.
The main watch dial is Grand Feu enamelled in an eggshell colour with blue enamelled Roman numerals.
The style of the engravings adorning the case was carefully studied by Vacheron Constantin’s engraver in order to blend harmoniously with Vermeer’s painting. After several proposals and discussions with the client, she chose a main ornamental theme composed of acanthus leaves running along scrolls and flowers with a pearl heart. This motif echoes the theme of The Girl with the Pearl Earring with its classical and feminine decoration.
The talents of Vacheron Constantin’s master-engraver have created a visually striking result. Her work began by outlining the décor using a scriber. She then proceeded to create a champlevé effect by flat-hollowing around the motifs, creating volume and depth by carving them with a burin.
Observation and analysis of the pattern is essential to understand the volumes before cutting into the metal. To keep the rhythm and flexibility of the acanthus leaves along the accompanying line, the curves must be stretched. The facets and stripes are then cleaned and polished. This work requires time and patience.
Polishing is indeed a delicate operation to find the right balance between the shimmer of the metal and the volumes of the sculpture which lose their dynamic appeal if they are too rounded. In order to accentuate the shadows and to add details to the leaves and flowers, slender hollow lines are made on each of them using the fine line engraving technique involving incising or hollowing out the material.
The last operation, the point-by-point hand-chasing of the background, accentuates the contrast between the matt chased champlevé surface and the polished motifs. This operation improves legibility and highlights the decoration by its shimmering appearance. Chasing creates a decoration or a texture by striking the material, unlike engraving and sculpture which involving removing material.
The adornment of the case middle is further emphasised by a double ‘pearl’ border, a reference to the painting by Johannes Vermeer. The creation of this border begins with an even distribution of engraved squares running around the bezel and caseback. Then the engraver transforms these squares into half-beads using a beading tool with a spherically hollowed tip leaving an imprint serving to form the half-beads of metal.
Handling this instrument requires a steady, rhythmical touch. The small 0.8 mm beads are then polished by hand using a brush coated with diamond paste. The effect must be regular, while maintaining the personal deft touch that gives life to the result thanks to similar yet unique reflections. This beaded or ‘pearl’ decoration that was particularly in vogue in the early 20th century requires peerless mastery and dexterity.
Like an extension of this delicate craftsmanship performed on the case middle, the bow is a work of art in itself with its two roaring lions. At the client’s request, these three-dimensional ronde bosse sculptures are inspired by classical statues. Incredibly realistic, sculpted in a block of gold, they embody a rare degree of mastery.
Before working the material in its raw state, the Vacheron Constantin engraver made several 3D prints to determine the right volumes that would enable her to express her art. To craft the lions’ heads, which are similar yet not identical in terms of their manes, she drew with a tracing point the outlines of the two profiles, from the front and from above. It is above all a question of understanding the volumes of the head in three dimensions, before starting the sculpture, which gradually makes her lose the previously traced reference points.
The head of the animal must be imprinted in her mind as an infallible reference point throughout the process in order to give it life and character. Observation and precision are essential in creating such an animal sculpture whose expression can be totally distorted by an excessively strong touch.
The engraver first used a milling cutter to rough out the material and then several burins for increasingly fine and accurate work. The details of the satin-brushed, matt and polished textures were obtained using specific tools, some created for the occasion. A total of five months of extremely meticulous craftsmanship was required to engrave and sculpt the various elements of the pocket watch.
In the interests of safety, particular attention was paid to the design of the hinged officer-type caseback. An internal mechanism inside the case facilitates access by enabling the user to half-open the caseback by pressing the crown-integrated pusher. A cone-shaped titanium pin serves as the hinge, concealed by gold screws, while a spring using approximately 90° of the case angle slows down the closing of the enamelled and engraved caseback.
The extraordinary length of the hands – the minutes hand is 35 mm long – is also a challenge, particularly when it comes to finishing the polished surfaces and ensuring an even surface. To enhance lightness, they are made of pfinodal, an alloy of copper, nickel and tin, and then gilded.
Technical details
Model: Les Cabinotiers Westminster Sonnerie –Tribute to Johannes Vermeer
Reference 9910C/000J-B413
Movement
Calibre 3761
Developed and crafted by Vacheron Constantin
Mechanical manual winding
71 mm (31 ½’’’) diameter, 17.05 mm thick
Movement power reserve: approximately 80h
Strikework power reserve (Grande Sonnerie mode): approximately 16 hours
2.5 Hz (18,000 vibrations/hour)
806 components
58 jewels
Hallmark of Geneva certified timepiece
Indications
Hours, minutes, small seconds
Tourbillon, minute repeater, Westminster carillon
Case
18K 3N yellow gold, engraved with acanthus leaves on the case sides and with tulips and “pearl” decor on the bezel and the caseback
Bow sculpted with two lion heads
Officer-type cover, Grand Feu miniature enamelling depicting Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring painting, handmade by Anita Porchet
98 mm diameter, 32.60 mm thick
Dial
Grand Feu eggshell-coloured enamelling
Blue enamelled numerals
Golden pfinodal hands
Presentation Box
Les Cabinotiers model exclusively developed for this timepiece
This extra-ordinary mechanical wristwatch marks two historical milestones of the Jaeger-LeCoultre manufacture: the 90th anniversary of the best-selling Reverso and the 150th anniversary of the first minute repeater made by La Grande Maison.
Offered in a limited edition of 10 pieces, the Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater reflects the Swiss manufacture’s exceptional expertise in chiming watches and the timeless story of the Reverso.
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s mastery of chiming mechanisms dates back to the very foundation of the Manufacture in 1833. Introduced in 1931, the Reverso is one of the most iconic wristwatches ever made.
Jaeger-LeCoultre presented the Reverso Répétition Minutes in 1994. It was the first time the Maison had miniaturised a minute repeater for a wristwatch and was the world’s first rectangular minute repeater movement.
Embodying technical advances such as Jaeger-LeCoultre’s patented trebuchet hammers, silent regulator and a new generation of gongs, the Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater is powered by a revised version of Calibre 944 – a movement entirely conceived, designed and produced within the Manufacture.
The new timepiece is distinguished by dials on both the front and reverse sides, bringing a fresh visual expression to the timeless Reverso design, as well as to the minute repeater mechanism itself.
While the dials both display the same time, they are very different in character – one exuberant, the other more sober. Both are a testament to the beauty of fine movement decoration and the exceptional level of craftsmanship that resides within the Manufacture.
The front dial is entirely skeletonised, revealing the full complexity of the minute repeater mechanism and presenting a mesmerising display of moving parts when the minute repeater is activated.
Beneath a large bow-shaped bridge that sweeps from 11 o’clock to 7 o’clock, the components appear almost to be floating in three dimensions, the sense of visual depth and transparency enhanced by faceted indexes that are cantilevered from the chemin de fer minutes track.
With a gleaming golden finish, the bridge, hour markers, gongs and several other components perfectly match the colour of the rose-gold watch case.
While the exuberance of the front dial contrasts with the rectilinear geometry of the Reverso case, the relative sobriety of the reverse dial echoes and amplifies those straight lines.
Vertical Côtes de Genève stripes extend over the entire height of the main plate, which also serves as the dial. Showcasing the timekeeping mechanism, with subtle colour accents provided by blued screws and golden hands and hour markers, the cool silver tone of the metal provides an elegant counterpoint to the warm rose gold of the case.
Set into the side of the watch case, the slider that activates the chimes has been specially designed for the new Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater to be as slim as possible, without sacrificing ergonomics.
Technical details
Model: Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater
Case material: Pink Gold
Case dimensions: 51.1 x 31 mm
Case thickness: 11.41 mm
Movement: Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 944, manually wound
Functions: Hours and Minutes on two dials, minute repeater
Power reserve: 35 hours
Water resistance: 30 m
Strap: Brown alligator
Limited edition of 10 pieces
Independent Swiss luxury watch manufacture Christophe Claret pays homage to Napoleon Bonaparte on the occasion of the bicentenary of his death by producing an exceptional watch. The «Napoleon» is a Westminster flying tourbillon minute repeater provided with a jaquemart automata featuring Napoleon with his soldiers.
To pay tribute to the genius military strategist, a military campaign, entirely handmade miniature painting, is staged in the first painting of this series of unique pieces. The animated characters are embossed and enhanced with colors.
Napoleon, to reward his bravest soldiers, created, from the start of his reign, the Legion of Honor and his famous medal. Christophe Claret decided to put the exceptional symbol on the tourbillon cage of this timepiece.
The Westminster minute repeater mechanism plays a musical tune when the quarters ring. Each quarters has a different ringtone «C D E G; G D E C; E G D C. » This ringtone, resulting from a collaboration between Christophe Claret and a virtuoso violinist, offers notes with optimal quality.
This musical tone is accompanied by the animation of the stage automatons. The «Napoleon» is available in two limited editions of 8 pieces, an edition in Red Gold and an edition in Titanium. All unique, they are each differentiated by their decor.
Driven by NBC98 caliber, the Christophe Claret Napoleon sets the tone in the family of traditional complications watches, the first of the four collections of the brand. It is inspired by previous creations by the master watchmaker, while once again pushing the limits of what is possible in this area.
With a frequency of 3 hertz (21,600 vibrations per hour) by means of its flying tourbillon, the NBC98caliber comes to life thanks to a single barrel. The mechanism has a power reserve of around 60 hours. The activation of the minute repeater is traditionally made through a sliding pusher on the left side of the case. We can therefore contemplate the animation of the Jaquemart automata, while listening the melodious sound of time by the Westminster cathedral ringing.
Christophe Claret is the designer of this four-branch balance wheel which offers an inertia / weight ratio close to the ideal balance: although very complex to manufacture, this aerodynamic balance is easy to adjust and balance.
The «cathedral» stamps of Napoleon’s «Westminster» ringing have been the subject of special care -as always with Christophe Claret. This type of bell has the particularity of going around the movement twice in order to express sounds that are longer, clearer and more powerful. Excellence is required for their manufacture in drawn steel, for their assembly and tuning. They benefit from a patented in-house invention which blocks significant vibrations despite their exceptional lengths and thus prohibits all parasitic noises.
