7 of the best minute repeaters

Buffy Acacia

While some may give equal credit to the tourbillon or the perpetual calendar, I truly believe the minute repeater to be the king of complications. Not only is it something that’s incredibly complex to engineer within such a small case, but it also has a history which spans all the way back to some of the earliest horological developments. Despite the fact that repeating watches have been made for around 275 years, there are still new developments and brilliant ideas that continue to revolutionise the technology. Here are some of watchmaking’s best minute repeaters.

Christopher Ward C1 Bel Canto Classic

The Christopher Ward Bel Canto is categorically not a minute repeater because it only chimes the hours as they pass, otherwise known as a sonnerie au passage, however it has earned a place on this list due to its sheer affordability. It is shockingly good to even get a taste of a repeating watch for under US$5,000, as you may struggle even to find a repeating pocket watch in a state of ill repair for that little. The Christopher Ward FS01 even looks like a work of high horology above its laser-etched guilloché dial, and the success of this model alone has singlehandedly necessitated rapid expansion for this once-micro British/Swiss independent. Price: US$4,615 (on 5-link bracelet) These are also available to try on now in-store and to pre-order at our London Discovery Studio for £3,745.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Minute Repeater

Known as “The Watchmaker of Watchmakers” Jaeger-LeCoultre has been the brains behind some of the most impressive movements for over a century, often being overlooked for the other brand name on the dial. But in the 21st century, JLC is getting its due recognition. The Reverso Minute Repeater is really a celebration of its most popular watch since 1931 combined with the Swiss brand’s ingenuity, engineering expertise, and artistic execution. The main dial of the Reverso Minute Repeater showcases a gorgeous guilloché spiral flooded with flinqué enamel, but flipping the case reveals a skeletonised view of the Calibre 953. By activating the lever, you can follow the procession of energy as the hand-wound movement unleashes its chimes. Fitting that into a 31mm 18k pink gold case is no simple task. Price: US$299,000

Louis Vuitton Voyager Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon

Although Louis Vuitton’s high-end watchmaking efforts have been overhauled to streamline the flagship Tambour collection, its more creative collections are flourishing under the watchmaking power of La Fabrique du Temps. The Voyager case is truly unique in the current watch landscape, blending harsh edges and uniform brushing with organic sweeps and polished surfaces. It creates a silhouette which feels alien but alluring, and then you’re pulled in deeper by the openworked dial, covered only by a grid-laced sapphire disk that brings attention to the V-shaped flying tourbillon. That window into the L V100 movement lets you see the cathedral minute repeater in motion, as if its a gadget from a far-off civilisation. Price: US$285,000

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Grande Complication

If you look at the Roger Dubuis catalogue from its foundation in 1995 to today, you’ll see a lot of mutations from a traditional watchmaker into what the brand now calls “Hyper Horology”. That phrase really rings true with its recent Excalibur Grande Complication that doesn’t pull a single punch in its quest for extremity. Powered by two micro-rotors, the calibre RD118 boasts a perpetual calendar, flying tourbillon, and a minute repeater. Some may say it needs a chronograph to truly count as a grande complication, but this dial clearly doesn’t need any further additions. Huge retrograde displays with warping scales create an intoxicating display, and it’s one that remains surprisingly legible through the organised chaos of the openworked dial. With 684 movement components and the Poinçon de Genève, this 45mm hunk of 18k pink gold shows you how to be loud and proud even before activating the chimes. Price: US$691,000

Biver Carillon Tourbillon Desert Rose

Jean-Claude Biver is to watchmaking what Rick Rubin is to music. A man whose business sense and artistic vision are perfectly married to create not only financial success, but also a loyal fanbase. Biver’s eponymous brand, founded along with his son Pierre, has come out swinging in its first few years of operation, and the Carillon Tourbillon Desert Rose is one of its most alluring releases. The calibre JCB-001-B with its flying tourbillon, carillon minute repeater and micro-rotor has powered a fair few references already, but I have singled out the Desert Rose for its combination of key aesthetic flourishes unlike any other brand. The three-dimensional guilloché section of mother-of-pearl is breathtaking alongside the baguette-cut ruby hour markers, and the solid 18k rose gold bracelet with its chunky links is truly decadent. Price: CHF 670,000 (~US$822,090)

Patek Philippe 5308G-001 Quadruple Complication

Any list of high complications wouldn’t be complete without a feature from Patek Philippe, often viewed as the peak of Swiss watchmaking. Within the sporty look of the two-tone blue dial and its remarkably legible layout, the Quadruple Complication manages to bundle up a perpetual calendar including a moonphase, a split-seconds chronograph, and of course, the minute repeater. The white gold case is mesmerising with its organic shapes and skeletonised lugs, giving this watch a distinct air of looking forward into the future. The calibre R CHR 27 PS QI uses a micro rotor to automatically wind its 48-hour power reserve, which you can opt to cover with the included modular solid caseback or have it displayed with the open sapphire. It may cost as much as a nice house, but it also represents true mastery of several crafts. Price: CHF 1,050,000 (~US$1,284,980)

A.Lange & Söhne Minute Repeater Perpetual

Released this year, the new A. Lange & Söhne Minute Repeater Perpetual combines the two of the noble complications in a restrained, Germanic way that only Lange could. Part of a very tight three watch collection that Lange released this year at Watches and Wonders, this represented the most complicated of the trio, and built on the work the brand had done previously with the Langematik Perpetual and Richard Lange Minute Repeater. The movement has been idiot-proofed to a degree, but the talented Anthony De Haas and his team, so the lucky 50 who are able to buy one can use and set without fear. Price: POA.

Time+Tide Timeless Pick: Philippe Dufour Grand and Petite Sonnerie

A completely non-discerning eye would scan past this watch and not think much of it. Pretty and elegant, yes, but the white enamel dial, tall Roman numerals and blued Breguet hands don’t give away its secret easily. But with a little bit of knowledge, that eye would spot the Holy Grail. Released as Philippe Dufour’s first wristwatch in 1992, he built upon his experience working on repeaters at Audemars Piguet and became the first watchmaker to combine both grand and petite sonnerie complications within a single wristwatch. The grand sonnerie chimes the hours every hour, as well as the hours and quarters every quarter. The petite sonnerie is similar, but does not chime the hours every quarter. You can adjust how these interact with sliders on the side of the case, activating or disabling each individually, or just manually activate the minute repeater by pressing the crown. Only 8 of these watches were ever made, and while a few have come up for auction from time to time, it was the No. 3 in rose gold which sold for the record price of US$7,630,000 in 2021 by A Collected Man.