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A minute repeater is one of the most complex watch complications, using a series of gongs and hammers to audibly strike the time on demand. When activated by a slide or pusher, it chimes: a low tone for each hour, a double tone (ding-dong) for each quarter hour past the hour, and a high tone for each remaining minute past the last quarter. A watch reading 3:47 would strike: three low (hours), three double (three quarters = 45 min), two high (two additional minutes).
Minute repeaters require hundreds of precisely fitted parts—racks, snails, levers, hammers, and gongs—that must work in perfect coordination. The gongs must be shaped, tempered, and tuned to produce harmonious tones. Acoustic performance depends on the case material and how gongs attach to it—solid gold cases ring differently than platinum or steel. The entire mechanism must be adjusted for tone quality, not just timekeeping. A single minute repeater movement can require 1,000+ hours of skilled work.
Patek Philippe, A. Lange & Söhne, Breguet, and Jaeger-LeCoultre are the most celebrated minute repeater makers. Patek's minute repeaters are legendary for their musical quality. Westminster chime repeaters (four gongs playing a musical phrase for quarters) add further complexity. Independent makers like Philippe Dufour, F.P. Journe, and Antoine Preziuso produce exceptional repeaters as artistic statements. Entry-level minute repeaters from accessible brands start around $20,000-30,000; top-tier examples fetch millions at auction.
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