Results for Westminster Chime

Patek Philippe Debuts the Grandmaster Chime “Only Watch” in Stainless Steel

The subject of rumour since Baselworld 2019, the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime ref. 6300A-010 in stainless steel is finally official. Almost certainly on track to become the most expensive watch sold at auction in 2019, the ref. 6300A is a one of a kind watch variant of the most complicated Patek Philippe wristwatch ever made that was created for Only Watch, the biennial charity auction of unique timepieces sold to benefit a medical charity. Aside from the steel case – the Grandmaster Chime is ordinarily available only in white gold – both dials on each side of the watch are also unique. The dial on the front is made of 18k rose gold, and features a hobnail guilloche centre and blackened 18k gold Breguet numerals. “The Only One” is printed within the 12 o’clock sub-dial just to make it clear that this is, well, the only one for Only Watch. Also made of 18k gold, the reverse dial is black with rose gold-plated hands. The rest of the watch is identical to the standard version. The enormous 47.7mm case is reversible, but being in steel will be significantly lighter than the gold model. The case band is decorated with a hobnail guilloche engraved by a hand-operated rose engine Inside is the cal. 300 GS AL 36-750 QIS FUS IRM, a hand-wound movement with 20 complications, including a grande and petite sonnerie, alarm, date repeater, and instantaneous perpetual calendar. Slated to go on the block on November 9, 2019 at Christie’s Geneva, the Grandmaster Chi...

Girard-Perregaux Chimes the Time In-House

Girard-Perregaux (GP) is starting the year with an ambitious new calibre inside the Minute Repeater Flying Bridges, the in-house GP9530. Also equipped with a tourbillon, the symmetrical, skeleton movement is a micro-rotor automatic, making for an exciting pairing of complications. Notably, even during GP’s heyday as a manufacture, it depended on specialists for its repeater movements. The GP9530 is the brand’s first in-house minuter repeating calibre (though it does borrow from an earlier striking movement created with the help of a complications specialist). The strikework is exposed on the dial, while the reverse reveals the winding mechanism under circular bridges. Initial thoughts In the past couple of years GP has been slowly making a comeback, after a few slow years, as a serious and motivated manufacture. The comeback started with the release of the reworked constant-force escapement and accelerated with last year’s unveiling of the workhorse GP4800 and the GP9620 skeleton tourbillon. This is in some ways a return to form. Historically GP was a powerhouse in this respect, making complicated movements under its own name as well as supplying movements, both complex and simple, to other high-end brands. At that time, however, GP still did source repeater movements from the likes of Christophe Claret. In time, the evolution of the industry reduced the need for such outsourced movements, and the marquee’s lustre dulled. The Minute Repeater Flying Bridges and its ...

A third attempt to make a chime, in vintage guise

This year, Angelus hits the mark on all three counts by reviving its enigmatic 1958 release, the Tinkler, the world’s first watch to combine an automatic movement with a quarter-repeater.

Introducing: Armin Strom's Groundbreaking 'Minute Repeater Resonance 12:59 First Edition' Lets You Chime The Time (Or Really Show Off)

One of the most technically impressive releases from the fair comes from a much smaller brand.

Christopher Ward Bel Canto Lumière Turns the Chime Into a Full-On Light Show

Christopher Ward Bel Canto Lumière combines chiming mechanics with luminous design, expanding the Bel Canto line with a bold 2025 release.

Auctions: Sylvester Stallone's Grandmaster Chime Sells For $5.4 Million, Evaluating Vintage Patek Philippe Condition, And More From New York

Up close and way too personal with three Patek 1463 chronographs to discuss condition.

Watch Spotting: We've Spent All Day Discussing Trevor Noah's THREE Grammy Watch Looks + Jay-Z's Insane Patek Grandmaster Chime

Hova may have been late to the ceremony, but the complication was right on time.

Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers La Musique Du Temps Minute Repeater Tourbillon Four Seasons: Chime, Chime, Chime For Every Season

The Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Tourbillon Four Seasons is an ode to the journey we all must take, the journey that even our great big planet takes every year as it grows, dies, and is reborn. We can celebrate the mechanics and ingenuity behind the watches, but this limited edition celebrates the fleeting nature of life itself.

