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Results for Minute Repeater

785 articles · 4 videos found · page 13 of 27

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Wiki · Guide
Minute Repeater

The chiming complication that strikes the time on tiny hammers and gongs.
Dimensions · Guide
Case dimensions: Patek Philippe Minute Repeater 5178 Patek Philippe

40 mm × 11.05 mm, lug 20 mm, Cal. R 27 PS
Dimensions · Guide
Case dimensions: A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Minute Repeater A. Lange & Söhne

44.2 mm × 14.1 mm, lug 21 mm, Cal. L043.5
Dimensions · Guide
Case dimensions: Bulgari Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater Bulgari

40 mm × 6.85 mm, lug integrated, Cal. BVL 362
Hermès Introduces the Arceau Grande Lune in Blue SJX Watches
Breguet style numerals Dec 10, 2020

Hermès Introduces the Arceau Grande Lune in Blue

Possibly the most iconic Hermès watch, the asymmetrical Arceau has been used to showcase complications like the recent minute repeater with tourbillon or the quirky L’Heure de la Lune. A counterpoint to that is the Arceau Grande Lune, an accessible watch that still preserves the design elements that make the Arceau so recognisable. With its latest facelift, the Arceau Grande Lune now has an altogether more modern aesthetic with a two-tone, metallic blue dial. Initial thoughts The new Grande Lune is a handsome watch with all the typical design cues of the Arceau, from the Breguet-style numerals for both the hours and date to the stirrup-inspired case. At the same time, the Arceau Grande Lune is a more formal-looking watch than recent releases from Hermes that had a bit more whimsy, most notably the Arceau Pocket Aaaaargh! Minute Repeater. The distinctive lugs are larger on the top While the “XL”, 43 mm Arceau case is ideal for showing off uber-complications, it is perhaps a shade too large for a more formal watch, especially one with an old-school triple-calendar and moon phase. It’s still a good looking watch, with a style that is more contemporary than earlier iterations of the model. The dial is dressed in a fashionable colour, but has plenty of visual interest thanks to the clever use of varied surface textures that give it a subtle two-tone finish. And despite the case design being over 40 years old, the Arceau still feels current thanks to its subtle asy...

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Audemars Piguet Introduces the Code 11.59 Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Introduces Oct 5, 2020

Audemars Piguet Introduces the Code 11.59 Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie

Audemars Piguet has been progressively unveiling increasingly compelling versions of the Code 11.59, starting the year with the smoked-dial models and then following with the tourbillon-chronograph. And now it’s revealed what is no doubt the flagship of the line, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie. Originally slated to have been launched earlier in the year alongside the official opening of the Audemars Piguet Museum but delayed by the pandemic, the Code 11.59 Grande Sonnerie is powered by a movement enhanced with the brand’s Supersonnerie that results in one of the loudest chiming watches on the market. The pusher at 11 o’clock activates the minute repeater, while the crown at two o’clock sets the strike mode – silent, grande or petite sonnerie Beyond its technical innovation, the new Grande Sonnerie is bestowed with a dial made by Anita Porchet. It’s a limited edition of five watches, with three unique paillonné dials already having been made, while the remaining two dials can be customised by the buyer. Initial thoughts The new Code 11.59 Grande Sonnerie is a well-designed watch that is surprisingly simple in style. Like the recent Royal Oak Concept Frosted Gold Flying Tourbillon, the grande sonnerie is strikingly modern, but the paillonné technique used to create the dial is eminently artisanal and classical. The gold paillons are arranged at random, giving the enamel dial a beautiful, almost organic appearance. Mec...