The case harmoniously combines the polished and satin finishes of 5N red gold or titanium, highlighting the play of lights.
Grade 5 titanium is hard and very difficult to machine, it has the advantage of being extremely light and above all of sublimating the transmission of the ringing sound. The dial also magnifies the light and dark, with its unique nuances of hues and personalized materials.
The Napoleon watch displays a handmade miniature painting of a different battle setting on each of the 8 unique pieces.
Technical details
Model: Christophe Claret Napoleon
Movement
Caliber NBC98, mechanical, hand-wound movement
Diameter: 37.00 mm
Height: 9.03mm (without hands)
Components: 511
Jewels: 36
Barrel: Single mainspring barrel
Power reserve: Approximately 60 hours
Escapement: Swiss lever
Frequency: 3 Hz (21’600 vph)
Flying tourbillon with cage bridge decorated with the Legion of Honor
Tourbillon rotates once every 60 seconds
Functions
Hours, minutes
Hours, quarters and minutes repeater on demand
Inertia wheel
4-note minute repeater playing Westminster chime
4-jaquemart automata animated when ringing
Operating devices
Slide to activate the minute repeater function
2-position crown
– Drawn: time setting
– Thrust: winding the movement
Case
Diameter: 47mm
Height: 15 mm
Water resistance: 3 ATM / 30 m / 100 ft
Christophe Claret Concertino is an Haute Horlogerie minute-repeater watch featuring a completely redesigned movement with a unique regulator.
It belongs to the family of traditional complications watches, the first of the four collections of the independent Swiss brand. It is inspired by previous creations by Christophe Claret, while once again pushing the limits of what is possible in this area. Its CRM89 caliber is an entirely redesigned composition, from the mainplate to the bridges, including the flywheel which regulates the minute repeater mechanism.
With a frequency of 3 hertz (21,600 vibrations per hour), this single barrel mechanical-hand wound movement provides a power reserve of around 60 hours. The minute repeater activation is traditionally made through a sliding pusher on the left side of the case. The choreography of the two hammers is visible through the sapphire crystal back of the watch.
Christophe Claret is the designer of this four-branch balance wheel which offers an inertia / weight ratio close to the ideal balance: although very complex to manufacture, this aerodynamic balance is easy to adjust and balance.
Special care has been taken in the Concertino “Cathedral” bells. This type of bell has the particularity of going around the movement twice in order to produce melodies that are longer, clearer and more powerful.
Excellent technical-know is required for their manufacture in drawn steel, for their assembly and tuning. They benefit from a patented in-house invention which blocks significant vibrations despite their exceptional lengths and thus prohibits all parasitic noises. The balance cockbridge has a micrometric adjustment system that is also patented.
Concertino is available in 5N red gold or grade-5 titanium, and its fully customizable dial makes it unique each time. Measuring 45mm in diameter, the case harmoniously combines the polished and satin finishes of 5N red gold or titanium, highlighting the play of lights.
Christophe Claret Concertino features a large dial, set with an immense sapphire crystal under a finely satin-brushed bezel. The dial (enamelled, engraved, set and / or guilloché) also magnifies the light and dark, with its unique nuances of hues and personalized materials.
The early Concertinos display an ornamental hand engraving (nearly 1.5 mm) of two dragons – protectors of the Sun, an 8 mm pigeon’s blood ruby, in its rose gold livery or protectors of the Earth, a sapphire 8 mm blue, in its titanium livery.
The transparent case-back affords the view of the exceptional architecture of the movement. On the back side, the watch features the famous stepped and skeletonized Charles X bridges, signatures of Christophe Claret. The movement is in micro-blasted and rhodium-plated nickel silver for the Concertino grade 5 titanium version, or 4N red gold plated for the 5N Gold Concertino version.
Technical details
Model: Christophe Claret Concertino
Movement
Caliber: CRM89, mechanical, hand-wound movement
Diameter: 34.00 mm
Height: 6.70 mm (without hands)
Components: 376
Jewels: 33
Barrel: Single mainspring barrel
Power reserve: Approximately 60 hours
Escapement: Swiss lever
3 Hz frequency (21’600 vph)
Features: Charles X style skeletonized, stepped bridges
Charles X cockbridge with patented micrometric adjustment system
Minute-repeater with Cathedral bells with patented noise reducer
Functions
Hours, minutes
Hours, quarters and minutes repeater on demand
Inertia wheel
Case
Diameter: 45 mm
Height: 12.90 mm
Water resistance: 3 ATM / 30 m / 100 ft
Issued in eight pieces to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the founder Pierre Jaquet-Droz, the Bird Repeater, an automaton with a minute repeater, embodies the essence of the House. Its dial in white mother-of-pearl and black onyx features appliqués in 18K red gold.
Multiple bird animations, eggs hatching and the river in the background breathe life into this creation. This weave of elaborate animations, completely engraved and painted by hand, resonates with a minute repeater, which is housed at the heart of its 18K red gold case in 47mm.
In 2012, Jaquet Droz revolutionized wristwatches by creating the Bird Repeater collection. These Haute Horlogerie innovations are the culmination of all the House’s Ateliers d’Art techniques in a single piece, combining traditional watchmaking aesthetic with their one-of-a-kind automaton expertise, in the same movement.
For this anniversary edition, Jaquet Droz returns to the theme of nature to animate its automatons. In the foreground are two robins, one male and one female, like those that can be seen and heard all around the Swiss Valleys. In the background, to the right, is a replica of the farmhouse where Pierre Jaquet-Droz was born exactly 300 years ago.
This historical nod is coupled with a verdant valley and river flowing through it on the left. Again, this is La Ronde, encircling the La Chaux-de-Fonds valley. There is also a Gentian flower in the foreground, whose especially fine wood grain is used by watchmakers for the ultimate polishing of their components. The plant is also used for its medicinal values and alcoholic beverages that have contributed to the region’s success.
Left, right and center, the natural characteristics of La Chaux-de-Fonds are present: red berries and holly leaves, a blue butterfly announcing the arrival of summer and other animals hidden in the scene. A dragonfly and a grasshopper are also featured.
Technical details
Collection: Automata Collection
Model: Bird Repeater 300th Anniversary Edition
Edition: Numerus Clausus of 8
Reference: J031033211
Movement
Jaquet Droz RMA88, minute repeater, hand-winding mechanical movement, single barrel
Mechanical automaton featuring birds, a hatching egg and a river
Jewelling: 69 jewels
Power reserve: 48 hours
Frequency: 18,000 v.p.h
Indications
Off-centered hours and minutes
Case
18-karat red gold case and applied ring
Diameter 47 mm
Height 18.70 mm
Individual limited serial number engraved on the case-back
Not water resistant
Dial
Hand-engraved and hand-painted white mother-of-pearl and 18-karat red gold dial
Hand-engraved and hand-painted 18-karat red gold decorated appliques
Black onyx subdial
Hands: 18-karat red gold
Bracelet
Rolled-edge hand-made black alligator strap with black alligator lining
Luxury folding clasp in 18-karat red gold
Patek Philippe presents a new feminine minute repeater with a blue grand feu flinqué enamel dial and a bezel with a Flamme® diamond setting.
Available from 2011 to 2017, the Ref. 7000R-001 Ladies First Minute Repeater in rose gold with a cream-colored dial is making way for a new, highly refined model in white gold. It has a slightly larger diameter, a blue grand feu flinqué enamel dial and a diamond-set bezel. Its contemporary yet timeless looks grace a case in the typical officer’s style with straight lugs and screwed bars.
The gold dial plate is fully guilloched by hand with a gently undulated sunburst motif inspired by the Ref. 992/137G-001 “Siamese Fighting Fish” pocket watch (a one-of-a-kind piece created in 2019). It is then coated with transparent blue enamel that allows the underlying decor to shine through; the venerable technique is referred to as flinqué enameling.
The enduring color and timeless sheen of this dial is the background for the faceted, lancet-shaped hour and minute hands in white gold; they hover above printed hand-shaped gold markers, and a subsidiary seconds dial is discreetly positioned at 6 o’clock.
The bezel is remarkably radiant with 168 flawless Top Wesselton brilliant-cut diamonds set in two offset rows using the “Flamme®” technique. With this exclusive and patented setting method, the artisan uses a sharp burin to cut notches in the gold between the individual stones so that the light can ignite the fire of the diamonds from below as well, enhancing the airiness of the precious creation.
The self-winding caliber R 27 PS is powered by a 22K gold eccentric minirotor recessed in the movement. It stands out not only with its very thin profile (height: 5.05 mm), allowing a svelte case silhouette, but also with the harmonious sound of its two classic gongs. Its architecture and the lavish finissage can be admired through the sapphire-crystal display back. It can be swapped with the solid back in white gold that comes with the watch.
The new Ref. 7040/250G-001 Ladies Minute Repeater is worn on an alligator strap in patinated ocean blue. Its white-gold prong buckle is set with 26 brilliant-cut diamonds (0.18 ct).
About Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts 2020-2021 Collection
On the occasion of the “Rare Handcrafts 2020-2021” exhibitionin June 2021, Patek Philippe launched six exceptional wristwatches featuring artistic decorations such as manual engraving, grand feu cloisonné enamel, grand feu champlevé enamel, grand feu flinqué enamel, manual guilloching and gemsetting.
During the Watches and Wonders 2021 digital event, Jaeger-LeCoultre unveiled Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 (Quadriptyque), the world’s first watch with four faces. This grand complication watch incorporates a total of 11 complications, including perpetual calendar, minute repeater, indications of the synodic, draconic and anomalistic cycles (never before presented together in a wristwatch), requiring 12 patents.
The most complicated timepiece ever presented in the Reverso collection, the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 is the result of over six years of development, combining key areas of expertise at Jaeger-LeCoultre with innovative new astronomical indications.
Uniting the brand’s unchallenged mastery of chiming watches, precision mechanisms, astronomical complications and ultra-compact watchmaking, it is the world’s first wristwatch with four functioning display faces. It incorporates three displays of lunar information on the interior face of the iconic Reverso cradle: the synodic cycle, the draconic cycle and the anomalistic cycle.
