369 articles · 28 videos found · page 10 of 14
Deployant
The watch, in White Gold. Limited to an edition of 20 pieces, this is No 1. A closer look at the front dial The rear of the watch… A Side view of the watch, showing the engraving with Singapore’s lattitude: A closeup of the tourbillon, showing the special design of the tourbillon cage Slide openRead More
Hodinkee
What We Know Among the more attractive releases from Watches and Wonders this year is the new Chopard L.U.C. Strike One Titanium, now with a beautiful new dial treatment. In ethical 18k rose gold with salmon-colored galvanic treatment, with a hand-guilloché central medallion with a honeycomb motif, the Strike One is a watch that may fly under the radar for some. Not a minute repeater, not a grande et petite sonnerie, but rather a beautiful watch that chimes once at the top of the hour (a sonnerie au passage), it's still got a very romantic quality about it. Despite being a chiming watch, Chopard has (as they usually do) minimized the size as much as possible with a 40mm by 9.86mm case in Grade 5 titanium. That light metal should help emphasize the chime's sound, with the hammer on the dial side visible through an aperture for the full experience. Even better, the gong is made of sapphire and is connected in a monobloc construction (one piece) to the dial crystal to emphasize sound transmission. The dial itself is capped by a snail-shaped chapter ring and has rhodium-plated hour markers and hands, plus anthracite-colored printed transfers. This is all powered by the L.U.C. 96.32-L. With a two-barrel construction and micro-rotor, you get 65 hours of power reserve, automatic winding, and a 4Hz beat rate, all chronometer-certified by COSC, with Poinçon de Genève-certified quality. Chopard really shows bigger brands how to do it when it comes to finishing, so this is the kin...
Quill & Pad
Petite Aiguille is a fun Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève category with a diverse set of contestants offered at a retail price equal to or under 3,500 Swiss francs. These include rising stars anOrdain, Furlan Marri, and independent specialist Massena Lab. Oris is also present here with the chic Divers Sixty-Five Cotton Candy, and Doxa represents the affordable diver corner with a SUB 200 model. Last but not least, there is Ciga Design’s interesting Blue Planet.
Quill & Pad
The 2019 edition of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) has just published the list of “pre-selected” (shortlisted) watches in the run-up to the eagerly anticipated red-carpet event in Geneva on November 7, 2019. The categories for 2019 are: Ladies, Ladies’ Complication, Men’s, Men’s Complication, Iconic, Chronograph, Chronometry, Mechanical Exception, Calendar and Astronomy, Divers, Jewellery, Artistic Crafts, Petite Aiguille, and Challenge. And, drum roll please, here are the stars of this year's show!
Teddy Baldassarre
Chiming watches represent one of the most coveted types of complicated watches in the world - despite the fact that they are also one of the most archaic and, in practical terms, obsolete. The most popular type is the minute repeater, which chimes the time audibly on demand; it was invented for pocket watches in the 18th and 19th Century as a practical method of alerting its wearer of the current time in the dark, in the era before electric lighting and luminous details on watch dials. Definitively regarded as more a luxury today than a tool, a minute repeater has an independent chiming mechanism with two small hammers striking coiled metal gongs, generally activated by a slide on the side of the case, to produce different tones for the hour, quarter hour, and minute. The most sophisticated of these chiming watches might also include a grande sonnerie, and/or petite sonnerie: the former perpetually strikes the hour every hour and the hour plus the quarter-hour at every quarter, without any need for the wearer to activate it with a slide; the latter strikes the hour every hour, and the quarter-hour (but not the hour) every quarter, also independently of any activation by the wearer. Sometimes the chiming functions are even coordinated with moving, elaborate dial animations called automata. Watches with chiming functions tend to be rather rare and almost always prodigiously expensive, but a handful of watchmakers have managed to create examples that are slightly less compl...
Hodinkee
A total of 23 complications – including a perpetual calendar, minute repeater, grand and petite sonnerie, flyback chronograph, and tourbillon – show AP's prowess as a true watchmaker of ultra-complicated watches.