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Hermès Introduces the Arceau Lift Tourbillon Répétition Minutes SJX Watches
H. Moser & Cie Dolce & Sep 4, 2020

Hermès Introduces the Arceau Lift Tourbillon Répétition Minutes

Hermès introduced its first tourbillon, the Arceau Lift, in 2013, an early indication of the leather goods maker’s ambitions in technically-oriented watchmaking. The intertwined, double “H” tourbillon cage was modelled the wrought-iron door of the elevator in the Hermes’ fabled store in Paris at 24, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, hence the name. Seven years later, the Arceau Lift has been upgraded to incorporate a minute repeater. The Arceau Lift Tourbillon Répétition Minutes is being produced in just two examples – each unique – in pink and white gold respectively. Initial thoughts While combining two “high” complications is impressive, the whimsical house style of Hermes is what stands out at first glance. Elements like the asymmetric watch case and open dial are simple quite quickly identifiable as Hermes. More subtle is the dial, which is surprisingly discreet until you spot it. It’s cleverly designed to incorporate the brand’s familiar horse-head motif that takes the form of a cut-out that serves to show off the racks and snail cams of the minute repeating mechanism. The H1924 movement within is high quality in both finish and construction, and also incorporates the equestrian theme with a barrel bridge shaped like twin horse heads. But it is produced by Manufacture Haute Complications (MHC), a respected but struggling Geneva-based movement specialist that has supplied the same calibre to H. Moser & Cie., Dolce & Gabbana, and Artya. So while ...

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Audemars Piguet Introduces the Code 11.59 with Smoked Dials SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Introduces Jul 3, 2020

Audemars Piguet Introduces the Code 11.59 with Smoked Dials

When it was launched in 2019, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet became the most-talked-about new releases of the year, and also of the most panned, largely for the way it was hyped before launch and the perceived plainness of the design. But Audemars Piguet is undeterred and affirmed its commitment to the new collection with the launch of a face-lifted Code 11.59 Selfwinding and Chronograph, featuring new dials with a smoked, graduated-colour finish, along with a variant in a two-colour gold case. The new Code 11.59 Selfwinding Initial thoughts The most frequent criticism against the Code 11.59 had to do with the rather bland dials of the base models. In contrast, the pricey, complicated models were the standouts of the collection, having fired enamel dials with a smoked finish (for the minute repeater and the flying tourbillon) or aventurine glass (for the perpetual calendar). Audemars Piguet doubtlessly realised the appeal of the smoked enamel dial, and followed up with the Code 11.59 Bolshoi Limited Edition, which featured the same graduated, dark blue dial in enamel, but on a time-only watch. The downside of the enamel dial on the base model is a massive price premium of over 55%, or a bit over US$14,000. Evidence that Audemars Piguet is receptive to feedback, the new dials for the Code 11.59 show how a slight tweak can completely change the visual impact of a watch. It’s highly probable that if the Code 11.59 had been launched with smoked dials in the first plac...

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Up Close: Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Bolshoi Limited Edition SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Bolshoi Limited Jun 9, 2020

Up Close: Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Bolshoi Limited Edition

When Audemars Piguet launched the Code 11.59 last year, the best looking of the collection were the two watches with smoked enamel dials, which were the minute repeater and flying tourbillon. The base models, on the other hand, were plain and looked a bit flat. But as proof that dial colours and shading are as important as design, the Code 11.59 Bolshoi Limited Edition is the three-hand base model, but with a smoked blue enamel dial – and it is a good looking watch, with the downside of a substantial price premium for the enamel dial. Launched in November 2019 to mark the 10th anniversary of Audemars Piguet’s sponsorship of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, the parent organisation of the world-famous Bolshoi Ballet, the Code 11.59 Bolshoi edition was a limited edition of 99 pieces. And it’s the only base-model Code 11.59 with an enamel (or smoked-finish) dial to date, though that might change in the future. Initial thoughts The Bolshoi edition is surprisingly attractive, even though only a single element has changed. Though it keeps the design exactly the same, the Bolshoi edition fixes the bland looks of the original simply but effectively with a fired enamel dial. While the smoked finish is not new – H. Moser & Cie. does it all the time and now MB&F; does too – the dial of the Bolshoi edition is fired enamel, which is doubtlessly difficult to produce and tangibly impressive. Because everything else remains the same as the standard edition, the Bolshoi edition also...