With these functions, the Hybris Mechanica Quadriptyque can predict the next global incidence of astronomical events such as supermoons and eclipses — the world’s first wristwatch to provide such astronomical indications.
Having a multitude of complications in a watch is pointless unless they can be legibly and comprehensibly displayed, and the watch can be reasonably worn. Liberated by the unique design of the iconic Reverso, Jaeger-LeCoultre has created a world’s first: a double-faced case continuously driven by the in-house Calibre 185, and a double-faced cradle with indications synced and updated by the primary movement every day at the stroke of midnight by an ingenious mechanical system proprietary to Jaeger-LeCoultre.
If accomplished through conventional mechanical means, the 11 complications of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 Quadriptyque would result in a timepiece far more suited for a desk than a wrist. Thanks to nearly two centuries of expertise and a thoroughly modern approach to innovation, the Maison has accommodated the extremely complex mechanism in a wristwatch with a 51mm x 31mm x 15mm case.
The history of Jaeger-LeCoultre is rooted in the pursuit and attainment of precision. One of the earliest inventions of founder Antoine LeCoultre was the millionometer, the first instrument able to measure the micron.
Today, Jaeger-LeCoultre is an undisputed pioneer and leader in creating exceptional executions of the tourbillon, a mechanism designed to enhance the chronometric performance of a timepiece. The Reverso Hybris Mechanica Gyrotourbillon 2 (2008) stunned audiences and won chronometry awards with its multi-axial revolving balance, and the Reverso Hybris Mechanica à Triptyque (2006) remains unique in its use of a tourbillon with a high-precision ellipse isometer escapement.
Occupying the 7 o’clock position on the recto face of the case, a flying tourbillon makes one rotation a minute, continuously varying the position of the balance in order to achieve a single corrected average time measurement.
The balance beats in regular cadences of 4Hz (28,800vph), every eight beats mark the passing of one second. The seconds accumulate into minutes, into hours, days, weeks, months and years. The recto face of the Quadriptyque case shows the indications of a perpetual calendar. It also takes leap years into account, displaying a 29th day in the month of February every four years.
Highlighting the precision of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 185 construction, the perpetual calendar indications are instantaneous, changing at the stroke of midnight. In addition, the complexities of the Calibre 185 construction required the date to be displayed at the 5 o’clock position on the dial. At Jaeger-LeCoultre, only the perfect legibility of a grande date was considered acceptable for a watch of such prestige, which necessitated the creation of a new system of date display discs in order to accommodate the dimensions of the flying tourbillon at 7 o’clock.
There are extremely few watchmaking manufactures that possess in-house expertise in sonnerie wristwatches. Jaeger-LeCoultre is the only one watchmaking manufacture that has over 200 chiming watch calibres in its historical and modern inventory. The verso face of the Quadriptyque case is a virtuoso tour de force of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s patrimony as a master and innovator of chiming watches.
With the slide of a lever located just above the crown, the Quadriptyque unleashes its melody. First, a series of low notes, correlating to the number of hours. Second, an alternating couplet of high and low notes, corresponding to the quarter-hours. And concluding the melody, a succession of high notes, indicating the number of minutes to be added to the elapsed quarters. In concert, the hours-quarters-minutes chime plays the current time in musical code.
The striking works of the Reverso Quadriptyque are completely exposed alongside a secondary time display, indicating the same time as the recto dial, but in a jumping-hours and peripheral-minutes format. As the Quadriptyque strikes the time, setting a symphony of springs, cams, hammers and gongs into motion, their acoustic report confirms the visual display of the secondary dial.
Visible through apertures on the movement plate hand-decorated with the guillochage motif known as clous de Paris are elements of the chiming mechanism uniquely associated with the sonnerie expertise of Jaeger-LeCoultre. These include the silent chime governor, patented by the manufacture in 1895 to eliminate the buzzing noise created by the older anchor system.
More recent in-house innovations showcased in the Quadriptyque are the crystal gongs (first seen in the Master Minute Repeater Antoine LeCoultre of 2005) that attach the repeater gongs directly to the sapphire crystal to exploit the material’s optimal acoustic properties, the square cross-sectional profile of the gongs themselves that maximise contact and energy transmission between the hammers and gongs (a mainstay of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s repeating watches since 2006), and the articulated trebuchet hammers (developed for the 2009 Hybris Mechanica Duomètre à Grande Sonnerie) that deliver a clean and strong strike to the gongs. In totality, these innovations allow Jaeger-LeCoultre minute repeaters to produce some of the loudest and clearest chiming wristwatches today.
Debuting in the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 is a completely novel engineering of the chiming components to create a seamless chime with no pauses in between the hours, quarters and minutes. The conventional minute repeater mechanism utilises special pivoting racks that read the time off a series of cams and then proceed to activate each group of chimed notes in turn. This often results in silent gaps between the groups of chimed notes, especially when there are only hours and minutes to be struck, with no intervening quarters.
The Hybris Mechanica Master Ultra Thin Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon (2014) and Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon Westminster Perpétuel (2019) made exceptional strides in chiming know-how by reducing these silent gaps, but the Reverso Quadriptyque has reached the ultimate stage of expertise in this area. By refining and inverting specific steps in this mechanical sequence, the Quadriptyque has succeeded in eliminating these gaps entirely.
As a watch manufacture with close to two centuries of fine watchmaking expertise, Jaeger-LeCoultre has mastered all aspects of time expression, from the quotidian to the esoteric. One of the hallmark complications of Jaeger-LeCoultre is the display of sidereal time, time that is determined with reference to the stars instead of the Sun, first presented in the Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication (2010).
This year, for the first time ever in the history of mechanical horology, Jaeger-LeCoultre unites three displays of lunar information — the synodic cycle, the draconic cycle and the anomalistic cycle — in a single wristwatch. This unique micromechanical combination of indications, located on the interior face of the cradle of the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185, allows the determination of eclipse events (both solar and lunar) and rare lunar phenomena such as supermoons.
Occupying the top half of the interior face of the cradle of the Reverso Quadriptyque is a massive representation of the phases of the moon in the Northern Hemisphere. A laser-engraved moon is progressively covered and revealed by a mobile blue lacquer disc with gold glitter décor, corresponding to the age of the moon in the synodic cycle. While conventional displays of the moon phase accumulate one day of error after 32.5 months, the moon phase display of the Quadriptyque requires only one adjustment after 1,111 years.
Just below the moon phase display, on the left, is a counter with a three-dimensional micro-sculpted pink-gold sun orbited by a tiny hemispherical moon. This counter shows the draconic cycle, showing when the path of the Moon intersects with the orbit of the Earth around the Sun (known as the ecliptic). Such an intersection takes place twice in each cycle, indicated by the horizontal alignment on the counter of the moon and the sun.
At this time, the Moon, Earth and Sun are all on the same plane; however, they may not be aligned. For them to be aligned, a phenomenon known as syzygy, an additional condition must be fulfilled — the Moon must be either in its new or full phase. When that happens, an eclipse event happens on Earth, either a lunar eclipse if the Moon is in its full phase, or a solar eclipse if the Moon is in its new phase. However, the actual visibility of the eclipse is dependent on various factors such as the geographical position of the viewer.
To the right of the draconic cycle counter is a domed representation of the Earth, micro-painted in enamel, with a hemispherical moon in eccentric orbit around it. This counter represents the anomalistic cycle, showing the varying distance between the Earth and Moon. At its apogee, the Moon is at its furthest distance from the Earth and is closest at its perigee. When the Moon is in its full phase near or at the perigee, an event known as a supermoon occurs, in which the Moon can appear to be up to 14 percent larger than usual in the sky.
The display of the synodic, draconic and anomalistic cycle together in a wristwatch is unprecedented in horology, with the latter two indications protected by patent, making the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 the only watch ever made to provide such depth of information about astronomical phenomena.
The Hybris Mechanica family of timepieces at Jaeger-LeCoultre began with the 2003 Atmos Mystérieuse and has since grown to encompass close to 20 groundbreaking horological creations, including the Master Hybris Mechanica Gyrotourbillon 1 (2004), the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Grande Complication à Triptyque (2006), the Master Ultra Thin Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon (2014) and the Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon Westminster Perpétuel (2019).
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso was born in 1931. The original Reverso bore a single time-telling face, with a mobile case that could be turned over within its cradle, revealing a solid caseback. The next generation of the Reverso featured another dial on its caseback, either in a different design to accommodate the wearer’s aesthetic preference (Duetto) or displaying a second time zone (Duoface) to offer additional functionality when travelling. The Reverso Hybris Mechanica à Triptyque (2006) represented an evolutionary leap in horological innovation, with a third display positioned on the interior face of the Reverso cradle.
This year, the world’s first wristwatch with four faces premieres in the form of the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 (Quadriptyque), the ultimate expression of the Reverso concept. On the last face of the Quadriptyque, the exterior face of the cradle, a representation of the phases of the Moon in the Southern Hemisphere is shown.
Most indications of the moon phase are of the Northern Hemisphere perspective, and the Quadriptyque’s display of the Southern Hemisphere moon phase on its fourth face is the fulfilment of the Reverso’s fundamental dualism. A star-flecked sky chart, engraved and lacquered in a gradient of blue shades forms the backdrop to the pink-gold moon, all of which are created in the Atelier des Métiers Rares® of Jaeger-LeCoultre.
The secret to the Reverso Hybris Mechanica Quadriptyque’s four functioning display faces lies in a solution first used in the 2006 Reverso Hybris Mechanca Grande Complication à Triptyque. Every day at midnight, a pin extends out of the main case movement to activate a mechanical corrector in the cradle, which then advances the cradle displays.
The mechanism driving the cradle displays is set directly into the cradle itself, without any additional movement plates that would increase the thickness of the watch. Jaeger-LeCoultre’s expertise in ultra-compact watchmaking makes the Quadriptyque, despite its multiple indications and complications, one of the most wearable high-complication watches of our time.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185 comes in an exceptional presentation box with a built-in mechanism that allows the wearer to quickly and intuitively set all the calendar and astronomical displays of the watch after a period of being unworn.
