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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Glossary · Trade

Grande sonnerie

A striking complication that sounds the hours and quarters automatically, unprompted, as they pass.

Explanation

A grande sonnerie strikes the hours and quarters automatically, in passing, as a clock does — as opposed to a repeater, which strikes only on demand. A petite sonnerie omits the hours at the quarters. Because it sounds so often, a grande sonnerie needs strong power and usually has a silence selector. It is among the rarest and most demanding watch complications.

In the object catalogue

Catalogued objects whose own source record mentions “Grande sonnerie”. The quoted line shows where; it is the seller’s or museum’s wording, not independent verification.