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VIDEO: The new A. Lange & Söhne ghost grey Odysseus is 50% more expensive but 100% more awesome than the debut model Time+Tide
A. Lange & Sohne Jun 1, 2020

VIDEO: The new A. Lange & Söhne ghost grey Odysseus is 50% more expensive but 100% more awesome than the debut model

When the price tag of a wristwatch is more akin to a house or a McLaren supercar, there are a certain amount of bells and whistles you want to see. With A. Lange & Söhne’s Zeitwerk Minute Repeater in white gold, there may not be bells, but you can see the aggressively sculpted hammers striking … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The new A. Lange & Söhne ghost grey Odysseus is 50% more expensive but 100% more awesome than the debut model appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Eight Collectors of Independent Watchmaking to Follow on Instagram SJX Watches
F.P. Journe tourbillon Akrivia Chronometre Contemporain May 25, 2020

Eight Collectors of Independent Watchmaking to Follow on Instagram

While the vast majority of watch content on Instagram is predictable and repetitive – hello Nautilus with baguette gemstone bezel and Submariner “Hulk” –  there are a couple of collectors with interesting watches who share their collections on the picture-sharing app. The most interesting for me are the independent-watchmaking enthusiasts. Most own watches that well known and regarded as landmarks in the genre – Philippe Dufour Simplicity, F.P. Journe tourbillon, Akrivia Chronometre Contemporain, and the like – but many also have watches further off the beaten track, like Keaton Myrick’s 1 in 30 or the Bexei grande sonnerie. Here are a few independent-watchmaking collectors who are worth a follow. @igwatchlover – A collector based on Southeast Asia, Igwatchlover features his own watches, as well as occasionally watches owned by his friends – who are also accomplished collectors. Amongst the watches that can be found on his account is the unique and elaborate Voutilainen Starry Night Vine, and the Vox Vinum grande sonnerie by Aaron Becsei, and the one-off, regulator-dial minute repeater by Voutilainen. And he also features a good number of notable complicated watches from the 1990s, which are overlooked today but often just as interesting as the latest creations. @horoptimist – A longtime collector who only started his Instagram account recently, Horoptimist is based in Asia but has managed to visit several independent watchmakers in their home count...

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Vintage Watch Snobbery AKA How I Met Your Mother - Reprise Quill & Pad
Patek Philippe had ever created – May 16, 2020

Vintage Watch Snobbery AKA How I Met Your Mother - Reprise

Standing before his eyes was the most perfect of God’s creatures, a wonderful mix of Audrey Hepburn and Penelope Cruz. What Makes Me Tick thought his heart had skipped a beat, and he heard the chimes of every single minute repeater Patek Philippe had ever created – all chiming at exactly the same time! Six months later the gentle creature and he were married. This extraordinary story reflects the marvelous world of vintage watches: finding the rare bird, linking it to a story, and never letting it go.

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In-Depth: Inspiration and Creation of the Grand Seiko Thin Dress Series SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Thin Dress Series Earlier May 15, 2020

In-Depth: Inspiration and Creation of the Grand Seiko Thin Dress Series

Earlier this year, I paid a visit to Seiko’s headquarters in Ginza, Tokyo. I was there for two reasons. One was to present my Ideal Watch Size Survey to their design, product and development teams. The other was to find out more about a particular Grand Seiko I had recently purchased, the SBGZ001. Launched in 2019 to celebrate the Spring Drive’s 20th Anniversary, the SBGZ001 is an extraordinarily finished version of the Grand Seiko Thin Dress Series from the Elegance collection. What started as a few questions from a collector ended up being a dive into how a significant new line of watches at Grand Seiko was born. In the interest of full disclosure: The Armoury, which I own, has been a retailer of Grand Seiko in Hong Kong for about six years now. I have been collecting Grand Seiko for about nine years. Neither the SBGZ001 nor the SBGY003 detailed in this article are available for sale at the store. But they are special so I wanted to delve further into their creation. The Credor Eichi I, 2013 First some background. Back in 2013, I bought a Credor Eichi I, a well-known watch in certain circles for its exceptional finishing. It was made in the Micro Artist Studio (MAS), a division within the Seiko-Epson Shiojiri plant where all the cutting-edge high horology – namely Spring Drive movements – is designed and made. That includes things like the Credor Minute Repeater, the Grand Seiko 8 Day Power Reserve and the Credor Eichi II. I toured the facility in 2014 and visite...

