Patek Philippe | Grand Complication Watch with Minute Repeater and Petite Sonnerie

Patek Philippe

Duke of Regla

The Duke of Regla's Pocket Watch

This exquisite model, commissioned by the 3rd Duke of Regla of Mexico, showcases Patek Philippe's advanced horological prowess with its striking clock mechanism.

Text by KOIZUMI Yoko

Grand Complication Watch with Minute Repeater and Petite Sonnerie

Functions such as chronographs, moon phases, and annual calendars are known as complication watches due to their structural complexity and the difficulty in their creation. Watches equipped with ultra-complex mechanisms like perpetual calendars, tourbillons, and minute repeaters are classified as grand complication watches, representing the pinnacle of technical achievement.

While each of these complex mechanisms requires highly skilled watchmakers to produce individually, the 'repeater' and 'sonnerie' functions, which chime the time, are considered among the most challenging. A repeater allows the time to be struck on demand via a lever, whereas a sonnerie automatically chimes the time at set intervals. Sonnerie mechanisms include the petite sonnerie, which chimes on the hour and quarter-hour, and the grand sonnerie, which chimes on the hour and quarter-hour and also strikes the number of hours every 15 minutes.

One of the pocket watches featuring these repeater and sonnerie mechanisms is the 'Duke of Regla's Pocket Watch.' Furthermore, it incorporates a minute repeater capable of indicating the time to the minute, and a petite sonnerie—both exceptionally complex chiming mechanisms.

Perhaps the most remarkable feature of this watch is the beauty of its chiming tones. It can produce five distinct notes across a range of pitches, combining them to play the Westminster Chimes melody. Uniquely, the sound indicating the quarter-hour can be struck in various patterns with different tonal qualities. This reflects a high degree of entertainment, designed to delight both the wearer and those who hear its music. Such an achievement is possible only through Patek Philippe's exceptional technical expertise.

Records indicate this watch was sold to P.G. de Cervantes in Spain. However, it was acquired by Don Carlos Rincón Gallardo y Romero de Terreros, who held the titles of Marquis of Guadalupe, 3rd Duke of Regla of Mexico, and Marquis of Villahermosa de Alfaro. The presence of the Duke of Regla's coat of arms on the front cover and the Count of Regla's coat of arms on the back, rendered in Geneva enamel or by François Maurice, suggests that he commissioned Cervantes and purchased the watch himself.

The dial is exceptionally intricate, featuring engraved patterns at the center and the center of the small seconds subdial. The hour markers are rendered in three-dimensional gold. The Louis XV-style hands are blued, creating a beautiful contrast with the gold on the dial.

This watch was discovered in a severely damaged state in the 1970s. As mentioned, the mechanisms within this watch are exceedingly complex, and many watchmakers were hesitant to undertake its restoration. However, Patek Philippe entrusted the repair to a master watchmaker with extensive experience and expertise in complicated timepieces, who dedicated four years to its restoration. We can now witness the culmination of the efforts of artisans from both the early 20th century and the 1970s, who dedicated themselves sincerely to a single timepiece across the decades.

Yellow gold case, crown-winding and setting
Minute repeater activated by slide button between 6 and 7 o'clock
Sonnerie on/off switch operated by lever between 11 and 12 o'clock
Height 93mm, Diameter 65.9mm, Thickness 20.9mm