AUDEMARS PIGUET GRANDE SONNERIE CARRILON PLATINUM

Here is a legendary minute repeating wristwatch from Audemars Piguet: the Grande Sonnerie Carillon with Grande Sonnerie and Petite Sonnerie, in a solid platinum case. First off, the hours are sounded in Carillon style, meaning three descending/cascading tones for the quarter hours. The Sonnerie mode automatically sounds hours and quarter hours, or hours only or can be silenced. Grande Sonnerie means that when the time is sounded, the hour is sounded along with the quarter hour each time. Petite Sonnerie sounds the hour only at the top of the hour, and then switches to only the quarter hour tone. Finally, the minute repeater sounds the traditional hours, quarter hours (in Carillon style) and minutes only upon request. Wow! That takes a lot of engineering and technical virtuosity!

Case is solid platinum with dimensions of 39mm diameter by 11.4mm thick. Domed sapphire front crystal and flat sapphire display back crystal. Slide at 2 o'clock position sets the Grande Sonnerie mode. Button at 10 o'clock releases triggers the minute repeating mechanism.

Dial is silver with brushed matte finish. Applied roman numerals and hour markers are set in a ring with grains of rice guilloche pattern. Subsidiary seconds dial with black hand and concentric guilloche. "GRANDE SONNERIE CARILLON" is printed along the bottom of the dial. Slender baton hands.

Movement is the manual winding Audemars Piguet Caliber 2890 with 55 jewels, and is only 5.8mm thick - AMAZING!! The Grande Sonnerie has a 20 hour power reserve, while the Petite Sonnerie has a 60 hour power reserve. The timekeeping aspect of watch has a 48 hour power reserve. If you stop and think about how amazing this caliber is, it will really give you an idea of the eliteness of Audemars Piguet as a Swiss Manufacture.

This incredible watch is produced in limited edition and the manufacture takes great pride in this minute repeater. Condition is mint+ with box and papers.