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All That’s New at Watches & Wonders 2020 SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Égérie collection Les Cabinotiers Apr 24, 2020

All That’s New at Watches & Wonders 2020

The virtual doors of Watches & Wonders 2020 are now open – here’s an overview of all notable new releases from the exhibiting brands. This page will be updated as additional watches are launched in the coming months, so bookmark this. A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus Datomatic in white gold Zeitwerk Minute Repeater in white gold Cartier Cartier Privé Tank Asymétrique Maillon de Cartier Pasha de Cartier Santos-Dumont XL Santos-Dumont Limited Editions Santos de Cartier ADLC Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Light IWC Portugieser Automatic 40 Portugieser Chronograph 3716 Portugieser Monopusher Chronograph Edition “Laureus Sport for Good” Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 42 IWC Portugieser Yacht Club Moon & Tide Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Collection Master Control Memovox and Master Control Memovox Timer Montblanc 1858 Automatic 24H 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition 100 Heritage Manufacture Pulsograph Panerai Luminor Marina Carbotech PAM01661 Luminor Marina Titanio DMLS PAM01117 Luminor Marina Fibratech PAM01663 Submersible EcoPangaea Tourbillon GMT PAM01108 Parmigiani Toric Tourbillon Red Gold Slate Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept Vacheron Constantin Égérie collection Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication Split-Seconds Chronograph “Tempo” Les Cabinotiers Astronomical Grand Complication “Ode to Music” Les Cabinotiers “The Singing Birds” Overseas Ultra-Thin Perpetual Calendar Skeleton Traditionnelle Tourbillon Chronograph  

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Vacheron Constantin Introduces the Astronomical Grand Complication “Ode to Music” SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Introduces Apr 24, 2020

Vacheron Constantin Introduces the Astronomical Grand Complication “Ode to Music”

Just revealed at Watches & Wonders 2020, the Les Cabinotiers Astronomical Grand Complication “Ode to Music” is the latest chiming watch to emerge from Ateliers Cabinotiers, Vacheron Constantin’s dedicated department for commissions and ambitious unique pieces that showcase the brand’s technical as well as artisanal skills. If the watch looks familiar, that’s because it is based on the Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600, the most complicated wristwatch ever created by Vacheron Constantin at the time of its launch in 2017, but more importantly, the most comprehensive astronomical complication wristwatch ever made. The new Ode to Music retains all of its astronomical prowess, but replaces the tourbillon with a minute repeater, while omitting the tide indicator and power reserve display. Rebuilt grand comp As a result, the Ode to Music retains the same astronomical display module but is actually constructed on an entirely different base movement from the Celestia. While the Celestia relied on a base movement with a tourbillon and six barrels, the Ode to Music utilises the minute repeating cal. 1731, a wide but ultra-thin movement measuring just 3.9 mm high. Comprising a total of 600 parts, the resulting cal. 1731M820 is hand-wound, with a frequency of 3Hz and a 60-hour power reserve on a single barrel. Because of the thinner base movement, the Ode to Music clocks in at a relatively svelte 12.45 mm high, versus 13.6 mm for the Celestia. ...

