Audemars Piguet Musical Hours

Musical Hours

by Michael Sandler

On December 15, 2003, I had the pleasure of joining Audemars Piguet for their "Musical Hours" exhibition, a demonstration of the extraordinary striking watches the company has developed over the past 120 years. This showing was the first time many of the pieces had been displayed outside Switzerland. The images below will give you some insight into the remarkable timepieces in this exhibition, though in many cases, the photographs and descriptions do not do justice to these horological masterworks. They must be seen, and heard, in person to be truly appreciated.

The highlight of the evening was an outstanding presentation by Mr. Martin Wehrli, the Audemars Piguet company historian and curator of the AP museum in Switzerland. Martin covered the history of the company and the genesis of some of these special pieces, and he also discussed the watchmaking history of the Vallee de Joux region in Switzerland, where a great number of these pieces were produced.

Below are photographs of some of the special pieces in this collection, along with some pictures of the event itself. Please click on the image thumbnails to view the images at full size. At the bottom of the page, there is a link to additional pictures taken by Žkny.

Minute repeater Circa 1990. Case is 18K yellow gold. Dial is sapphire (transparent).

Lepine half-quarter pocket watch, with cylindrical balance spring and fusee movement. Case is 18K yellow gold. Circa 1863.

Grand and small strike minute repeater pocket watch, time only with subsidiary seconds at 6. Case is 18K yellow gold. Circa 1910.

Grand and small strike minute repeater pocketwatch with perpetual calendar, in hunter case. Case is 18K yellow gold. Dial is silvered. Circa 1926.

Grand and small strike minute repeater with perpetual calendar. Case is 18K yellow gold with a miniature enamel painting. The periphery of the case is set with two rows of pearls. Main hands set with diamonds. From approx. 1889.

Jump hour minute repeater (a specialty of AP) with subsidiary seconds at 6. Case is 18K yellow gold with a transparent sapphire back.

Quarter repeater pocketwatch with perpetual calendar. An unusual feature of this particular watch is the independent (jump) second hand. The movement must be wound in both directions, one to power the primary movement, and the other to provide power for the jump seconds.

Minute repeater pocket watch with subsidiary seconds at 6. Another unusual piece due to the fact that it has an English escapement. This watch was manufactured in Switzerland, then sent to England to have the escapement installed, after which it was returned to Switzerland for completion. The movement is engraved with TO THE QUEEN AND THE ADMIRALTY.

Minute repeater pocket watch with grand and small strike on four gongs. Case is 18K yellow gold. Circa 1908.

Minute repeater with two automatons. Repeater can be set to play on request or en-passant. Center seconds. Case is 18K pink gold. Dial decoration/automaton uses four colors of gold: yellow, white, pink and green. From approx. 1828.

Minute repeater pocketwatch with split seconds chronograph. Case is 18K pink gold. Enamel dial. Circa 1890.

Minute repeater pocketwatch. This is the smallest known minute repeater produced to date. The case measures only 21.5mm in diameter, with the movement measuring less than 16 millimeters across (7 ligne). Case is 18K pink gold, set with rubies and diamonds. Enamel dial. Circa 1840.

Click here to hear this remarkable watch in action. Apologies for the background noise...the recording was made in a fairly crowded setting.

Minute repeater perpetual calendar chronograph pocket watch in hunter case. Case is 18K pink gold. Enamel dial. Circa 1909.

Grande complication pocketwatch (minute repeater perpetual calendar with split seconds chronograph). Case in 18K yellow gold with transparent sapphire back. This is a current production watch. Only one is made each year.

Jules Audemars grande complication wristwatch (minute repeater perpetual calendar with split seconds chronograph). Case in 950 platinum with transparent sapphire back. This is a current production watch.

Royal Oak grande complication wristwatch (minute repeater perpetual calendar with split seconds chronograph). Case and bracelet in 18K white gold with transparent sapphire back. This is a current production watch.

Jules Audemars minute repeater with tourbillon and split second chronograph. Case in 950 platinum with transparent sapphire back. Made in 1999 in a limited edition of 20 pieces.

Jules Audemars minute repeater with perpetual calendar, tourbillon and large date display. Case in 950 platinum with transparent sapphire back. Made in 2000 in a limited edition of 20 pieces..

Jules Audemars "Dynamograph" grand and small strike minute repeater chiming on three gongs. The dynamograph mechanism indicates the power reserve of the striking mechanism itself. Case in 18K white gold with transparent sapphire back. Limited production (15 units per year).

Jules Audemars minute repeater with three gongs. Case in 18K pink gold with transparent sapphire back.

Display Cases

Click here to view additional images of the event taken by ®kny

Special thanks to Francois Bennahmias, Alice Riese Rolley, Martin Wehrli, Thomas Ammon and the staff at Audemars Piguet for their hospitality.