What better luxury than a watch that 'sings' the time? Once, a repeater - a 'complication' that uses hammers and gongs to announce the hours, quarter hours and minutes - was the only mechanism capable of telling the time in the dark, or to the vision-impaired.
Now a complication adored by many watch lovers, a repeater is a reflection of a watchmaker's sophistication, determined by the volume and quality of the melodic sequence emitted. The choice of materials employed also has an effect on the sound.
Milus' Tirion Repetition Minutes TriRetrograde (above) is a triumph of watchmaking. Limited to 50 pieces, priced at HK$1.95 million each, the timepiece can, if the wearer so wishes, give out a deep sound on the hour, a high and deep double strike on the quarter hour and a high tone every minute. The gongs are made from a special steel alloy and connected to the same base. The 46mm red gold case also houses a tri-retrograde seconds display - another highly regarded complication that uses three 20-second dials to count minutes. The mechanics are visible through a skeleton case.
Vacheron Constantin has combined a minute-repeater with a tourbillon and a perpetual calendar. The Patrimony Traditionnelle Calibre 2755's (above; HK$5.68 million) chime is regulated by a centripetal governor, which, unlike conventional strike regulators, has weights to even out the energy released by the spring. The mechanics are housed in a 44mm platinum case.
Jaeger-LeCoultre spent five years developing the minute repeater of its newly launched Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication (right), which also boasts a flying tourbillon and the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 945. The repeater features a cathedral crystal gong system that allows for a more forceful strike and is waterproof; and a mechanism named 'trebuchet hammers' to optimise the force of the spring. Limited to 75 pieces, the timepiece has a sky chart along with zodiac, month and 24-hour indicator on the dial.