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Vacheron Constantin Introduces the Grand Complication Split-Seconds Chronograph “Tempo” SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Introduces Apr 24, 2020

Vacheron Constantin Introduces the Grand Complication Split-Seconds Chronograph “Tempo”

Three years after the debut of Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication boasting 23 complications, Vacheron Constantin has topped its own achievement at Watches & Wonders 2020 by launching Les Cabinotiers Grand Complication Split-Seconds Chronograph “Tempo”. Without going into the minefield of what counts as a complication; the new Grand Complication incorporates 24 complications, if each function counts as one – with everything displayed on a massive, two-faced case. A reversible giant In addition to showing the time, the Grand Complication includes a minute repeater, tourbillon, perpetual calendar, split-seconds chronograph as well as a number of astronomical indications including equation of time, sunrise and sunset times, plus a retrograde moon phase. The reverse face Unsurprisingly, the case is enormous – 50 mm wide and 21 mm high. But it is intriguingly designed – perfectly symmetrical in profile, the case allows the watch to be worn with either side facing up thanks to a quick-release strap. Swapping faces is a matter of unlatching the strap, flipping the watch over, and reinstalling the strap. Time, chronograph and perpetual calendar on the front; tourbillon, running Equation of Time, retrograde moon phase and times for sunrise and sunset on the back Mechanical layer cake Inside is the cal. 2756, which is derived from the cal. 2755, a movement first found in the Traditionnelle Calibre 2755 grand complication that has since been iterated ...

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Up Close: Jaquet Droz Magic Lotus Automaton SJX Watches
Longines Mar 10, 2020

Up Close: Jaquet Droz Magic Lotus Automaton

Even though Jaquet Droz is a part of Switzerland’s largest watchmaking conglomerate – its parent Swatch Group also owns more mainstream names like Omega and Longines – the brand has consistently demonstrated an independence of thought with its impressive range of automata wristwatches – the latest being the Magic Lotus Automaton. Combining artisanal decoration with miniature automata – complex mechanical devices that typically imitate humans or nature – these watches continue a lineage that began with the brand’s founder: Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721–1790). Jaquet-Droz built automata that were shockingly lifelike for the period, with his greatest invention being The Writer. A seated figure capable of writing a pre-programmed sentence up to 40 characters long, The Writer was such a feat that during the Spanish Inquisition, its maker was suspected of using witchcraft to create the uncanny contraption. Over two centuries later, Jaquet Droz has developed several modern-day interpretations of its allegedly supernatural devices, often wristwatches that combine an automaton with a minute repeater – and even in monumental pocket-watch format. The recent Magic Lotus Automaton, on the other hand, is much simpler, but one of the most unusual and intriguing. It is not a minute repeater, but manages to be brilliantly conceived and effective. Garden of wonders Despite not having a repeater, the Magic Lotus Automaton is still a mechanical bombshell – so it is massive,...

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Uncommon Longevity - The Story of Golay Fils & Stahl of Geneva SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin producing or retailing highly Feb 17, 2020

Uncommon Longevity - The Story of Golay Fils & Stahl of Geneva

Auction catalogues often offer early 20th century pocket watches of impressive, refined quality that bear the names of unfamiliar Geneva firms. Amongst the most prominent are Agassiz, Ed. Koehn, Haas Neveux, and Touchon. Despite their obscurity now, these brands were once amongst the best in the world – arguably the equals of Patek Philippe or Vacheron Constantin, producing or retailing highly complicated and extra-thin timepieces. All of them, save for one, are now defunct and long forgotten. In fact, most went under long before the Quartz Crisis. A single name has survived and prospered while remaining a family business, by evolving its business over the centuries – Golay Fils & Stahl. A familiar name As an avid reader of auction catalogues, I had come across Golay Fils & Stahl on several occasions, and the name stayed with me because of the high quality of firm’s pocket watches (Haas Neveux being another). Then in November 2019, Phillips sold the Patek Philippe ref. 3652 minute-repeating wristwatch. Not only was the watch relatively recent, having been made in 1985, it was a unique reference powered by a reworked vintage movement – and signed “Golay Fils & Stahl” on the dial. Few retailers get their name on modern Patek Philippe watches, let alone a one-off, custom timepiece. It piqued my curiosity. The ref. 3652 – essentially a Calatrava ref. 96 minute repeater By sheer chance that curiosity was satisfied when Melissa Wolfgang Amenc got in touch after see...

