Time before light
Since 1997, the Maison has been mastering one of the most challenging complications in watchmaking: the minute repeater. First introduced for telling the time at night before the advent of electric lighting, this high horology complication represents the harmony between mechanical precision and musical artistry as the watchmaker needs to act like a musician – setting the sounds as if the timepiece were an instrument.
Watchmaking meets musical harmony
The technicity behind the sound
A minute repeater calibre requires more than horological expertise; the watchmaker needs to possess a musical talent as their hands and ears must act harmoniously. The complexity lies in the interaction between components, each individually adjusted and set up by hand throughout the final steps of the watch assembly.
The Art of Sound
How to read time
A minute repeater timepiece has two meticulously crafted hammers striking against coiled steel gongs encircling the movement, each tuned to emit a specific sound. The complication emits:
A low tone
For each hour
A dual tone sequence
For the quarter hour
A high tone
For each minute after the last quarter
Diabolus in Machina
The Maison takes this musicality further where the minute repeater is tuned to a tritone interval like no other. It refers to a dissonant haunting chord once banned in medieval religious music and known as the “devil’s chord” or “diabolus in musica”. This unconventional sound transforms each chime into a distincive auditory experience, setting the Maison apart in both innovation and emotion.
Precise performance
Several technical safeguards ad visual aids have been integrated to ensure both the accuracy and reliability of the mechanical symphony :
“ALL OR NOTHING”
This innovation allows the complication to be activated if the pusher has been fully and completely pressed, while a second safety feature prevents the mechanism from being triggered or simply providing a partial indication of time.
Tone Playback Display
An integrated disk that visually guides the wearer through the chime sequence. This hidden mechanism emerges only during the acoustic performance, tracking the progression of hours, quarters and minutes in real time.
Function Indicators
Located at 4 o’clock, this display confirms whether the crown is winding (W) or Setting (S) position, helping the wearer to adjust the time.