Sunday Rewind: Sibling Chime-alry With Two Unique And Strange Minute Repeaters From Patek Philippe

A bad pun (not sorry) and two awesome vintage Pateks.

BREAKING NEWS: CHF 31 Million Steel Grandmaster Chime Becomes Most Expensive Timepiece Sold at Auction

In Depth: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon Westminster Perpetuel

SIHH 2019: JLC Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon Westminster Perpétuel

THE PATEK PHILLIPE GRANDMASTER CHIME 175TH ANNIVERSARY - The Patek Philippe Ref. 5175 Perpetual Date Repeater, Grand Sonnerie, Minute Repeater And Alarm, A Masterpiece Of Chiming Complications

Leading up to Patek Philippe’s 175th anniversary, speculation and anticipation were running wild in watch enthusiast circles around the globe. And the recurring theme rising to the forefront of the collective Patek devotee’s imagination was that of a grande sonnerie. A grande sonnerie is a watch that features a minute repeater but is also able […]

Striking Improvement: Armin Strom’s Minute Repeater Resonance 12:59

Armin Strom’s Minute Repeater Resonance 12:59 First Edition doesn’t just chime the current time, it chimes the best time (12:59) to show off its Westminster Carillon of four hammers chiming on four gongs. The watch combines the clever chiming complication with a clever chronometric innovation: a pair of sprung balances connected by an elastic “resonance clutch spring”, one of the brand’s signature invention. And all of that somehow squeezed into a water-resistant, 42 mm case that is slimmer than most chronographs. Initial thoughts Armin Strom’s repeater probably deserves an award for the brand’s most improved product. Its predecessor was 47.7 mm in diameter and 16.1 mm tall, while this is a wearable 42 mm and only 11.7 mm thick. That makes it slimmer than a Rolex Daytona — though most of the height is borne by the mid-case, making the watch look thicker than it is. It’s also somehow more water resistant, up to 50 m from an already solid 30 m, yet it costs just 2% more at the current retail price. That is before mentioning the Westminster Carillon, demonstration-chiming mode, and the more attractive design. The “demonstration mode”, which allows the watch to chime 12:59 on demand regardless of the current time, is well executed and suits the job of the repeater in the 21st century, which goes beyond simply telling time in the dark. Furthermore, the sound is good — pleasant and audible — but wristwatch minute repeaters have improved dramatically in ...

Hands-on - The Revival of a Charming Chimer with the Angelus Tinkler 1958 Quarter Repeater

Unveiled by Angelus at Watches & Wonders 2026, the Tinkler 1958 Quarter Repeater is a re-edition of the brand’s pioneering mid-century automatic, waterproof quarter repeater wristwatch, which was already a rarity in its day. Engaging sight, sound and touch, we’re going hands-on with the more luxurious, 15-piece limited edition of this charming chiming revival piece […]

Hands-on - The Spirit of Mr Genta Chimes On in the Gérald Genta Minute Repeater

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 […]

Return of the Pool Watch by Tamim Almousa

I love a 5-star hotel. I love dressing up and hanging out in the lobby, serenaded by soft piano music, the murmurs of the crowd, the intermittent chime of the elevator arriving.

Highlights: Striking Complications from Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet at Christie’s Hong Kong

Two leading practitioners of fine watchmaking, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet face off at Christie’s upcoming Hong Kong auction, Important Watches: Featuring “Kronos: Titans of Time”, “The Eternity” and “The Chronicle” Collections. The catalogue features blue chip high complications such as the Sky Moon Tourbillon, as well as under-appreciated neo-vintage discoveries, and the most striking of this selection doesn’t even chime. Lot 2424 – Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon Ref. 5002P-001 While Patek Philippe’s Sky Moon Tourbillon started as a supporting act to the Star Caliber 2000, miniaturising the latter’s planisphere with moon passage and phases, its mindshare has far surpassed its larger sibling. It was Patek Philippe’s most complicated wristwatch when first launched, and the super-watch of the 2000s. Collectors entering the watch world during that time speak of it with the same nostalgia and reverence 2000s kids give to the Bugatti Veyron. The design was rather contemporary for early 2000s Patek Philippe, and looks nothing like its successor, the baroque ref. 6002. At 42 mm in diameter, it was also notably large — the ref. 5016 with which shares most of its movement, was only 36 mm in diameter. It was forward thinking in another way, selling an extremely expensive, astronomical complication as an off-the-rack product, continuing Philippe Stern’s “build it and they will come” attitude that began with the Calibre 89. Patek Philippe’...