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Hands-On: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Jan 31, 2020

Hands-On: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste

Jaeger-LeCoultre unveiled a trio of grand complications last year, a substantial number given how complex each watch is, although two of the three are powered by existing movements. The Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle (the only one equipped with a new calibre) and the Gyrotourbillon 3 Meteorite were launched first, and late in the year came the Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Céleste to mark 15 years of partnership with the Venice International Film Festival. Among the brand’s grand complications, the Tourbillon Celeste is one of the most interesting, boasting a quirky combinations of functions – an orbital, flying tourbillon calibrated for sidereal time as well as a star chart, and sidereal annual calendar. And it is also unusually high tech for a Jaeger-LeCoultre, with the movement being equipped with a silicon escape wheel and pallet fork. A simpler complication As with most of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s recent grand complications, the movement in the Tourbillon Céleste is an iteration of an earlier calibre – something the brand has made a habit of in recent years, which is a bit of a shame given its rich history in movement development. Specifically, the movement inside is a streamlined and simplified version of the more complicated Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication, which was launched in 2010 and also included a minute repeater. Being a separate module mounted on the case-back side of the movement, the repeater was s...

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Up Close: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Répétition Jan 3, 2020

Up Close: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle

Chiming movements – as in a minute repeater or grande sonnerie – have been fairly consistent in construction, being both rare and difficult to master, let alone be improved upon. But over the past two decades, Jaeger-LeCoultre has developed an impressive number of engineering improvements for its repeating movements, from “trebuchet” hammers that are hinged like the medieval catapult for enhanced striking power, to “crystal” gongs that are welded to the sapphire crystal to boost volume. This year, the brand has added to its list of striking innovations with revamped, ultra-long gongs in the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle, which was designed to raise both the quality and quantity of the chimes. The Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle with a grained, silver dial An elaborate case Available with the dial in either a blue flinqué enamel or a simpler, silvered and grained finish, the Master Grande Tradition Répétition Minutes Perpétuelle (MGTRMP) combines a minute repeater with one of the most user-friendly perpetual calendar mechanisms on the market, plus automatic winding. The self-winding capability is important and practical, because the movement has a short 38-hour power reserve. The two dial variants. Image – Jaeger-LeCoultre All of that is naturally voluminous, and packed into a large white gold case measuring 43mm wide and 13.72mm high. Though by no means a small watch, it is surprisingly thin for such a grand...

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F.P. Journe Introduces the Astronomic Souveraine Grand Complication SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Introduces Nov 14, 2019

F.P. Journe Introduces the Astronomic Souveraine Grand Complication

Just days after the F.P. Journe Astronomic Blue made for Only Watch 2019 sold for a record 1.8m Swiss francs, the watchmaker has unveiled the regular production version of the same – the Astronomic Souveraine. While the last unique F.P. Journe produced for Only Watch eventually made into production in a significantly different form, the Astronomic Souveraine is largely the same. Save for the steel case, dial colours, and movement decoration, the Astronomic Souveraine is identical to the unique Only Watch creation. Inspired by a pocket watch Francois-Paul Journe produced in 1987 – itself inspired by the earlier works of Breguet and George Daniels – the Astronomic Souveraine has 18 complications, shown on two faces on each side of the case. These include showing both mean solar time and sidereal time, as well as an annual calendar, equation of time, tourbillon with remontoir d’egalite constant force mechanism, and a minute repeater. Despite its complexity, the indications are remarkably well-presented, and furthermore, can all be adjusted via a single crown. Though the case is 44mm wide – the largest wristwatch ever by F.P. Journe – it remains notably compact at just 13.8mm high, helped in part by his ultra-thin minute repeater mechanism with flat hammers and gongs. As with most F.P. Journe watches, the dial on the front is solid gold, as are the bridges and plate of the movement. The 758-part cal. 1619 is equipped with double barrels, which are partly visible ...