Revolution
One of the most unusual and technically intriguing watches that I’ve seen so far this year at the 2015 edition of the SIHH is the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater. The Zeitwerk Minute Repeater is actually not Lange’s first minute repeater –that distinction goes to the Lange Grand Complication, which is a grand et petite sonnerie, minute […]
Deployant
This is the iconic watch of the century…created by grand master watchmaker Philippe Dufour…after many years of only making super complicated watches…his portfolio before the Simplicity was the world premiere of a Grand et Petite Sonnerie on a wristwatch, and the world premiere of a wristwatch featuring dual, escapements to a single train known asRead More
Fratello
The Jacob & Co. The Godfather II is not the first Godfather-themed watch, but it is the first and only double-melody musical timepiece in the world. Yes, Blancpain recently revealed the Double Grande Sonnerie, but that’s a striking watch, and The Godfather II is not. Instead, Jacob & Co. built a timepiece with a single […] Visit Introducing: The Jacob & Co. The Godfather II - The Only Double-Melody Musical Watch In The World to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Episode 22 of the SJX Podcast looks back at the complicated watches that emerged in 2025, a banner year that saw major brands deliver ambitious and record-setting complications. Several anniversaries, including Vacheron Constantin’s 270th and Audemars Piguet’s 150th, resulted in inspired releases. Big brands delivered big hits, from Lange’s black enamel minute repeater perpetual calendar to Blancpain’s Grande Double Sonnerie, which feature a four-note melody composed by Kiss drummer Eric Singer. For its part, Chopard finally gave its sapphire gongs the platform they always deserved with the Grand Strike, the brand’s first-ever grande sonnerie. And while Audemars Piguet’s big anniversary was headlined by the RD#5, the brand’s crown-operated perpetual calendar was another important addition to the field of complications this year. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Youtube.
SJX Watches
Along with the flagship Classique Grande Sonnerie Métiers d’Art 1905 pocket watch, Breguet just announced its first water-resistant minute repeater, the Classique Répétition Minutes 7365. While this 250th anniversary edition with a Breguet gold case and Bleu de France grand feu enamel dial is limited to 25 examples, it likely represents the future of the brand’s chiming watches: smaller and more robust. Initial Thoughts Despite the strong popularity chiming watches have seen at the high end for many years, it has felt like something of a weak point for Breguet, reliant on rather old movements that didn’t always sound the best. The ambitious and wild Tradition Répétition Minutes Tourbillon 7087 promised to fix this in 2018, but for unknown reasons that watch never made it to market. However, acoustically Breguet’s repeaters have become quite good despite the old bones, proving how key gongs and case construction are to repeaters. The 7087 doubles down on this approach, not even introducing a silent centrifugal governor which has become ubiquitous in modern chiming watches, even at the high end – the sound of which I’ve come to find quaint. The move to smaller sizes, 42 mm to 39 might be more dictated by market trends rather than any specific vision from the brand, but is one I appreciate either way, and while water resistance isn’t strictly necessary in a chiming watch, the peace of mind is reassuring. In the end, this watch comes down to how much you lik...
SJX Watches
The uniform of high complications almost invariably includes a leather strap; a metal bracelet remains an uncommon pairing with, say, a grande sonnerie. Christie’s upcoming Hong Kong auction, however, brings an unexpected abundance of complicated watches on bracelets for collectors who prefer metal, including notable examples from Patek Philippe and A. Lange & Söhne. This season’s sale is anchored by two major private collections, most prominently the second part of The Chronicle Collection, the first half of which was dispersed earlier in the spring. The consignor began collecting in the 1990s, a fact reflected in the depth of neo-vintage highlights throughout the catalogue. Lot 2442 - Patek Philippe ref. 3448⁄8 with Possibly Unique Ruby Dial The Patek Philippe ref. 3448 was the first self-winding perpetual calendar produced in series. According to movement numbers, it is likely 586 were made in total - this lug-less example was one of the first made. Beyond its historical interest, the ref. 3448 is underpinned by one of – if not the – most beautiful automatic movements ever made: the cal. 27-460 Q. Looks aside, it was one of the most technically competent automatics of its era, with an overcoil hairspring, free-sprung balance, and bi-directional winding using a cam and pawl system. Atop this worthy base calibre, the ref. 3448 adds the iconic windows perpetual calendar by none other than Victorin Piguet. The ‘/8’ in ref. 3448/8 suffix denotes the style ...
