Minute Repeater
Repeating watches were developed in the late 17th century - Daniel Quare and Edward Barlow are both credited (English patent dispute, c. 1687) - to allow the time to be told in the dark before electric light. The minute repeater, which sounds the time to the nearest minute, is the most refined form.
How a minute repeater chimes
Activating the slide winds a separate barrel that drives a 'snail' cam system. Hours are struck on the low-pitched gong, quarters as a two-tone ding-dong, and minutes on the high-pitched gong. A 12:59 reading produces 12 low strikes, three two-tone strikes and 14 high strikes.
Acoustic engineering
Gongs are circular wires welded to a 'foot' attached to the case middle. Case material affects timbre - platinum traditionally produces a softer tone than gold. Cathedral gongs (introduced by Audemars Piguet in 1992) wrap nearly twice around the movement for a longer, richer sustain.
Key facts
- ▸Repeater origin: late 1680s (Quare/Barlow dispute)
- ▸Cathedral gongs popularised by Audemars Piguet in 1992
- ▸Among the most expensive complications to certify and finish