A two-position crown on the side of the box is used to first set the number of days that have elapsed since the watch was last worn. With the Quadriptyque set within the correction support frame, the box corrector crown can then be extended to its second position and wound to rapidly bring the watch to the current date for all calendar and astronomical indications. There is no risk of overcorrecting the watch or damaging the movement, since the entire process is controlled by the box corrector mechanism.
Case
Material: White gold
Case dimensions: 51.2 x 31 mm
Thickness: 15.15 mm
Water resistance: 30 metres
Movement
Manually wound Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 185
Power reserve: 50 hours
Functions
Face 1: Hour – Minute, Tourbillon (indicating the Second), Instantaneous Perpetual Calendar, Grande Date, Day, Month, Leap Year, Night & Day
Face 2: Jumping Digital Hour, Minute, Minute Repeater (with system avoiding dead time)
Face 3: Northern Hemisphere Moon Phase, Draconic Lunar Cycle (height of the moon), Anomalistic Lunar Cycle (apogee and perigee), Month, Year
Face 4: Southern Hemisphere Moon Phase
Vacheron Constantin presents the Les Cabinotiers minute repeater tourbillon sky chart Leo constellation Jewellery watch, a single-piece edition adding an artistic dimension to the technical prowess of its Calibre 2755 TMRCC. The Manufacture’s craftsmen, gemsetters and guilloché specialists have adorned an extraordinarily complex timepiece with a creative and original evocation of the Leo constellation.
This new model, presented at Watches & Wonders 2021, is part of the theme of the Maison for 2021: entitled Classic with a Twist, it highlights Vacheron Constantin’s creative energy, guided by an identity that celebrates a heritage and dares to deliver the unexpected.
Early astronomers’ observations led them to recognise animal forms in the configuration of the constellations, including that of a lion. Vacheron Constantin’s artisan drew inspiration from this to highlight the astronomical complication of this single-piece edition Les Cabinotiers watch.
Hand-guilloché and set with diamonds forming the Leo constellation, the noble creature stands majestically on the dial, framed by a case set with baguette-cut sapphires. This artistic and artisanal interpretation adds an artistic dimension to the technical prowess of Calibre 2755 TMRCC, which combines a tourbillon regulating device, a minute repeater in the grand tradition of the Maison’s striking watches, as well as a rotating sky chart.
The watch flaunts its elegance in an 18K white gold case measuring 45 mm in diameter and barely 15.1 mm thick, fitted with a dark blue alligator strap secured by a gemset gold buckle.
Already accentuated by the presence of a tourbillon, the complexity of the Les Cabinotiers minute repeater tourbillon sky chart Leo constellation Jewellery watch is further heightened by the mobile representation of the sky chart on the back of the watch. This vision of the constellations inspired the motif adorning the guilloche opaline dark blue dial, itself enhanced by the sparkling case adorned with 100 baguette-cut sapphires bezel-set on the lugs, crown and bezel.
The Leo constellation is staged to great effect on the dial. A masterpiece of hand guilloché craftsmanship created in the Vacheron Constantin workshops, the feline’s silhouette is composed of a multitude of triangles bearing their own motifs.
Since the rose engines operated by skilled artisans with an artist’s touch are designed to engrave decorative elements that are generally circular and geometric, it is easy to grasp the difficulties implied by depicting a lion in the form of a combination of polygons whose linear engravings provide striking depth effects. The stars composing the constellation are represented by brilliant-cut diamonds adorning the great cat’s tawny coat.
The 413-component Calibre 2755 TMRCC of the Les Cabinotiers minute repeater tourbillon sky chart Leo constellation Jewellery watch combines three horological complications in the technical, astronomical and musical categories.
This manual-winding movement with a 58-hour power reserve is equipped with a one-minute tourbillon bearing the small seconds hand. Invented at the beginning of the 19th century, this device – which incorporates the escapement as well as the balance-and-spring assembly within a mobile carriage – is designed to compensate for the effects of the Earth’s gravity on the regulator’s isochronism, thereby enhancing its precision.
This tourbillon is distinguished by its carriage shaped like a Maltese cross – Vacheron Constantin’s signature emblem since 1880 – and featuring a bar on which the delicate finishing operations involving manual chamfering and polishing require a full 36 hours of work.
Displayed through the back of the watch on a concave dial designed to accentuate the depth effect, the sky chart offers a striking view of the Milky Way and the constellations that appear in real time, as if through a telescope.
For the sake of accuracy, this sky chart performs a complete rotation in one sidereal day. Taking a fixed star in the sky as a reference point, the time required by the Earth to complete a full 360° rotation, or sidereal day, is exactly 23 h 56 min 4 s. Since the Earth rotates both within itself and around the Sun, it takes about four minutes less than on a calendar day to find its point of origin in relation to the given star.
This sidereal time can be read off counter-clockwise on the 24-hour circle, graduated in 10-minute increments, opposite the current date appearing on a rotating disc with a five by five-day scale. This display is essential for correctly adjusting the sky chart moving beneath the sapphire crystal. The sapphire crystal also bears an off-centred ellipse serving to highlight the exact position of the constellations in the Northern hemisphere at the moment the watch is consulted.
The watch is also equipped with a minute repeater enabling the hours, quarters and minutes to be chimed on demand. To create this particularly complex striking mechanism, controlled by a slide-piece housed in the case middle, Vacheron Constantin’s engineers and watchmakers were inspired by the work carried out on the 2005 La Tour de l’Île watch, and in particular its centripetal strike governor.
This silent system makes it possible to perfectly regulate the duration of musical sequences in order to obtain a distinct and harmonious sound of the notes played for the hours, quarters and minutes by the hammers striking two circular gongs.
Each year, the Les Cabinotiers department unveils a range of single-piece editions relating to a theme cherished by Vacheron Constantin. The year 2021 is dedicated to “Celestial Time”, with timepieces referring to the astronomical origins of time measurement.
In the Vacheron Constantin universe, Les Cabinotiers represents a department in its own right dedicated to the personalisation of Grand Complication models and single-piece editions. This tradition dates back to the 18th century, an age when master-watchmakers were called “cabinotiers” and worked in ateliers bathed in natural light, known as cabinets and located on the top floors of Geneva’s buildings.
In the hands of these learned artisans, open to the new ideas of the Enlightenment, exceptional timepieces were born, inspired by astronomy, mechanical engineering and the arts. This expertise, which constitutes the great Geneva watchmaking tradition, has been flowing through Vacheron Constantin’s veins since 1755.
Technical details
Model: Les Cabinotiers Minute repeater tourbillon sky chart Leo constellation Jewellery
Reference 9737C/000G-005C
Movement
Calibre 2755 TMRCC
Developed and manufactured by Vacheron Constantin
Mechanical manual winding
33.90 mm (14¾’’’) diameter, 9.40 mm thick
Movement power reserve: approximately 58h
2.5 Hz (18,000 vibrations/hour)
413 components
38 jewels
Hallmark of Geneva certified timepiece
Indications
Hours, minutes
Small seconds at 6 o’clock on tourbillon carriage
Tourbillon
Minute repeater
Sky chart
Case
18K white gold, set with 60 baguette-cut sapphires on the bezel (approx. 3.8 cts), 24 baguette-cut sapphires on case sides (approx. 1.9 cts) and 16 baguette-cut sapphires on lugs (approx. 0.3 ct.)
45 mm diameter, 15.10 mm thick
Dials (front & back)
18K white gold, opaline dark blue dial, Leo constellation hand-guilloché
9 brilliant-cut diamonds as hour-markers (approx. 0.03 ct)
18k white gold hands
Strap
Dark blue Mississippiensis alligator leather with alligator leather inner shell, hand-stitched, saddle-finish, large square scales
18K white gold pin buckle set with 16 baguette-cut sapphires (approx. 1 ct)
18k white gold folding clasp set with 16 baguette-cut sapphires (approx. 1.10 cts)
Premiered during Watches and Wonders 2021, the Manero Minute Repeater Symphony is the most extraordinary timepiece Carl F. Bucherer has created in a long and impressive history that can be traced back to 1888.
The COSC-certified chronometer takes peripheral technology to places no watch brand has ever been before, with three peripheral movement elements – the rotor, the regulator, and a remarkable tourbillon that appears to float freely – developed in-house and patented by Carl F. Bucherer.
Not only does the Manero Minute Repeater Symphony´s MR3000 manufacture movement have a peripheral winding system and a peripherally suspended floating tourbillon, it also features a minute repeater with a peripherally mounted regulator.
This regulator, along with the peripheral winding system and the floating tourbillon, are patented by Carl F. Bucherer, and, together, these peripheral innovations combine to create a true horological symphony – a composition which, in fact, inspired the renowned Lucerne Festival Orchestra to honor it with a brilliant new opus.
The peripheral technology premiered with the peripheral rotor, patented by the brand in 2008, when this in-house manufactured caliber became the first movement ever to implement this principle successfully in series production.
Not only does the bidirectional automatic winding movement draw its energy from a peripherally rotating oscillating weight, its slim rotor also reveals the beauty of the movement. With the T3000 movement, which premiered in 2018, the manufacturer further extended its lead in peripheral technology when peripheral winding was combined with a groundbreaking Carl. F. Bucherer–patented transparent peripherally mounted tourbillon that appears to float.
As the heart of the Manero Minute Repeater Symphony, the elaborately finished and COSC-certified MR3000 manufacture movement with a power reserve of 65 hours has ushered in an exciting new era of peripheral technology.
The Manero Minute Repeater Symphony takes the classic minute repeater technique and puts this innovation to use in true Carl F. Bucherer style. Its mechanism is finely orchestrated to produce two different tones on two gongs which, along with the sculpted hammers, can be admired, most unusually, through cut-outs at the edge of the dial.
They are complemented by openings at 5 and 7 o’clock, through which the work of the striking hammers can be observed. A window above 6 o’clock showcases the watch’s innovative regulator, which sets the beat of the chimes. This patented regulator is mounted peripherally via three low-friction ceramic ball bearings.
However, the minute repeater from Carl F. Bucherer scores not only with outstanding technology, but also with genuine functionality. A protective mechanism built into the movement prevents inadvertent misuse: visible via the discrete display at 9 o’clock, it indicates the current mode of the watch – a blue dot shows that the crown is pulled out, and a musical note lets the wearer know that the minute repeater function is activated.
