Collector's Pocket Watches, Wristwatc...

New York, Grand Havana Room, Mar 19, 2003

LOT 125

Audemars Piguet, Genève,"Jules Audemars", "Grande Sonnerie Minute Repeater Carillon", No. 456595, caseNo. D 94766, Ref. OR 25825. One of only two examples made with a transparent case back. Production of this reference started in 1997.Extremely fine and equally rare, "Grande et Petite Sonnerie", "Carillon", minute repeating with 3 hammers and 3 gongs, 18K pink gold gentleman's wristwatch with an 18K pink gold "AP"-shaped deployant clasp. Accompanied by a fitted box and certificate.

USD 90,000 - 120,000

EUR 82,000 - 110,000

Sold: USD 99,300

C. two-body, solid, polished and brushed, straight and curved lugs, case back with 5 screws, push button at 10 for the minute repeater, 3-position slide at 2 to activate the Grande/Petite Sonnerie or Silent feature, domed sapphire crystal. D. satine silver with applied pink gold "bâton" indexes and Roman numerals on a "guilloché" silver reserve, auxiliary seconds dial. "Bâton" pink gold hands. M. Cal. 2890, rhodium-plated, "fausses côtes" decoration, 55 jewels, straight line lever escapement, mnometallic balance, shock-absorber, self-compensating flat balance-spring, repeating on 3 gongs and 3 hammers by push-button on the band.Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 39 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 1
Movement: 1
Dial: 1 - 01

Notes

Ref. OR 25825With a long tradition in the production of highly complicated repeaters, Audemars Piguet developed the first minute-repeating mechanism for a wristwatch only in 1985.Repeater movements consist of many tiny parts produced to extremely fine tolerances. During the assembly of the movement, the watchmaker has to hand-finish many of these components even further to arrive at the desired result - a tedious and time consuming process that involves constant testing, but necessary for the harmonious and reliable interaction of sometimes hundreds of parts.While mere minute repeaters chime the hours, quarters and minutes on 2 gongs with 2 hammers, the "Jules Audemars" Ref. 25825 - introduced in 1997 after years of research and development - offers the following extended functions:The "Grande Sonnerie" will automatically strike the hours and the quarters, while, when set to the "Petite Sonnerie" position, it will strike only the full hours. Each function can be activated with the slide at 2, which also offers a "Silent" mode that will deactivate these features if so desired.The "Carillon" mechanism will chime the quarters with 3 hammers on 3 gongs, adding a further tone to the "ding-dong" enchanted connoisseurs are so familiar with.With the push-button at 10, which winds the spring of the striking mechanism, the minute repeating function can be activated at any time, regardless of the slide's positioning at 2.When fully wound, the time-keeping mechanism will run for approx. 48 hours, the power reserve for the "Grande Sonnerie" is approx. 20 hours, for the "Petite Sonnerie", approx. 60 hours.The "Jules Audemars" chimes with a clear, distinguished and remarkable sound.