Monochrome
A legend in his own lifetime and the name behind countless watch icons designed for other brands, Gérald Genta (1931-2011) also produced masterpieces for his eponymous brand founded in 1969, including the Grande Sonnerie, considered the most sophisticated and complex chiming watch in the world. The current custodian of the Gérald Genta brand is Louis […]
SJX Watches
Phillips’ upcoming Hong Kong auction is a three-day affair that starts with enamelled Chinese market masterpieces of the 18th and 19th century, followed by a two-day main sale that includes several notable examples of independent watchmaking. Some, including watches from Greubel Forsey and Urwerk, might be value propositions and comparably accessible entries into the brands, while others will be six figures but arguably worth it – like the Piaget Gouvernor Grande Sonnerie that was produced by a young Francois-Paul Journe in the mid 1990s. We round up those and a few more indie highlights from The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XX that takes place from May 23-25, 2025. The full catalogue is available on Phillips.com. The Piaget Gouvernour Grande Sonnerie with a movement made by François-Paul Journe in 1997 Lot 893 – Krayon Anywhere in pink gold & Lot 965 – Krayon Anywhere in white gold The sale includes not one, but two examples of the Krayon Anywhere. Conceived by engineer Rémi Maillat, the Anywhere indicates sunrise and sunset times anywhere in world, thanks to a set of cams and levers that can be adjusted for a particular locale. The chapter ring on the periphery of the dial is composed of overlapping discs that move with the seasons, indicating sunrise and sunset as well as the seasonal length of the day. A sub-dial at six indicates the calendar, which is linked to the sunrise and sunset indicator. Hand finished to a high level by specialists in the Vallée de Joux...
SJX Watches
Founded by the namesake father and son duo, Biver has just debuted its second model, the Biver Automatique. Though a simple a time-only watch with central seconds, in contrast to the preceding Carillon Tourbillon, the Automatique is equipped with an elaborately executed movement that’s arguably the most impressive recent automatic. Besides decorative touches like guilloche on the bridges, the JCB-003 also features details like a grande sonnerie-style winding click. The calibre is paired with a comparably elaborately constructed dial with solid gold appliqués that’s available in a variety of materials, including mineral stone like Pietersite. The JCB-003 Initial thoughts The Automatique is clearly meant to showcase the brand’s ability to create a highly finished and refined time-only watch that can compete with more established producers, both in terms of the movement as well as habillage (namely the dial and case). The highlight of the Automatique is the JCB-003 movement. Developed in partnership with movement specialist Dubois Depraz, the JCB-003 is quite possibly the most refined micro rotor movement on the market today. Though it is functionally simple, the movement boasts decorative and technical details along with a high level of finishing. The over-engineered caliber is meant to serve as a base for future complications, which makes sense considering the high cost involved in constructing such a movement. Amongst the calibre’s notable details is the grande so...
SJX Watches
Repeaters are one of the most complicated mechanisms in watches and over the years the complication has been refined by successive generations of watchmakers. Now, perhaps more than ever, watchmakers dedicate absolute attention to perfecting the quality, speed, accuracy, and durability of the striking works. Various components are required to chime the tunes of time with hammers and gongs. Paradoxically, amongst the most crucial parts of a chiming watch are those that work quietly, or silently, in the background – the governor. One of the most recent new repeater calibres, the A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Minute Repeater What is a governor? The governor regulates the speed of the striking pattern, in other words the pace of the individual chimes. A repeater movement contains a separate gear train for the repeating works, which are powered by their own smaller, auxiliary spring. The last component of this train consists of the governor. The governor’s task is to introduce resistance in the repeater train, allowing it to be regulated. Therefore, less resistance accelerates the striking speed, while more resistance slows down the repeater chimes. The Vacheron Constantin cal. 1731 with the secondary spring visible between the hammers The fine-tuning of the repeater’s speed is prized as an essential factor in ensuring a perfect series of chimes. If the pace is too fast, the vibrations of the gongs produce jarring overtones that cancel each other out. If too slow, not o...