Another safety measure further ensures the protection of the watch: the crown cannot be pulled out when the repeater mechanism is running – it locks. Conversely, when the crown is pulled out, the repeater mechanism is locked.
The tourbillon – the classic complication originally designed by Abraham-Louis Breguet in the eighteenth century to offset the effects of gravity on the accuracy of the watch – is another sublime expression of the art and craft of watchmaking. And the watchmakers at Carl F. Bucherer have made this epitome of their craft float: the cage of their minute tourbillon is supported peripherally – and invisibly to the observer – by three ball bearings.
These frictionless ceramic ball bearings ensure stability and precise guidance. It is another ingenious technical feature on which Carl F. Bucherer also holds a patent. The tourbillon in the Manero Minute Repeater Symphony, which is proudly and prominently displayed at 12 o’clock, not only “floats”, but also stops on command: thanks to the stop-seconds function, the rotating cage is locked when the crown is pulled, allowing the time to be set to the second.
The Manero Minute Repeater Symphony has a 43.8 mm diameter case of 18-karat rose gold. Its open-worked and hand-angled lugs seductively follow the silhouette of the wrist.
These spoke-shaped horns reduce the mass of the case and thus amplify the watch’s melodious sound. The 18-karat white gold dial is hand-galvanized and features a fine grainé texture. 18-karat rose gold hands and hour markers reflect the warm hue of the case.
Connoisseurs of sophisticated watchmaking will appreciate the elaborate finishing: the carefully diamond-beveled and highly polished chamfers, the sandblasted crown, the hand-angled dial edges and windows, or the Geneva-striped, angled, and diamond-beveled bridges that can be seen through the sapphire crystal case back.
The individual numbering of the model, limited to 88 pieces, is engraved by hand on a small plaque in 18-karat gold at the 6 o’clock position on the dial. The watch is presented on a hand-stitched alligator leather strap whose every individual scale has been finished by hand. It is secured with an 18-karat rose gold folding clasp.
For those who wish to accentuate the unique character of this limited-edition masterpiece to create their very own symphony, Carl F. Bucherer offers further customization options. There are opportunities for the customer to choose from different designs and finishes, creating a personilsed timepiece.
Inside the Manero Minute Repeater Symphony´s luxury box is a stunning, specially designed resonator that will allow proud owners of this remarkable watch to share its unique music with their friends. The ingenious amplification system is meticulously crafted from spruce harvested from the forests in Switzerland’s Jura Mountains.
This spruce has long been regarded for its qualities as a tone wood and has been used for the tops of some of the world’s finest guitars, violins, and other stringed instruments. This unusual amplification system doubles the volume of the Manero Minute Repeater Symphony minute repetitions, making it easy to let others enjoy the phenomenon.
Not only do the celebrated Lucerne Festival Orchestra and Carl F. Bucherer share a hometown, but also a rich history and the common pursuit of excellence. Through the Manero Minute Repeater Symphony, these two prominent Lucerne natives have now found each other: inspired by the unmistakable sound of the minute repeater, the young Swedish composer Lisa Streich wrote the piece “PERIPHERY”, commissioned by Lucerne Festival. In addition to the watch’s unique striking mechanism, its three peripheral elements also play an important role in this intriguing musical composition.
Lisa Streich’s inspired piece takes core elements of the watch’s design and gives them voice for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. The Manero Minute Repeater Symphony is distinguished by its minute repeater and triple peripheral technology, so these components are represented musically by an imaginative combination of instruments and techniques. For example, the repeater function’s extremely mobile beat generator – its peripherally-mounted regulator – is reproduced by the striking and stroking of a triangle positioned vertically on a timpani.
The sounds of a violin bow drawn against the length the strings, breathing noises from the wind instruments, and the quirky drone of an instrument called a buzzing bow combine to express the complexity of the peripheral rotor. The floating tourbillon and its delicate cage find their counterpart in the brass section, whose players tap the bells of their horns with a pencil, triggering the wiping motion among the strings.
In doing so, the trumpet stimulates a response from the higher strings, and the trombone the lower ones; the exquisite choreography of the hands is recreated with a distinctive tick, tock, tick, tock.
Movement
Automatic with a 22 k rose gold oscillating weight, CFB MR3000 manufacture caliber, COSC-certified chronometer, diameter 35.70 mm, height 8.59 mm, 47 rubies, power reserve 65 hours
Functions
Minute repeater with two gongs, floating tourbillon, hour, minute, small seconds on tourbillon cage, stop-second, protection function for the mechanism
Case
18 k rose gold, domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides, case back with sapphire crystal and anti-reflecting coating on both sides, water resistant to 10 m (1 bar), diameter 43.8 mm, height 12.47 mm.
Dial
18 k white gold Pd210 electroplated and grained pattern with 18 k rose gold hands and indexes
Strap
Dark brown Louisiana alligator leather, lining in dark brown Louisiana alligator leather, hand-stitched, 18k rose gold pin-lock folding clasp
Roger Dubuis presents two new editions of its high complication watch, the Excalibur Diabolus in Machina. Now available in pink gold and DLC-coated titanium, this hyper horology creation incorporates a minute repeater, alongside the Geneva Maison’s signature flying tourbillon, as well as a double micro-rotor automatic system.
Its minute repeater chimes the tritone, the “Diabolus in Musica” chord outlawed in medieval religious music. The Excalibur Diabolus in Machina also features two other functions: a tone playback disc indicator and an “all or nothing” safety device.
The Excalibur Diabolus in Machina was introduced in 2020. The inaugural model features CarTech Micro-Melt BioDur CCMTM case.
The Excalibur Diabolus in Machina has a push-piece for activating a chime. The information on each cam is mechanically read off by the Minute Repeater’s main feeler-spindle system, which passes it on to the racks enabling the hammers to strike the gongs. The latter sounds a low pitch for the hours, a high pitch for the minutes, and two tones for the quarter hours, allowing the wearer to check the time at will. Consisting of three tones, or six semitones, the tritone – also known as the triad or the flatted fifth – an unsettling interval that does not conform to listeners’ expectations.
This distinctive dissonance was referred to in medieval times as “the devil’s chord” or diabolus in musica and strictly prohibited in religious compositions. It has nonetheless continued to play a crucial role in complex melodic harmony, notably appearing in Camille Saint-Saëns’ symphonic poem Danse Macabre and in the signature tune of the Black Sabbath metal band.
Cleverly shaking up the world of minute repeaters, Roger Dubuis has chosen the sound of the tritone as the chime of its Minute Repeater in the Diabolus in Machina. Pressing the minute repeater button between 9 and 10 o’clock activates the dissonant tonality – tuned to C and G flat – resounding through noble materials and providing a fascinating listening experience.
Various key technical advances featured in the Excalibur Diabolus in Machina include the Tone Playback Disc Indicator at 11 o’clock. Activating the Minute Repeater sets off the rotation of this disc – merged with a Roman numeral and bearing the words Hours, Quarters and Minutes. The result is a visually striking depiction of the time intervals being chimed.
An additional functional indicator further simplifies usage by showing whether the watch is in “manual winding” or “time setting” position. As well as enhancing the design through its artful integration at 4 o’clock, it plays a useful safety role in avoiding potential damage by warning the wearer not to adjust the watch while the Minute Repeater is chiming.
The “all or nothing” mechanism offers additional security by ensuring the minute repeater can be activated only once the pusher has been pressed all the way in. This eliminates the risk of harming the mechanism by inadvertent triggering, as well as facilitating comprehension of the chime by avoiding any partial and potentially confusing indications of time.
RD0107 Calibre, Pink Gold Version
The intricate complexities of this model are naturally heightened by Roger Dubuis’ typically bold decision to combine this fresh approach to the minute repeater with its signature flying tourbillon. Each of these two horological complications involves its own technical challenges and associating them within the same model is the kind of endeavour reserved for the most skilled and experienced master-watchmakers.
RD0107 Calibre, Black DLC Titanium Version
This Hallmark of Geneva-certified series powered by Calibre RD 107 is housed in an imposing 45 mm pink gold or DLC titanium-coated case and fitted with a calf leather strap designed for maximum comfort.
Technical details
Model: Excalibur Diabolus in Machina, RDDBEX0840
Case
Skeletonized, Ø45 mm, case, bezel and crown in pink gold
Case back in pink gold with sapphire crystal and anti-reflective treatment
Thickness: 16.8 mm
Water resistance: 5 BAR (50 m)
Dial
Grey double surface flange with engraved minute track, transfered texts
Polished and pink gold plated hour markers filled with SLN in the center
Movement
RD0107 Calibre: Mechanical automatic with minute repeater and single flying tourbillon
Features: Minute repeater and single flying tourbillon
Decorations: circular-grained or trued-up or shot-blasted or Cotes de Genève and NAC coated bridges and plate
Number of parts: 558 components
Jewels: 54 rubis
Diameter: 14 ¾’’’
Thickness: 10 mm
Frequency: 3 Hz (21’600 vph)
Power-reserve: 72 hours
Functions
Hours, Minutes, Minute repeater, function indicator, chiming indicator
Strap
Interchangeable 3D calf leather strap
Buckle: Interchangeable titanium cover with titanium triple folding buckle
Production
Unique series 1 of 1
Model: Excalibur Diabolus in Machina, RDDBEX0841
Case
Skeletonized, Ø45 mm, case, bezel and crown in black DLC Titanium
Case back in black DLC titanium with sapphire crystal and anti-reflective treatment
Thickness: 16.8 mm
Water resistance: 5 BAR (50 m)
Dial
Black double surface flange with engraved minute track, transfered texts
Polished and rhodium plated hour markers filled with SLN in the center
Movement
RD0107 Calibre: Mechanical automatic with minute repeater and single flying tourbillon
Features: Minute repeater and single flying tourbillon
Decorations: circular-grained or trued-up or shot-blasted or Cotes de Genève and NAC coated bridges and plate
Number of parts: 558 components
Jewels: 54 rubis
Diameter: 14 ¾’’’
Thickness: 10 mm
Frequency: 3 Hz (21’600 vph)
Power-reserve: 72 hours
Functions
Hours, Minutes, Minute repeater, function indicator, chiming indicator
Strap
Interchangeable 3D calf leather strap
Buckle: Interchangeable black DLC titanium cover, titanium blades, triple folding buckle
For the Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon, H. Moser & Cie. presents one of the most traditional watch complications and combines it with a magnificent flying tourbillon performing a spinning waltz. Two shaped chimes and the minute repeater hammers are resplendent against a dial featuring the newest colour in the H. Moser & Cie. catalogue, Electric Blue, intertwining with the tourbillon at 6 o’clock.
