The sound of the chimes
Grande Double Sonnerie, Blancpain
A timepiece of grand complication, this model combines grande and petite sonnerie mechanisms, a minute repeater, a flying tourbillon, and a retrograde perpetual calendar within a 47mm gold case. It also features a dual-melody system (four tones), allowing it to play either the Westminster chime or a special sequence composed by Eric Singer of the band Kiss. The novelty, available in white or pink gold, is priced at approximately $2 million. Production is limited to just two pieces per year.
Louis Vuitton x Akrivia LVRR-01 Chronographe
One of the most unexpected collaborations in the watch world was the 2023 union of Louis Vuitton Watches and the independent brand Atelier Akrivia, founded by Rexhep Rexhepi. The LVRR-01 Chronographe is a reversible watch housed in a Tambour case, featuring a chronograph with a striking mechanism powered by a tourbillon caliber developed from scratch by Akrivia. The chronograph is monopusher, with the button at the 2 o'clock position responsible for starting, resetting, and restarting the timing function. When activated, the striking mechanism chimes every minute. The logic behind this is straightforward: in its standard position, the chronograph is hidden from the wearer, so the audible indication helps track its operation. The movement's construction in the LVRR-01 is inverted. The chronograph and striking mechanism are visible from the dial side. In other words, the owner sees not only all the finishing details but also, for example, the mirror-polished steel hammer striking the hardened steel gong.
Solaria Ultra Grande Complication La Première, Vacheron Constantin
This grand complication wristwatch was released for the manufacture's 270th anniversary: 41 functions, 5 rare astronomical features, and an innovative Westminster minute repeater — this unique timepiece, comprising 1,521 components, represents the culmination of an eight-year research and development period. One of the initial challenges was adapting the striking mechanism without compromising the slimness of the caliber, which reproduces the Westminster carillon chime struck by four gongs and four hammers. Of the 13 patents filed by Vacheron Constantin during the work on this unique watch, 7 relate specifically to the striking mechanism.
Octo Roma Grande Sonnerie Tourbillon, Bvlgari
The quarter-hour strike is executed with four notes, challenging the established monopoly of the Big Ben melody. The theme for this new register is the tritone (a musical interval of three whole tones), a suggestion made by conductor Lorenzo Viotti. Technically, this required, among other things, a rethinking of the rack teeth design that activate the hammers.
L.U.C Grand Strike, Chopard
A primary innovation in Chopard's most complex striking watch lies in its gongs, which are crafted from a monobloc sapphire crystal. This construction ensures a purity and resonance of sound far greater than that of traditional steel gongs. The sapphire gongs vibrate in harmony with the dial, enriching the tone.