Time+Tide
We might've expected a new Mickey or Grande Sonnerie, but Gérald Genta surprises with its first post-revival release.The post The Gérald Genta relaunch begins with the unexpected Gentissima Oursin appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Mr Gérald Genta needs no introduction anymore. One of the most famous watch designers of our time, responsible for the creation of icons such as the Royal Oak or the Nautilus, he also created watches under his own name. From 1969 on, Genta produced exceptionally complex watches (incl. an automatic tourbillon grande sonnerie, often considered […]
SJX Watches
For its 25th anniversary last year, Parmigiani debuted La Rose Carrée, a grande sonnerie pocket watch that was entirely hand engraved and enamelled in blue. While it was a one-off creation, the pocket watch has spawned a collection of five minute repeaters, Les Roses Carrées. Each of the five will be unique and the very first is La Rosa Celeste, a minute repeating wristwatch that takes after the pocket watch in both decoration and detail. Initial thoughts As is typical of Parmigiani’s top-of-the-line compilations, La Rosa Celeste is impressive in both its decoration and complication, but it has an unusual modern feel. Although the case is intricately engraved, the clean dial gives it a contemporary feel, so it doesn’t have the old-fashioned ornateness that such watches often possess. With the lavish engraving and generous enamelling, the case makes a statement on the wrist, even more so with its size. At 42 mm in diameter and over 13 mm high, La Rosa Celeste is a big watch, a little too big to be as elegant as its decoration. But the size is no doubt also meant to give it presence, which it will surely have. La Rosa Celeste is finely crafted and artisanally decorated, which inevitably means it is expensive, or CHF600,000 to be exact. That’s a hefty sum but par for the course for a watch like this. Repeating roses and blue enamel Of all the elements of the watch, the dial is the simplest in terms of style. It’s almost minimalist with small, square hour markers...
Quill & Pad
In 1995 Piaget, who was then part of the Vendôme group that would later become Richemont, entered the highest segment of the watch market by releasing a grande sonnerie wristwatch developed by François-Paul Journe. At the time, Journe was a freelance movement designer and hadn’t officially founded F.P. Journe yet.
Quill & Pad
The Fibonacci number sequence is a discovery of mathematics and nature that has both amazed and confounded the scientific community for centuries. And it is the inspiration for the stunning engravings on the unique La Rose Carrée, a masterfully restored grande sonnerie minute repeater pocket watch made to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of Parmigiani and launched to mark the seventieth birthday of the brand’s founder and master restorer, Michel Parmigiani.
Revolution
Parmigiani Fleurier wraps its 25th anniversary by resurrecting a one-off grande sonnerie and minute repeater from the close of the 19th century.
SJX Watches
Phillips sold US$74.5 million of watches during its recent Geneva auctions, the besting the two-decade old record set by Antiquorum in 2002 for the biggest watch auction ever. Now it the focus shifts to Hong Kong for the fall watch sale in the city. Amongst the top lots in Geneva were important creations by independent watchmakers, including the Philippe Dufour Grande Sonnerie wristwatch that sold for US$5.2 million, as well as an F.P. Journe Resonance Souscription that achieved US$4.3 million (fees included). Fortunately there are fine examples of the genre for far less money at the upcoming Hong Kong auction. We round up some of the most notable – and possibly overlooked – in the sale, including the little-known F.P. Journe Octa “France-China”, the rarely-seen Haldimann H11, and a pair of quirky watches by Vianney Halter (but designed by Pascal Pages). The movement of the H11 The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XIII takes place on November 25 (for lots 801-852) and November 26 (lots 853-1106). The full catalogue and registration for bidding are available on Phillips.com. Lot 841: Harry Winston Opus 3 by Vianney Halter Perhaps the most complicated watch ever conceived by Vianney Halter is the Opus 3, which was originally a collaborative effort between the watchmaker and American jeweller Harry Winston. Entirely digital in its time display, the Opus 3 has no hands, but instead six apertures on its face. The date occupies the two windows in the centre, with the left co...