The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition - Paul Pessagno

After a bit of a break, 3 for $5k is back! The reader edition of this series has always been a favorite, as it allows Worn & Wound’s audience to chime in on the watches they own, or would buy, with a hypothetical $5,000 budget. The fun with these is always in the approach, and today we have a unique spin from reader Paul Pessagno. His Instagram handle is @bigwristwatchguy, which should give you an idea of his perspective on collecting. With a nearly 9 inch wrist, Paul sought out watches for this exercise that look appropriate on a big wrist, but still represent a balanced collecting philosophy.  Let us know what you think of Paul’s picks in the comments below, and stay tuned for future editions of The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Reader Edition. The modern watch industry has a clear darling right now, the 38mm to 40mm “sweet spot.” Brands are downsizing across the board, digging into their archives, and championing historically accurate, compact proportions. But having an 8.85 inch wrist fundamentally changes how a timepiece wears. When you fall outside the industry average, those celebrated mid-century dimensions can easily end up looking less like a serious horological instrument and more like a vintage toy.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Paul Pessagno (@bigwristwatchguy) Building a versatile three watch rotation presents a unique challenge for the larger wristed collector. A great collection isn’t just about stubbornly picking the bi...

The ABCs of Time - Unconventional Ways Watches Can Relay Time Without Traditional Hands

At the dawn of mechanical time, hands weren’t a thing as bells would chime to signal an event or relay the hours. These giant mechanical bell towers were seen in Europe throughout the Middle Ages, with examples like the Salisbury Cathedral clock in the 14th century still functioning today (after restoration, of course). These early […]

Tritium Watches: How They Work, And How They're Still Being Made

The need to read the time in the dark has been a challenge for the makers of timepieces for hundreds of years. The first solution was not a visual but an audible one: watches that could chime the current hour and minute on demand. These types of watches, aka minute repeaters and sonneries, are quite rare and expensive today and regarded as luxuries rather than the utilitarian inventions they initially were. In the 1900s, a more practical option presented itself: treating a watch’s dial with luminous paint that made its time display visible in darkness. And while this approach proved to be much more cost-effective and practical, it also brought a new set of challenges, as the earliest substances used on the dials were discovered to be unsafe, for the people who made the watches and, to a lesser extent, those who wore them. Let There Be Light The first material applied to watch dials for nighttime luminescence was radium paint, which, thanks to radium’s half-life of 1,600 years, offered a long-lasting glow during that period before dimming - the catch being that, as its name implies, radium (specifically Radium-226, which was used as the base of the “Radiomir” substance registered by Guido Panerai ) is radioactive. In the 1920s, the mostly female factory workers who painted the watch dials with radium compounds started falling ill and dying at alarming rates, leading to lawsuits against the companies that produced the material and eventually, safer working conditio...

The Best Watches I Saw At The British Watchmakers’ Day

Early in March, I attended the second British Watchmakers’ Day at Lindley Hall (Royal Horticultural Halls) in Westminster. The sophomore effort had another fantastic turnout and cemented the show as a bona fide addition to the watch-event calendar. With 45 British-based watch brands presenting, there was plenty for everyone to enjoy. All brands have a […] Visit The Best Watches I Saw At The British Watchmakers’ Day to read the full article.

Get Your €100K+ Speedy Now! Omega Offers The Speedmaster Calibre 321 With A New Platinum Flat-Link Bracelet

The first Speedmaster to hit retail with a six-figure price is here! Well, that’s if you don’t count the complicated Speedmaster Chrono Chime. Omega introduces the platinum Speedmaster Calibre 321  with a material-matching flat-link bracelet, and at our local AD in The Hague, the price of that most prestigious Speedy is €107,500. If you’re in […] Visit Get Your €100K+ Speedy Now! Omega Offers The Speedmaster Calibre 321 With A New Platinum Flat-Link Bracelet to read the full article.

