Exceptional Horological Works of Art

Geneva, Oct 19, 2002

LOT 61

Unique and Most Complicated Wristwatch in the World Gérald Genta, Geneva, "Grande Sonnerie - Rétrograde" No. 1, Ref. G 0026, produced in very few examples in 1996. Exceptionally fine and equally important, ultra-thick, double-train, self-winding, water-resistant gentleman's platinum wrist-watch with Westminster chime, Grande et Petite Sonnerie and silent display, four gongs and four hammers, minute-repeating, perpetual calendar, retrograde date, 48-hour power reserve indicator, indicator for the striking, and with one-minute tourbillon regulator in fully engraved movement, four crowns and a platinum Gérald Genta deployant clasp. Accompanied by original box and certificate.

C. two-body, truncated cone-shaped, glazed back with sapphire crystal secured by bolts, stepped bezel, "Vendôme" lugs with fluted middle portion, Genta winding-crown at 3, Grande et Petite Sonnerie at 7, repeater at 9, silent/striking at 11, pushbuttons on the band for adjusting the retrograde calendar and 24-hour indications. D. pale blue mother-of-pearl with tritium dot indexes, the 12 in applied white gold stylized Arabic numerals, six auxiliary ring dials for striking power reserve at 1, up-and-down indication at 5, small seconds at 6, Grande et Petite Sonnerie indicator at 7, Silence-Chimes sector at 11, at the center, the retrograde-date ring dial , apertures for the day of the week, the month and the leap year. "Epée" tritium-coated white gold hands, red for the small seconds. M. Cal. 31.000, stamped with the Geneva Quality Hallmark, engraved, 57 jewels, three-arm polished steel tourbillon carriage, lateral lever escapement, monometallic balance with screws, self-compensating flat balance spring, two-directional rotor winding going train in one direction and striking train in the other, tandem winding. Signed on dial, case and movement. Diam. 40 mm., thickness 16 mm.