Quite possibly the most complex and emotive chiming watch in modern watchmaking
There is an argument for austerity in any creative endeavour, but this is clearly neither the time nor the place for Blancpain. One imagines the equivalent of Richard Wagner when he was composing Ride of the Valkyries, or rock band KISS when they wrote Detroit Rock City—artists employing all their technical chops and more, as they aimed for their own creative apex—when perusing Blancpain’s new musical opus, the Grande Double Sonnerie.
Given the thread of melody and harmony that runs through these creations, one may, of course, make the obvious connection between the Grande Double Sonnerie and the aforementioned musical works, But more than that, like those artists and songs, the Grande Double Sonnerie is an expression of maximalist ideals. From the watch’s eight-year conception to its staggering world’s first innovations and features, everything about the Grande Double Sonnerie points to a more-is-more philosophy and full-throttle execution where nothing is left on the table.
And the result? The most complex timepiece ever made by Blancpain. An uber-complex chiming watch that sounds the time with two melodies instead of just one, the Grande Double Sonnerie pairs its chiming complication with a retrograde perpetual calendar and flying tourbillon. Oh, and Eric Singer, the drummer of KISS, has also contributed an original composition to the second melody—the other being the classic Westminster chime.
Queen of complications
For context, the Grand Sonnerie, which made its first appearance in a wristwatch only in 1992, is often cited by watchmakers as one of the most challenging technical complications to create. Unlike a regular minute repeater, which chimes the time only on demand, a Grand Sonnerie strikes the hours and quarters automatically with a mellifluous four-note sequence. The feature is usually accompanied by a Pettie Sonnerie, an abridged chiming sequence, which sounds on the hour.
“It is the queen of watchmaking complications,” says Marc A. Hayek, President & CEO of Blancpain. “I wanted a Grande Sonnerie that the owner could comfortably wear. Not an exercise that would merely reside in a safe. Two melodies with real musicality. And above all a watch that would make you smile as it sounds the time, that would trigger real motion.”
Housed in a 47mm red or white gold case, and measuring 14.5mm thick, the Grande Double Sonnerie will certainly dominate the wrist but, as Hayek assures, it is a watch that sits comfortably as well. And even before a single note is played, the watch serenades the eyes with its bare beauty.
Fittingly, for a technical creation of such gravitas, the Grande Double Sonnerie’s appearance harks back to the look of vintage openworked watches. In Blancpain’s workshop dedicated to finishing, artisans hand-polish and decorate every surface—both seen and unseen. The 18k gold components, featuring 135 sharp interior angles, are entirely carved by hand, and polished using wood from the workshop’s surrounding forests in the Vallée de Joux.
With its cloak of transparency, the openworked movement also shines the spotlight on the flying tourbillon and retrograde perpetual calendar. More than complementary complications—and amid the ornate beauty—both features imbue the Grande Double Sonnerie with performance and utilitarianism.
As for the chiming complication, Blancpain ups the ante with the Grande Double Sonnerie on numerous counts. The watch’s manual-winding movement, which comprises a staggering 1,053 parts, has been micro-engineered, assembled, and adjusted to an insanely exacting degree.
For a start, the movement is built with two sources of energy: one barrel supplies the energy for the chiming mechanism, and the other powers the rest of the watch. Blancpain leaves no stone unturned when it comes to sound quality. A patented gold acoustic membrane is fitted inside the bezel to enhance sound resonance. Meanwhile, the hammers and gongs adjusted to within microns, and their chimes assessed by laser technology to ensure perfect pitch and tempo. Last but not least, a patented magnetic regulator has been fitted to ensure that the chimes come out pristine, on time, and with no unwanted noise in between.
At a push of a button, the owner can choose between the classic Westminster melody, or Eric Singer’s composition, simply christened, Blancpain. Having appeared on more than 75 albums and 11 EPs, Singer considers the melody one of his most challenging creations by far, given the limitation of working with just four notes. Even so, as the finished work proves, it is a melody that endures as it marks the passage of time itself.
“Listening to a sonnerie is like tasting of a grand wine. It is not merely a question of volume, but the clarity, the resonance, the persistence, the richness. Savoring the sounding of a prestige sonnerie is an emotional experience,” says Hayek. Need evidence? The Blancpain Grande Double Sonnerie is ready to let it ring.