Portrait - Watchmaking Apprentice Gaku Okada and his Fascinating Tempo Rubato Metronome ‘Watch’

A light rhythmic beat of a snare drum hits your ears, the deep thumps of the bass drum join in, and the chime of the cymbals rounds it off. A trumpeter starts improvising on the beat, ebbing and flowing back and forth in pace, producing a melody that resonates deep within your soul. Then, all […]

Beaucroft Teams with Bristol Based Artist Penfold on a Limited Edition for British Watchmakers’ Day

On March 9th, 2024, the inaugural British Watchmakers’ Day occurred in Westminster, London, England. Organized by the Alliance of British Watch & Clock Makers, this event was celebrated as the premier watch gathering in the U.K. More than 40 brands participated, including Christopher Ward, Elliot Brown, Isotope, and even Roger W. Smith. The event was by all accounts a success, so it’s no surprise that a second event has been scheduled for Saturday, March 8th. One of the 2024  exhibitors was Beaucroft, based in Cambridge. Our very own Garrett Jones had a hands-on experience with their Forest Green Element watch in December 2024, and he enjoyed it. For this year’s British Watchmakers’ Day event, Beaucroft has collaborated with Bristol-based artist Tim Gresham, known as Penfold, to create the Penfold Special Edition watch. Penfold’s portfolio includes abstract paintings, screen printing, large-scale murals, and immersive installations. He has exhibited in galleries worldwide and collaborated with iconic brands. His influences range from skateboard graphics and Memphis-style furniture to artists like Tom Wesselmann and Eduardo Paolozzi from the Pop Art movement and contemporary figures like MOMO and KAWS. Based on their Element platform, the matte-finished white dial provided a blank canvas for Penfold to showcase his artwork. Apart from the rehaut and hands, the rest of the design is Penfold’s creation. From the supplied images, the airbrushed design elements app...

Insight: Governors of Minute Repeaters, Sonneries, and Other Striking 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...

Just Because: Ever Wondered How Much A Patek Philippe Grand Complication Costs? Patek Finally Published All Their Prices

No more "price on request" on the Patek website means you finally know how many years (or decades) you'll need to save for a Grandmaster Chime.

Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €2,500 - Mike’s Picks From Seiko, Ming, Oak & Oscar, And Longines

It’s time to chime in on the best watches under €2,500. It’s a tough subject for a couple of reasons. First, many of my colleagues have already opined and used up some great picks. Second, this price level now feels like a no man’s land because most brands prefer to play above or below it. […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €2,500 - Mike’s Picks From Seiko, Ming, Oak & Oscar, And Longines to read the full article.

Sylvester Stallone has 11 watches heading to Sotheby’s June 2024 auction

Sly has enlisted Sotheby's to auction off a significant part of his collection, including the first-ever to market Patek Grandmaster Chime.The post Sylvester Stallone has 11 watches heading to Sotheby’s June 2024 auction appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Roger W. Smith and His Unique Series 1 Made for British Watchmakers’ Day

British Watchmakers’ Day is nearly upon us. Tomorrow, March 9, watch lovers from across the UK (and across the world – our own Zach Weiss and Blake Malin will be in attendance) will descend on Lindley Hall in Westminster to celebrate all that British watchmaking has to offer. The event is run by the Alliance of British Watch and Clockmakers, and was conceived to raise awareness and money for the Alliance, which works to support watchmaking in the UK by fostering ties between its trade members.  Roger W. Smith, the famed independent watchmaker who famously apprenticed for George Daniels, was an early Alliance member and one of the group’s most vocal supporters. He’s taking part in British Watchmakers’ Day this year alongside many of his colleagues in the Alliance, and he’s particularly excited about the diversity and the representation from a new generation of watch brands that will be present. “The vast majority of our trade members are outside of traditional horology,” Smith told me in an interview. “That’s very exciting to me, it means we’re going to have lots of innovation, lots of ideas, and new stories taking place.”  One of those new stories is a watch Smith himself will be presenting at British Watchmakers’ Day, which is loosely organized around participating brands bringing limited edition pieces to sell for one day and one day only at the fair. For Smith, this presents a challenge and an opportunity. His watches are largely made by hand...