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In-Depth: The Bexei ‘Vox Vinum’ Grande Sonnerie Wristwatch SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin both Oct 23, 2019

In-Depth: The Bexei ‘Vox Vinum’ Grande Sonnerie Wristwatch

The only independent watchmaker in Hungary, Aaron Becsei, or more properly Becsei Áron, has created a distinctive style for his eponymous brand, Bexei – ornate, Gothic engraving; a double-ellipse case; and top-class movement finishing. His latest creation, a custom and unique grande and petite sonnerie wristwatch named Vox Vinum, is all of the above, except in a more conventional round case. Created at the behest of an important, Asian collector of independent watchmaking, the grande sonnerie took more than a year to complete. It is the first, and so far only, striking watch ever produced by Bexei. The Vox Vinum The grand sonnerie A grande et petite sonnerie – French for “large and small strike” – is widely regarded as the pinnacle of mechanical watchmaking. Also known as a clockwatch, it strikes the hours and quarters en passant, as they pass. And it is also a minute repeater, being able to chime the time on demand. Modern day grande sonnerie wristwatches are exceedingly rare – the number of watchmakers having produced one can be counted on both hands. The most notable makers of grande sonnerie wristwatches are Patek Philippe with its Grandmaster Chime, F.P. Journe with the recently discontinued Sonnerie Souverain, and Greubel Forsey as well as Vacheron Constantin, both of which use the same base movement in their respective grande sonnerie wristwatches. But the pioneers in the field were Philippe Dufour in 1992, and followed shortly after by Gerald Gen...

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Inside the Jean-Pierre Hagmann-Akrivia Case Workshop SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Sep 18, 2019

Inside the Jean-Pierre Hagmann-Akrivia Case Workshop

A master case maker who retired in 2017, Jean-Pierre Hagmann is back in action, as a partner in Akrivia’s case-making workshop in Geneva. Now 78 years old, Mr Hagmann struck out on his own in 1984, starting a stellar career that would see him become a case maker for most of Switzerland’s best watchmakers. (For a detailed profile of Mr Hagmann, see my 2016 story.) His client list included establishment names like Audemars Piguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin, and of course, Patek Philippe, where he produced highly-regarded cases for its minute repeaters. In fact, Mr Hagmann was also responsible for the impressively complex case of the Star Calibre 2000, the uber-pocket watch Patek Philippe introduced to mark the new millennium. Mr Hagmann at work in the 1980s The Patek Philippe ref. 5029 minute repeater, which had a Hagmann case In the first half of his career, Mr Hagmann also worked with many of the up-and-coming stars of independent watchmaking of the 1980s and 1990s, including Franck Muller and Roger Dubuis. He produced the very first Cintree Curvex cases for Franck Muller, as well as the early cases for Roger Dubuis. Another of Mr Hagmann’s cases: the Franck Muller Cintree Curvex minute repeater with perpetual calendar, circa 1991 Three decades later, Mr Hagmann is back where he began. He’s joined forces with a rising star of independent watchmaking, Akrivia, whose founder, Rexhep Rexhepi, is just 32 years old. Though young, Rexhep grasps the impo...