Quill & Pad
Martin Green is no Gérald Genta groupie charmed by everything the designer created, but he appreciates greatness. While some may favor the Genta Gefica or Grande Sonnerie as the master's definitive design, Martin makes a case for the Retro. Find out why here.
Hodinkee
If you thought Grand Seiko was obsessed with the details, well, you weren't wrong. But there's another level. An even higher level. Behold the detail-iest Grand Seiko of them all, the Credor.
SJX Watches
Since its debut in 2008, the Cartier Fine Watchmaking (FWM) collection has been the jeweller-watchmaker’s flagship range of timepieces, incorporating highly complicated movements into watches designed in traditional Cartier style, albeit in very large cases. This year’s Fine Watchmaking line-up is made up of four watches – led by the uber-complex Grand Complication Skeleton – all presented in the round Rotonde de Cartier case. Initial thoughts I have held the Cartier FWM collection in high regard – it is testimony to the brand’s haute horlogerie prowess, which most tend to underestimate or are unaware of. So it was a bit disappointing to see FWM recede slightly starting in 2018 as Cartier focused instead on its historical, time-only watches – such as this year’s Tank Asymétrique – which have been resurrected as the Cartier Privé collection. The debut of this quartet of watches is a pleasing return to form for FWM, though it should be pointed out none of the are entirely new in terms of movements. The “mystery” complication of Cartier has been found in several FWM models in the past, but it never fails to astound. The mystery hours, for instance, are simple, time-only watches but have a great deal of visual allure. And the Rotonde de Cartier Grande Complication Skeleton revives one of the most complicated movements ever developed by Cartier, while being visually stimulating with its open-worked dial that exposes the intricate and complex move...
Hodinkee
Celebrating Spring Drive with a grander Grand Seiko.
Quill & Pad
In Tim Mosso's opinion, the F.P. Journe The Tourbillon Souverain Joaillerie is a halo model for a brand that sells almost nothing but halo models. It’s as special as the discontinued Journe Sonnerie Souveraine or current Astronomic Souveraine.
Quill & Pad
In Tim Mosso's opinion, the F.P. Journe The Tourbillon Souverain Joaillerie is a halo model for a brand that sells almost nothing but halo models. It’s as special as the discontinued Journe Sonnerie Souveraine or current Astronomic Souveraine.
Worn & Wound
Ludovic Ballouard’s Upside Down, first seen in 2010, is one of independent watchmaking’s most inventive and whimsical creations. Ballouard started his own brand after stints working with big names like Franck Muller and F.P. Journe (he was handpicked by Journe to work on his most complex movement, the Sonnerie Souveraine), and his signature complication is quite unlike anything else. The Upside Down’s conceit is that it displays each hour upside down except the current hour, which is flipped right side up when the minute hand crosses 12:00. It’s an incredibly complicated design, the purpose of which, according to Ballouard, is to “treasure the time we are in.” It’s also just a very cool party trick, and the platform for the latest release from Grail Watch, Wei Koh’s ongoing series of dream collaborations. The new Upside Down seen here isn’t a brand to brand collaboration like previous Grail Watch releases, but a heartfelt partnership between Ballouard and his young son, Gabriel, or “Gaga” for short. Wei Koh asked Ballouard if Gabriel could be involved in the creation of this watch after hearing Ballouard’s incredible story of becoming a parent. He lost his first wife, Eveline, to cancer, some years ago, but not before she told him of her hopes that he’d remarry and have a family. This seemed impossible to Ballouard at first, but he eventually met Flavia during his daily walk in Parc Bertrand in Geneva. She changed his life, and they soon become ...
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