A very rare "grande sonnerie"

This watch is extremely rare. It is called "grande sonnerie" because it automatically chimes every 15 minutes.

Fantastic piece
A question when appears the first "gongs"?
First sonnerie are "a toc" ring directly on the case? or I am wrong?

The first repeater watches in the 17th century stroke on a bell.

The repeater "à toc" was mainly used around 1750-1790.

The gongs appeared around 1770.

Thanks for your answer

Hi!

I really love that kind of dial and hands. Is this the Breguet Style?
What's the difference between "Petite Sonnerie" and "Grande Sonnerie"? Is this the delay between two auto-chimes : every hour for "petite" and 15 minutes for "Grande"?
Would it be possible for you to post a video of this watch? I would be delighted to see all these levers go into action!

Thanks!

Sec

Sec a écrit:

Hi!

I really love that kind of dial and hands. Is this the Breguet Style?
What's the difference between "Petite Sonnerie" and "Grande Sonnerie"? Is this the delay between two auto-chimes : every hour for "petite" and 15 minutes for "Grande"?
Would it be possible for you to post a video of this watch? I would be delighted to see all these levers go into action!

Thanks!

Sec

Yes it is the Breguet style.
The petite sonnerie automatically chimes every 15 minutes. For example :
-at 6h15 : ding dong
-at 6h30 : ding dong ding dong
-at 6h45 : ding dong ding dong ding dong
-at 7h : dong dong dong dong dong dong dong

But when the watch is in GRANDE SONNERIE position, it also repeats the hours every 15 minutes.
For example, at 6h45 : dong dong dong dong dong dong ; ding dong ding dong ding dong

Here is a video (the second hammer doesn't strike because de movement needs to be serviced, nothing is broken).

Under the dial, it is very nice too

Incredible watch. It is beautiful!
I would even be ready to sell one kidney to get one like this

Thanks for the video and the pictures under the dial!
Do you know when it was built? I'm surprised a so complicated watch sports a cylinder escapement instead of a swiss lever escapement.

I wonder if selling a kid is enough to get it... I'm going to be a father soon: would you be okay for a trade?

Sec a écrit:

Thanks for the video and the pictures under the dial!
Do you know when it was built? I'm surprised a so complicated watch sports a cylinder escapement instead of a swiss lever escapement.

I wonder if selling a kid is enough to get it... I'm going to be a father soon: would you be okay for a trade?

The watch was manufactured around 1820, the cylinder escapement was very common at that time.
Note that the escapement wheel turns anti-clockwise, which is very rare (thanks to Saturne who saw it).

I don't know the value of a kidney

Wow! Perfect!

lmallier a écrit:

Incredible watch. It is beautiful!
I would even be ready to sell one kidney to get one like this

The value of a kidney was around 27.600 CHF in 2003

http://www.lacotedesmontres.com/Enchere-No_10134.htm