Important Modern and Vintage Timepieces

Hong Kong, Oct 19, 2012

LOT 104

BLANCPAIN MINUTE REPEATER NO. 12 PLATINUM Blancpain, Répétition Minutes No. 12. Made in a limited edition of 99 pieces circa 2000. Very fine and rare, minute-repeating, platinum wristwatch with a platinum Blancpain buckle.

HKD 180,000 - 300,000

USD 23,000 - 40,000 / EUR 18,000 - 30,000

Sold: HKD 300,000

C. Three-body, solid, polished, stepped bezel, snap-on transparent case back, sapphire crystals. D. Off white with applied white gold radial Roman numerals on an outer reserve, subsidiary seconds dial. White gold feuille hands. M. 10"', gilt brass, fausses cotes decoration, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock absorber, self compensating Breguet balance spring, repeater on gongs by means of a slide on the band. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 34 mm. Thickness 8.5 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2*

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 1-01

As new

HANDS Original

Notes

What is a Minute Repeater? A minute repeating watch tells the time both visually and audibly. A slide on the side of the case, usually near the 9, will activate two hammers in the movement. These hammers strike two gongs curled within the case. First one hammer strikes a gong of lower tonality; it will count out the hours. Then both hammers will strike both gongs alternatively to count out the quarter hours after that hour, and then the second hammer alone striking a gong of higher tonality will count out the minutes after that quarter hour. The repeating mechanism was developed by Daniel Quare. In 1687, he had patented a mechanism that sounded the hours and the quarter hours. The early repeaters used bells. At the end of the 18th century, two bent-wire gongs became the more popular mechanism. In 1892, the fi rst minute repeater wristwatch was produced by Omega, a model with a round-shaped case.