Audemars Piguet

The present lot received a professional service for the grande and petite sonnerie. Any further service would be at the buyer's discretion.

The present Jules Audemars example houses a grande and petite sonnerie, one of the rarest and most coveted watch complications. Its marvelous mechanical caliber 2868 consists of more than 500 individual parts, all working in synchronized order to perform a tranquil audio sensation.  The grande sonnerie automatically chimes the hours and quarters at each quarter of the hour, while the petite sonnerie automatically chimes the quarter hour. A pusher at 11 o'clock activates the chime on demand, while a slider at 2 o'clock offers different settings to select the grande sonnerie, petite sonnerie or a silent function. With the advancement of technology, perhaps the repeater function has lost its practicality in terms of reading the time in the dark, however its mechanism and complexity are still very much appreciated by discerning collectors. The significance of the present watch cannot be overstated, as the grande and petite sonnerie represents an important milestone in the history of watchmaking.