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Vacheron Constantin Les Collectionneurs in Singapore SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Les Collectionneurs Sep 16, 2019

Vacheron Constantin Les Collectionneurs in Singapore

Les Collectionneurs is a small, but special, line of watches offered by Vacheron Constantin. Made up of select vintage watches that have been restored to pristine condition at the factory, Les Collectionneurs is made up of about 75 watches. A selection is available year-round at three Vacheron Constantin boutiques – the two in Geneva and one in New York City – with the balance travelling and making stops at other boutiques around the world. From now till the end of October, a pick of Les Collectionneurs watches, including the exquisite ref. 4261 minute repeater, are in Singapore, over a year since the line-up last came by. As a whole, the 19-piece selection in Singapore presents a rich and interesting overview of Vacheron Constantin’s midcentury history. The brand’s mastery of case and lug styles is well illustrated, from the dramatic, wing-shaped “Batman” Chronometre Royal to the familiar “teardrop” lugs of the ref. 4178 chronograph. Factory refreshed While the models in Les Collectionneurs are diverse, and also acquired from a variety of sources, ranging from private collectors to auctions, they are all selected based on shared criteria: rarity, provenance, and of course, current trends. More importantly, the watches are fully and correctly restored, and delivered with an archive extract as well as a two-year warranty. For the client, that’s essentially the same assurance as when buying a brand new watch. Importantly, the factory approa...

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Theo Auffret Introduces the Tourbillon à Paris SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Theo Auffret was one Jul 15, 2019

Theo Auffret Introduces the Tourbillon à Paris

A winner at last year’s Young Talent Competition organised by F.P. Journe, Theo Auffret was one of three watchmakers in their twenties recognised for outstanding horological achievement. Now 24 years old, Mr Auffret’s award-winning entry for the competition was the Tourbillon à Paris, which has now been refined, perfected, and turned into a souscription edition of five watches for Mr Auffret to raise the money needed to establish his own workshop. Like fellow up-and-coming watchmakers Remy Cools and Cyril Brivet-Naudot, Mr Auffret graduated from Lycée Polyvalent Edgar Faure in Morteau, a small town in eastern France. The school has been prolific in turning out talented watchmakers, many of whom exhibit a flavour of 19th century pocket watch movements in their creations. The front of the Tourbillon à Paris Hand-made in Paris Mr Auffret’s final stop in his watchmaking education was a stint at Ateliers 7h38, the complications workshop led by Luca Soprana that’s best known for its work on the Jacob & Co. Astronomia. He spent a year there, working on the recently launched Astronomia Maestro Minute Repeater. But the formative years of his education were spent with Jean-Bapiste Viot. The Tourbillon à Paris is strongly influenced by Mr Auffret’s time as an apprentice at the Paris workshop of Mr Viot, well regarded for his quirky, distinctive wristwatch. Like Mr Viot, the young watchmaker relied only on pen and paper to design and construct the prototype of...

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Introducing the F.P. Journe Astronomic Blue for Only Watch 2019 SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Astronomic Blue Jul 1, 2019

Introducing the F.P. Journe Astronomic Blue for Only Watch 2019

A young Francois-Paul Journe created his sixth ever watch in 1987; it was an “astronomic planetary watch”, a pocket watch with faces on each side. Over three decades later that has been reimagined as the Astronomic Blue, a prototype grand complication made for Only Watch 2019. Mentioned by Mr Journe in an interview late last year, the Astronomic Blue is a hand-wound wristwatch with astronomical functions on two faces, as well as a minute repeater and tourbillon with remontoir d’egalite. The complications total 18, and are powered by a movement made up of 758 parts, making it more complex than the Sonnerie Souveraine. The astronomic planetary watch of 1987, signed “Journe à Paris” Like the preceding F.P. Journe watches made for Only Watch, namely the tourbillon and split-seconds, the Astronomic Blue has a tantalum case and mirrored blue dial like that found on the Chronometre Bleu. The case is 44mm in diameter and 13.75mm high, making it comparable in size to the discontinued Sonnerie Souverain and recent Tourbillon Souverain Vertical. Remembering 1987 As with many of Mr Journe’s early creations, the pocket watch was inspired by both Abraham-Louis Breguet and George Daniels, a quality that is echoed in the Astronomic Blue. Like the George Daniels Space Traveller, the front shows sidereal and mean solar time on two symmetrically arranged sub-dials, while the reverse has a ring-type annual calendar and equation of time indicator, which is reminiscent of the...

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