To develop the Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon, H. Moser & Cie. drew on the expertise of Timeless SA, a specialist in minute repeaters. Together, the two manufactures created a brand-new design, showcasing the beauty of the complication by positioning the chimes and the hammers on the dial side. This involved overcoming many technical challenges. In particular, the chimes (which are placed on one level to preserve the finesse of the piece) had to be curved so as not to interfere with the flying tourbillon and to respect H. Moser & Cie.’s main focus to keep the design understated.
In creating the movement and the case, significant effort has gone into ensuring elegant proportions. The sliding bolt, fitted on a Teflon runner to ensure it slides perfectly smoothly, is built into the main plate to save space. The case middle has been widened to the maximum in order to accommodate the movement while allowing enough space to create a soundbox. This amplifies the chiming of hours, quarter-hours and minutes by two gongs, onto which fall two hammers that are raised based on information provided by different feeler-spindles.
The geometry of the case has been meticulously designed, developed and adapted to maximise the properties of titanium and enhance its impact, amplifying the resonance chamber whilst allowing the essential walls to form part of the resonance. Titanium has a high elastic modulus, which means that this material deforms very little under stress and is consequently more rigid; its low density ensures that it is also lightweight, and it retains the vibratory energy from sound well, rather than allowing it to dissipate thanks to its low damping effect.
While ensuring the functioning of the minute repeater mechanism was already a complex technical feat, it also required perfect understanding of the subject to achieve a beautiful sound that combines amplitude, a certain length and a pure note.
Visible behind a skeletonised bridge, the dazzling one-minute flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock is fitted to a ball bearing that improves the accuracy and chronometry. The tourbillon appears to float weightlessly on the Electric Blue dial stripped of both logo and indices.
The strap, made from black alligator leather, adds the final touch of elegance to this high-complication timepiece.
Technical details
Model: Endeavour Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon Reference: 1903-0500, titanium model, Electric Blue dial, black alligator leather strap, limited edition of 20 pieces
Case
Titanium
Diameter: 43.0 mm/height: 14.0 mm
Sapphire crystal
Sliding bolt with runner made from Teflon
See-through sapphire crystal case back
Crown adorned with an “M”
Dial
Electric Blue with sunburst pattern
Hammers and chimes on dial side
Leaf-shaped hour and minute hands
Movement
Hand-wound HMC 903 calibre
Diameter: 33.0 mm/height: 9.62 mm
Frequency: 21,600 Vib/h
35 jewels
Power reserve: 90 hours
Double Moser stripes on the plate and bridges
Movement and components hand-finished and decorated
One-minute flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock with skeletonised bridge
Minute repeater
Functions
Hours and minutes
Minute repeater with hour, quarter-hour and minute chimes
Strap
Hand-stitched black alligator leather with red lining
Titanium pin buckle, engraved with the Moser logo
In addition to the extraordinary Grande Sonnerie function, the Patek Philippe Ref. 6301P grand complication watch also incorporates a petite sonnerie (that does not strike the quarter hours), a minute repeater (that strikes on demand), and a patented jumping subsidiary seconds. It is Geneva manufacture’s first wristwatch that presents the grande sonnerie as the epitome of horological complications in its purest form, complemented with a petite sonnerie and a minute repeater.
Patek Philippe Ref. 6301P Grande Sonnerie @Patek Philippe
For this grand complication timepiece, Patek Philippe developed a new movement as a spin-off of the caliber 300 of the Grandmaster Chime. Given its 703 parts, the caliber GS 36-750 PS IRM is remarkably compact for such a complex mechanism (diameter: 37 mm; height: 7.5 mm).
One of the traditionally greatest difficulties for the engineers of grande sonneries is mastering energy flows and power reserves. Unlike in minute repeaters which must be triggered on demand by actuating a slide or a pusher, the grande sonnerie needs to have sufficient reserve power to automatically sound the required number of time strikes with uniform acoustic quality.
To address this challenge, Patek Philippe endowed the caliber GS 36-750 PS IRM with two tandem-connected twin mainspring barrels, one for the going train and the other for the chiming mechanism. This configuration delivers a power reserve of 72 hours for the movement and of 24 hours for the strikework.
The 24-hour power reserve for the strikework allows the watch to strike the full hours and the quarter hours during an entire day and thanks to a uniform torque characteristic to assure optimized sound intensity. The two twin mainspring barrels are wound with the crown pushed in and rotated clockwise to wind the going train and counter-clockwise to wind the strikework. The four mainsprings feature slip bridles to avoid over-tensioning.
As regards the strikework, Patek Philippe opted for three classic gongs – low, medium, high. This technical option requires more energy than systems with two gongs. It also complicates the watchmaker’s work when tuning each gong until all three create the legendary “Patek Philippe sound” so coveted by connoisseurs.
Attached to the movement, the three gongs must not touch one another nor other parts of the case or movement despite the compact space in which they hover. Three hammers of identical size and mass guarantee a uniform strike for all three pitches. The selection of platinum as the case material also presented a challenge because it is difficult to master acoustically and requires Patek Philippe know-how that at the manufacture is handed down from one generation to the next.
The hours are struck on a low-pitched gong, the quarter hours with a three-strike high-low-medium sequence. The melody for the first quarter hour (15 minutes) sounds once, for the second quarter hour (30 minutes) twice and for the third quarter hour (45 minutes) three times. Each quarter-hour sequence is automatically preceded by the number of elapsed hours, and followed by the number of quarter hours.
Thanks to the energy stored in the twin mainspring barrel of the strikework, this adds up to an impressive total of 1056 strikes in 24 hours. The owner can also select the strikework mode petite sonnerie; it strikes the full hours but omits the repetition of the hours when striking the quarter hours. In the silence mode, the automatic time strike is switched off altogether.
The selection of the strikework mode is performed with a slide switch in the caseband at 6 o’clock. The petite sonnerie mode is on the left adjoining the grande sonnerie mode in the middle and silence on the right. This special feature is the subject of a patent that was already developed for the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime and describes a mechanism that enables the selection and activation of the strike mode with a single slide switch.
Formerly, two switches were needed to execute these steps. Another patent, also developed for the Grandmaster Chime, allows the complete isolation of the grande sonnerie in the silence mode, eliminating power consumption.
On request, the minute repeater can be triggered by pressing the pusher in the crown at 3 o’clock. In response, it strikes the number of hours with low tones, the quarters with three-strike sequences (as in the grande sonnerie mode), and, on the higher-pitched gong, the number of minutes that have elapsed since the last quarter hour. The minute repeater can be triggered at any time, even if the slide is set to the silence mode.
When they reworked the caliber 300 from the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime, the engineers and designers at the manufacture added a small jumping seconds display, which was never done with a grande sonnerie.
Inspired by the four patents of the 175th-anniversary model, the Ref. 5275 Chiming Jump Hour, they endowed the new Ref. 6301P with an innovative jumping seconds mechanism. Its system does not rely on jumper springs as usual but instead with wheels and a release lever that instantaneously unblocks the wheel train every second, making energy consumption easier to regulate and control.
Thus, the new Ref. 6301P chiming watch presents a novel face characterized by the subsidiary seconds hand at 6 o’clock. With the blink of an eye, it jumps along the railway track minute scale from one second to the next, recalling the regulator clocks that were used in old watchmaking ateliers to synchronize the time. The new Ref. 6301P also benefits from the entire experience and the latest insights gained in the design and production of the commemorative watches crafted on the occasion of Patek Philippe’s 175th anniversary.
The new caliber GS 36-750 PS IRM – it can be admired through the sapphire-crystal case back – fulfills all the strict requirements of the Patek Philippe Seal. This applies to the technical parameters (rate accuracy, dependability) and to the finissage and attractive architecture of the individual components.
Special attention was devoted to the design of the movement bridges, especially the barrel bridge (a key element of grande sonneries) and the transversal balance cock (balance bridge), a Patek Philippe rarity that assures a secure seat and pleasing visual proportions. Connoisseurs will discover many other aesthetic details, including the many re-entrant angles that are very difficult to polish.
The centrifugal governor that regulates the speed of the time strikes is decorated with exquisitely smoothed and polished finishes that are now visible to the observer. This spectacular movement is rounded out with a Gyromax® balance, the Spiromax® balance spring in Silinvar®, the three gongs coiled around the movement, and their respective hammers.
The antireflective sapphire-crystal back positioned very close to the movement offers a fascinating glimpse into a micromechanical realm. It can be replaced with a solid platinum back that is delivered with the watch.
The platinum case, inspired by the Ref. 5370 split-seconds chronograph presented in 2015, expresses subtlety and balance in its curves and rounded contours, with the concave bezel for a perfect transition from the slightly cambered sapphire-crystal glass and the countersunk satin-finished case flanks. Like all Patek Philippe platinum cases, it sports a small diamond set in this instance at 12 o’clock because the usual 6 o’clock position is occupied by the slide switch for selecting the strikework mode.
Patek Philippe has leveraged its skills with respect to artisanship and rare handcrafts, notably on the black grand feu enamel dial with the “glacé” finish, applied Breguet numerals, and leaf-shaped hands in luminescent white gold. The slightly slanted Breguet numerals add a dynamic touch to the classic yet contemporary face.
The displays for the hours, minutes, and subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock are well proportioned alongside two power-reserve indicators for the movement and the strikework at 3 and 9 o’clock with semicircular scales identified with the inscriptions MOUVEMENT and SONNERIE.
The timepiece is worn on a hand-stitched shiny black Alligator strap with square scales and a fold-over clasp.
