Patek Philippe releases an ultra complicated watch in the form of the Ref. 6301P Grande and Petite Sonnerie Minute Repeater with Jumping Seconds. This is the first Grande and Petite Sonnerie without any other complication in a Patek Philippe wristwatch. 

Press release information with commentary in italics

Key highlights

• Grand Complication highlighting the chiming functions: grande sonnerie, petite sonnerie and minute repeater
• Manually wound GS 36-750 PS IRM caliber derived from the caliber 300 used in the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime
• Two patented innovations linked to the striking mechanism.
• Patented jumping small seconds mechanism at 6 o’clock Sonnerie slide switch in the case flank at 6 o’clock.
• Minute repeater pusher integrated in the crown
• Grand Feu black enamel dial with Breguet appliques in white gold
• Power reserve indicators for the movement (72h) at 9 o’clock, and for the striking mechanism (24h) at 3 o’clock
• Elegant platinum case with concave bezel and countersunk satin-finished flanks, diamond set at 12 o’clock

Editorial Commentary

The striking watch not only adds the complexity of integrating acoustic signaling to the wristwatch, but the mechanism is a level of complication beyond almost all other complications. With the push of a button or slider, the minute repeater is able to summon on demand, the striking works in the watch to read the time, and sound it out by strikes of the gong – counting the hours, the quarters after the hour and the minutes after the last quarter. The Grande Sonnerie (French for Big Sound) is yet another level of complication. The watch is put in this mode with a slide on the case, usually by the side of the case. And when so armed is able to automatically strike the hours and quarters after each quarter automatically once every quarter in passing. The Petite Sonnerie (French for Small Sound) is a related complication as it is uses a reduced set of the mechanism of the Grande Sonnerie, and thus usually accompanies it. The Petite Sonnerie automatically strikes only the hours in passing. Both the Grande Sonnerie and Petite Sonnerie do not sound the minutes. 

Though Grande and Petite Sonnerie watches have existed since the turn of the 20th Century in pocket watches, the first wristwatch to feature a Grande and Petite Sonnerie movement was created by Philippe Dufour. Subsequently, other majors, like F.P. Journe, Greubel Forsey (decimal strikes), A. Lange & Söhne (decimal strikes) have also subsequently produced Grande and Petite Sonnerie watches. Patek Phillippe has also produced a Grande and Pettie Sonnerie wristwatch for its 175th Anniversary. This movement is the GS 36-750 PS IRM used in the Ref. 5175 Grand Master Chimeand features an incredible suite of 20 complications, including the grande and petite sonneries, a minute repeater, an instantaneous perpetual calendar with a four-digit year display, and two patented world debuts: an acoustic alarm that strikes the preselected alarm time and a date repeater that sounds the current date. The Ref. 6301 however ups its competitors by using a triple gong strike system – high for the hours, triple high to low strikes for the quarters, and low for the minutes (only sounded in minute repeater mode).

The case design of the Ref. 6301P takes its cues from the language first created for the Ref. 5370.

The jumping seconds is an independent attachment where the fourth wheel (which makes one revolution every minute) drives a spring lever mechanism which releases a star wheel once every second. This wheel drives the jumping seconds wheel which is attached to the seconds hand shown on the dial. This mechanism is not a classical remontoir, as is used in some implementations of the seconde morte like the Petermann Bedat 1967 Chapter 1 or the Richard Lange Jumping Seconds. This is because the PP spring mechanism is not in the power flow of the movement, which is a requirement by definition for a remontoir.

Interestingly the hands are coated with SuperLuminova – perhaps a novelty, as the original minute repeater mechanism was developed in the days before lume and easy illumination, and being able to tell the time at night meant either to have to get up and light a candle or lamp, or for those who can afford it, a minute repeater.

The PP 6301P retail price is on Request from Patek Philippe.

Patek Philippe Ref. 6301P Grande and Petite Sonnerie Minute Repeater

 

New Grand Complication

Patek Philippe reasserts its sovereign mastery of the music of time and enriches its current collection with a wristwatch that combines a grande sonnerie – rated as the pinnacle of time strike – with a petite sonnerie and a minute repeater.

The new caliber GS 36-750 PS IRM movement (703 parts) was evolved from the caliber 300 used in the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300. It features three classic gongs and two patents for the striking mechanism and the jumping small seconds at 6 o’clock. It is endowed with two series-connected twin mainspring barrels that assure a power reserve of 24 hours for the strikework and 72 hours for the movement.

The Petite Sonnerie, Grande Sonnerie and Silence operating modes can be selected with the slide switch at 6 o’clock. The minute repeater can be activated on request with the pusher in the winding crown. The strikework mechanism and the refined architecture of the movement can be admired through the sapphire crystal case-back. The watch is delivered with an interchangeable solid case-back.

Patek Philippe has leveraged its skills with respect to artisanship and rare handcrafts, notably in the Grand Feu black enamel dial with glazed finish, applied Breguet numerals, and leaf-shaped hands in white-gold with luminescent coating. The display of the hours, minutes, and jumping seconds is perfectly balanced with the two power-reserve indicators for the movement and the strikework at 9 and 3 o’clock, respectively.

The elegant platinum case is graced with a concave bezel and satin-finished, recessed flanks. Like all Patek Philippe platinum watches, it features a small diamond set at 12 o’clock on this model, instead of 6 o’clock (because this space is occupied by the strike mode selector).

Long awaited by connoisseurs and collectors, this new Grand Complication is worn on a shiny black, hand-stitched alligator leather strap with square scales. It is secured with a fold-over clasp.

Patek Philippe Ref. 6301P Grande and Petite Sonnerie Minute Repeater Specifications

DIAL
• Grand Feu black enamel with glazed finish, gold applied Breguet numerals
• 18K gold dial plate
• White gold leaf-shaped hands with luminescent coating
CASE
• Platinum
• Diameter: 44.8 mm
• Height: 12 mm
• Humidity- and dust-protected only (not water-resistant)
• Interchangeable solid and sapphire crystal case backs
STRAP
• Alligator leather with square scales, hand-stitched, shiny black
• Fold-over clasp
MOVEMENT
• Caliber GS 36-750 PS IRM
• Manual winding
• Minute repeater with 3 classic gongs
• Grande sonnerie
• Petite sonnerie
• Jumping small seconds at 6 o’clock
• Power reserve indicators for the movement (72h) and for the strikework (24h)
• Diameter: 37 mm
• Height: 7.5 mm
• Number of parts: 703
• Frequency: 25,200 semi-oscillations/hour
(3.5 Hz)
• Movement power reserve: 72 hours
• Strikework power reserve: 24 hours Grand Complication highlighting the chiming functions: grande sonnerie, petite sonnerie and minute repeater Manually wound GS 36-750 PS IRM caliber derived from the caliber 300 used in the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Two patented innovations linked to the striking mechanism.

Patented jumping small seconds mechanism at 6 o’clock Sonnerie slide switch in the case flank at 6 o’clock. Minute repeater pusher integrated in the crown Grand Feu black enamel dial with Breguet appliques in white gold Power reserve indicators for the movement (72h) at 9 o’clock, and for the striking mechanism (24h) at 3 o’clock Elegant platinum case with concave bezel and countersunk satin-finished flanks, diamond set at 12 o’clock.