Technical details
Model: Patek Philippe Ref. 6301P Grande Sonnerie
The 6 complications of the new Ref. 6301P Grande Sonnerie
1. Grande sonnerie
2. Petite sonnerie
3. Minute repeater
4. Movement power-reserve indicator
5. Strikework power-reserve indicator
6. Jumping seconds
Patents
• Isolation of the grande sonnerie in the silence mode (Patent CH 704 950 B1): In the silence mode, this mechanism totally isolates the grande sonnerie from the power flow and eliminates energy consumption.
• Selection of the strikework mode (Patent CH 706 080 B1): This mechanism enables the selection of the strikework mode (petite sonnerie, grande sonnerie, silence) with a single lever and a single slide switch. Two slide switches were formerly required for this operation.
• Jumping display with a jumping seconds wheel (Patent CH 707 181 A2): This innovative mechanism for jumping displays does not require springs and levers but instead uses wheels and a release lever that instantaneously unblocks the wheel train every second, and features a coiled return spring as the only power element. The advantage of this system is that it makes energy consumption easier to regulate and control.
Movement
Caliber GS 36-750 PS IRM
Manually wound mechanical movement
Grande and petite sonnerie, minute repeater on 3 gongs
Jumping seconds
Strikework mode indicator (petite sonnerie, grande sonnerie, silence)
Power-reserve indicators for movement and strikework
Diameter: 37 mm
Height: 7.5 mm
Number of parts: 703
Number of jewels: 95
Movement power reserve: 72 hours
Strikework power reserve: 24 hours
Frequency: 25,200 semi-oscillations per hour (3.5 Hz)
Balance: Gyromax®
Balance spring: Spiromax® (in Silinvar®)
Two-position crown
• Pushed home: Winding the movement (clockwise), winding the strikework (counterclockwise)
• Pulled out: To set the time
Displays
• Center hour and minute hands
• Jumping subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock
• Movement power reserve at 9 o’clock
• Strikework power reserve at 3 o’clock
Control elements
• Pusher in the crown at 3 o’clock triggers the minute repeater
• Side switch at 6 o’clock selects the strikework mode (petite sonnerie, grande sonnerie, silence)
Hallmark
Patek Philippe Seal
Case
Platinum 950 with a flawless Top Wesselton diamond between the lugs at 12 o’clock
Not water-resistant, protected against moisture and dust
Sapphire-crystal case back and interchangeable solid back
Case dimensions: Diameter: 44.8 mm
Dial
18K gold, black grand feu enamel with “glacé” finish
Applied Breguet numerals in 18K white gold
Leaf-shaped hour and minute hands in 18K white gold with luminous coating
Subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock with “dague” type hand in white gold, printed railway track seconds scale with luminous 10-second markers
Printed railway track minute scale with luminous 5-minute markers
“Cheveu” type hands in white gold for the power-reserve indicators for the movement and the strike-work
Strap
Hand-stitched alligator leather with large square scales, shiny black, platinum foldover clasp
The Geneva based Luxury Swiss watch maker Roger Dubuis has unveiled two new watch models Mexico’s Salón Internacional Alta Relojería México (SIAR) horlogerie exhibition, which opened its doors on 20th October for a two day event.
The new two technically elaborate and extravagant pieces are the Excalibur Diabolus in Machina and the diamond-studded Excalibur Automatic Skeleton. Both timepieces are in pink gold.
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Diabolus in Machina
Styled in the iconic Excalibur case and flaunting a fascinating combination of matte and polished finishes, the 45 mm, one-off limited edition Excalibur Diabolus in Machina features two highly sophisticated complications: a Flying tourbillon with a minute repeater, accompanied by tone playback function indicators.
The epitome of the expressive singularity on which Roger Dubuis prides itself, the single tourbillon and the specific tritone sound of the minute repeater represent the highest standards of Haute Horlogerie and contemporary design.
The movement powering this high-complication timepiece is the RD0107 Calibre. It beats at 3 Hz (21’600 vph). Fitted with 54 rubies, this movement incorporates fine watchmaking finishes and decorations. This self-winding movement has a power reserve of 60 hours.
Excalibur Automatic Skeleton Diamond Set 42mm
With its trademark skeleton calibre flaunting the Maison’s unchallenged expertise in the realms of technical skill and creativity, the 42 mm Excalibur Automatic Skeleton is the quintessence of Roger Dubuis’ identity. In this latest ultra-contemporary reinterpretation of the iconic 820SQ calibre, sparkling diamonds adorn the case, lugs and the case middle.
The 820SQ calibre is a Poinçon de Genève certified, self-winding mechanical skeleton movement driven by a micro-rotor. This meticulously finished calibre features 35 jewels and beats at 4 Hz (28’800 vph). It has a power reserve of approximately 60 hours.
The watch is topped with a sapphire crystal glass. It also has a sapphire crystal caseback to observe the movement. Fitted with a 3D Pixel Camo rubber strap, this timepiece is available in a limited edition of 28 pieces.
Technical details
Model: Excalibur Diabolus in Machina
Reference RDDBEX0840
Case
Ø45 mm, case, bezel and crown in pink gold
Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
Case back in pink gold with sapphire crystal and anti-reflective treatment
Thickness: 16.8 mm
Water resistance: 3 BAR (30 m)
Dial
Double surface flange with engraved minute track, transferred texts
Hour markers filled with SLN
Strap
Interchangeable 3D calf leather strap
Buckle: Interchangeable pink gold cover with titanium triple folding buckle
Movement
RD0107 Calibre: Mechanical automatic with minute repeater and single flying tourbillon
Features: Minute repeater and single flying tourbillon
Decorations: circular-grained or trued-up or shot-blasted or Cotes de Genève bridges and plate with Rhodium or NAC coating
Number of parts: 558 components
Jewels: 54 rubies
Diameter: 14 ¾’’’
Thickness: 10 mm
Frequency: 3 Hz (21’600 vph)
Power-reserve: 60 hours
Poinçon de Genève certified
Functions
Hours, Minutes, Minute repeater, function indicator, chiming indicator
Case
Ø42 mm, pink gold case set with round diamonds on the lugs and on the side
Glass in sapphire crystal
Case back in pink gold
Thickness: 11.5 mm
Dial
Flange set with two rows of round diamonds
Total diamonds: 523 diamonds for 4.1 cts
Water resistance: 3 BAR (30 m)
Strap
3D Pixel Camo rubber strap
Buckle: Pink gold and cover set with round diamonds, double folding
Movement
RD820SQ Calibre automatic with micro-rotor
Features: Skeleton automatic with micro-rotor
Decorations: circular grained or trued-up plate and bridges with 5N gold coating
Number of parts: 166 components
Jewels: 35
Diameter: 37
Thickness: 6 mm
Frequency: 4 Hz (28’800 vph)
Power-reserve: 60 hours
Poinçon de Genève certified
Audemars Piguet presents the Code 11.59 Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie, a brand new high-complication watch from its Code 11.59 collection. The Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer has announced the release of five Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie timepieces, each endowed with a unique bespoke enamel dial crafted by Anita Porchet and her atelier.
Audemars Piguet has specialised in chiming mechanisms since its establishment in 1875 and crafted complex Grande Sonnerie, Petite Sonnerie and Minute Repeater mechanisms ever since. Today, only a handful of specialised watchmakers at Audemars Piguet are trained to assemble and adjust a Grande Sonnerie, which is considered as one of the most sophisticated complications in the history of Haute Horlogerie.
The Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie houses a new hand-wound movement, calibre 2956, which unites the traditional Grande Sonnerie complication with the patented Supersonnerie technology introduced by the Manufacture in 2015 in the Royal Oak Concept collection. This complex calibre of 489 components testifies to Audemars Piguet’s uncompromising spirit.
A Grande Sonnerie timepiece not only strikes the hour, quarters and minutes on request as a traditional minute repeater would do. Like a bell tower, it can also strike the hours and every quarter hour by default, without any involvement from the wearer.
A carillon means that the Grande Sonnerie Supersonnerie is endowed with 3 gongs and hammers instead of 2 on a standard chiming watch and therefore strikes the quarter hour with three successive notes (high, middle, low) instead of two. In the Petite Sonnerie position, the watch chimes the hours only, while the automatic chiming is deactivated in the silent mode. As for the minute repeater mechanism, it can be activated by the wearer at any time.
The added Supersonnerie mechanism grants this complicated wristwatch the acoustic performance of pocket watches. This patented technology is the result of 8 years of research in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL). Inspired by the sonic power of older minute repeater watches as well as by the harmony of musical instruments, a dedicated community of watchmakers, technicians, academics and musicians reviewed the case construction to produce a new chiming technology.
The Supersonnerie’s acoustic power, sound quality and harmonic tone are granted by patented gongs and case construction. The gongs are not attached to the mainplate, but to a new device acting as soundboard, which improves sound transmission. This innovative Supersonnerie technology also provides a sharper tempo.
In a nod to the enamel Grande Sonnerie masterpieces that were crafted in the Vallée de Joux between the 18th and 19th centuries, Audemars Piguet has collaborated with Swiss artisan enameller Anita Porchet for the first time on a trilogy of “Grand Feu” paillonné enamel dials hand-crafted with ancestral savoir-faire and tools.
Each “Grand Feu” enamel dial is unique due to the organic nature of its materials, as well as the hand manufacturing technique and distinctive cooking time. A thin layer of glass sand mixed with water is applied by hand on the gold dial, before being heated at more than 800°C in a dedicated oven. The procedure is repeated multiple times to achieve remarkable transparency, depth and light. Each cooking session necessitates different temperatures and times; a perilous procedure requiring extensive knowledge of colour alchemy.
Inspired by Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet’s unconventional design, Anita Porchet has explored new creative possibilities by decorating each contemporary “Grand Feu” enamel dial with antique hand-crafted gold spangles, at least a century old. Each spangle was meticulously cut and curved in thin gold leaves with antique tools and techniques—a craft no longer perpetuated today. The enameller has carefully incorporated each spangle by hand onto the dial’s enamelled plate before fusion in the oven. The dial is then covered with a thin layer of transparent enamel for a mirror polish finishing.
By revisiting this antique paillonné enamel decoration in the contemporary context of the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet, Anita Porchet echoes the interweaving of traditional savoir-faire and forward thinking at the heart of the Manufacture’s craftsmanship. For Anita Porchet, as for Audemars Piguet’s finishing experts, perfection is in the details and the tiniest nuances are often invisible to the eye. To complement this dial trilogy, Anita Porchet’s atelier is also at the disposal of clients to craft a personalised enamel dial of their choice.
As for the manufacturing of its complex mechanism and enamel dial, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie’s 18-carat white gold case surprises with its contrasting details and refined hand-finishing techniques usually found on calibres. The case’s ergonomic curvature and seamless combination of an octagonal middle case with a round extra-thin bezel and stylised arched lugs made the conception, manufacturing and decoration of each component particularly intricate.
Complex programming, dedicated tools and specialised human talents had to be combined for the industrialisation and hand-finishing of the components. The case’s juxtaposition of angular and rounded surfaces has presented a real challenge to the manufacturer’s finishing experts. The perfectly aligned alternation of satin-brushed and polished surfaces adorning the case is only achievable by hand.
Audemars Piguet & Grande Sonnerie Watches
Since its establishment in 1875, Audemars Piguet has specialised in complicated watches. Records show that more than half of the 1625 watches produced between 1882 and 1892 included a chiming mechanism. This achievement can be attributed to the remarkable skills of the craftspeople working for the Manufacture across dozens of workshops in the Vallée de Joux. Considered as one of the most sophisticated and complicated mechanisms, the Grande Sonnerie was rare.
Only 28 Audemars Piguet watches featured a Grande Sonnerie between 1882 and 1892. In 1892, in collaboration with Louis Brandt & Frère, Audemars Piguet crafted the first minute repeater wristwatch (29.3 mm or 13 lignes in diameter) ever produced featuring two hammers set at a distance that could strike the hours, quarters and minutes on request.
This was made possible thanks to the watchmakers who met the challenge of adapting and miniaturising complicated mechanisms for women’s diminutive pendant watches. From 1892 to 1957, the Manufacture created 35 minute repeater wristwatches. None of these wristwatches included a Grande Sonnerie due to its mechanical complexity.
While the production of chiming pocket watches never stopped at Audemars Piguet, production of chiming wristwatches slowly diminished with the Great Depression of the 1930s and the Second World War. By the 1960s, chiming mechanisms were exclusively featured in pocket watches. Chiming wristwatches made their return at Audemars Piguet in the 1990s, following the revival of other classic complications in the aftermath of the quartz crisis.
The return of Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie mechanisms was notably marked in the 1980s by the release of five masterpieces made by Philippe Dufour, a young independent and free-spirited watchmaker from the Vallée de Joux, whom the Manufacture supported for his talent and devotion to the preservation of the region’s craftsmanship.
Yellow gold Grande Sonnerie pocket watch with sapphire dial and caseback crafted by Philippe Dufour for Audemars Piguet in 1987. Audemars Piguet Heritage Collection, Inv. 0389.
Audemars Piguet launched its first Grande Sonnerie wristwatch in 1994, a remarkable achievement for a calibre of 28.6 mm in diameter and 5.2 mm in thickness. 188 wristwatch calibres featuring a Grande Sonnerie were thereafter produced between 1995 and 2002.
Technical details
Model: Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie / 41 mm
Reference: 26397BC.OO.D002CR.01
Functions
Grande Sonnerie and Petite Sonnerie Carillon, minute repeater, hours and minutes
Movement
Hand-wound Manufacture Calibre 2956
Diameter: 29.9 mm (13 lignes)
Thickness: 5.88 mm
Number of parts: 489
Number of jewels: 53
Minimal power reserve guaranteed: 48 h
Frequency of balance wheel: 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations/hour)
Case
18-carat white gold case, double glareproofed sapphire crystal, screw-locked crown, water-resistant to 20 m
Dial
Unique custom creations by Anita Porchet
Strap
Hand-stitched “large square-scale” blue alligator strap with 18-carat white gold folding clasp
Hermès presents the Arceau Pocket Aaaaaargh!, a high-complication pocket watch created in co-operation with English artist Alice Shirley. It is the third timepiece born from the collaboration between the Swiss luxury watch brand and Alice Shirley. First two creations were the Slim of Hermes Grrrrr! & the Arceau Awooooo.
After the gruff bear of the Slim of Hermes Grrrrr! and the wolf howling in the moonlight of the Arceau Awooooo, the Arceau Pocket Aaaaaargh! Watch highlights a tyrannosaurus aka T-Rex. On this new watch model, the «king of the tyrant lizards» with half-open jaws and an attentive eye comes to life under the expert guidance of Hermès watchmakers, after a month of meticulous work using exclusive techniques developed in its leather workshops.
The design of the tyrannosaurus, which appears to be peeking through a porthole, stands out against the cover and involves a combination of several demanding skills. The head and scales are made in leather mosaic: thousands of finely hand-cut multi-coloured leather fragments are applied one by one to faithfully reproduce the original pattern.
The domed eye of the dinosaur, visible on both sides of the cover, is made of cabochon-cut Grand Feu enamel. Finally, the jaw and tongue are crafted in leather marquetry: fine tesserae are cut from various coloured leathers, previously thinned to just 0.5 mm, before being juxtaposed on the enamel base. Setting the final touch to this miniaturized leather artwork, a matt green alligator leather cord-strap is secured to the rectangular stirrup and accentuates the overall design.
This 48mm white gold pocket watch houses the Hermès H1924 manufacture self-winding movement equipped with minute repeater and flying tourbillion complications. Beats at 3Hz, it has a power reserve of 90 hours.
Case
Shape/size: Round, 48 mm in diameter
Material: White gold case and cover
Watch glass: Anti-glare sapphire crystal and caseback
Caseback engraved with the inscription “Pièce unique”
Water resistance: 3 bar
Dial
White enamel on a white gold base
Cover
“Aaaaargh” marquetry and leather mosaic motif
Grand Feu enamel eye
Leather cord-strap
Medium – green alligator leather
Hermès expands its iconic Arceau watch family by revealing a high-complication watch with flying tourbillon and minute repeater mechanisms.
The timeless silhouette of this Arceau watch takes the form of a round case with stirrup-like asymmetrical lugs. A one-of-a-kind model in rose or white gold, the Arceau Lift tourbillon répétition minutes features a white or Abyss blue-lacquered dial. A horse-shaped cut-out in the lacquered dial reveals the Hermès tourbillon and minute-repeater movement.
Framed by the equestrian profile cut-out hugging the curves of the case, the complexity of the double-gong minute-repeater mechanism is captivating. This traditional horological complication is combined here with another horological exception – the flying tourbillon – coiled inside the horse’s neck and visible through a round aperture at 6 o’clock.
Forming a double H, the architecture of the tourbillon is inspired by mot emblematic of the Hermès boutique on the Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. This design crowning the tourbillon carriage and barrel bridge picks up the pattern of the artistic wrought ironwork adorning the entrance, railings, staircase and lift at the Parisian establishment.
The pleasing overall effect is swept over by slim open-worked hands and punctuated by the Arceau line’s characteristic sloping numerals that evoke a galloping horse.
Visible through the dial cut-outs and the sapphire crystal case-back, the new mechanical hand-wound movement H1924 from Manufacture Hermès emits the clear chime of its minute repeater from a white or rose gold case measuring 43 mm in diameter. Re-designed to incorporate two major Haute Horlogerie complications, this precious case was designed in the Hermès Horloger workshops, as were the lacquered dial and matt black alligator strap.
Movement
Manufacture Hermès H1924 movement
Mechanical hand-wound, crafted in Switzerland
Diameter: 30 mm (13 ¼ ‘’’)
Thickness: 6.1 mm
Power reserve: 90 hours
Frequency: 21,600 vph (3Hz)
Functions: Double gong, minute repeater, hours, minutes
Decoration: Mirror-polished tourbillon carriage topped with the Lift motif. Hand-chamfered and polished bridges
Distinctive feature: flying tourbillon
Case
Shape / dimensions: Round, 43 mm in diameter
Material: Rose gold
Crystal: Sapphire crystal and case-back with anti-glare treatment
Water resistance: 3 bar
Movement
Manufacture Hermès H1924 movement
Mechanical hand-wound, crafted in Switzerland
Diameter: 30 mm (13 ¼ ‘’’)
Thickness: 6.1 mm
Power reserve: 90 hours
Frequency: 21,600 vph (3Hz)
Functions: Double gong, minute repeater, hours, minutes
Decoration: Mirror-polished tourbillon carriage topped with the Lift motif. Hand-chamfered and polished bridges
Distinctive feature: flying tourbillon
Case
Shape / dimensions: Round, 43 mm in diameter
Material: White gold
Crystal: Sapphire crystal and case-back with anti-glare treatment
Water resistance: 3 bar
Introduced this year as a new member of the prestigious Geneva watch brand’s Grand Complications family, the new Ref. 5303 is the first Patek Philippe minute repeater with visible striking mechanism on the dial side.
The Ref. 5303 was unveiled in 2019 in a limited edition of 12 watches as a world debut on the occasion of the “Watch Art Grand Exhibition Singapore 2019”. The new slightly modified version of the Ref. 5303 Minute Repeater Tourbillon stands out with an eye-catching open-worked dial.
The repeater mechanism – for the first time with the hammers and gongs – can be admired in action without removing the watch from the wrist. Further, the back side of the tourbillon cage can be seen beneath the seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock. In this wonderful work of art, the filigreed steel parts glisten against the backdrop of the rose gilt plate.
Driven by NBC98 caliber, the Christophe Claret Napoleon sets the tone in the family of traditional complications watches, the first of the four collections of the brand. It is inspired by previous creations by the master watchmaker, while once again pushing the limits of what is possible in this area.
Christophe Claret is the designer of this four-branch balance wheel which offers an inertia / weight ratio close to the ideal balance: although very complex to manufacture, this aerodynamic balance is easy to adjust and balance.
The case harmoniously combines the polished and satin finishes of 5N red gold or titanium, highlighting the play of lights.
The Napoleon watch displays a handmade miniature painting of a different battle setting on each of the 8 unique pieces.
