Watch facts: What is a Repeater Watch?

What is a repeater watch?

Regarded as one of the higher-end horological complications, a repeater module, typically built into a mechanical movement (watch or clock), serves to chime the time ‘on demand’ at the press of a button or pusher to supplement visual time reading with audible chimes. It is particularly useful for the visually impaired or in darkened environments, and it indeed originated before the widespread use of artificial lighting for this very reason.

When were repeaters invented?

The invention of the repeating clock is attributed to English cleric Edward Barlow in 1676, who used the ‘rack and snail’ to develop a striking mechanism producing repetitive strikes (at the pull of a rope) within a clockwork, creating the first repeater-style clocks capable of chiming time intervals on demand. Repeater clocks flourished until the nineteenth century when gas illumination became more widespread, making it easier to light clock dials for legibility and thus reducing the need for audible chimes, making them an unnecessary luxury in the face of cheaper imports from other countries such as Germany and France.

Repeater watches (known as fobs initially) had a slightly different trajectory. Towards the end of the seventeenth century, both Edward Barlow and Daniel Quare (English clock and instrument maker) applied to patent the repeating mechanism in a watch. The ruling awarded the patent to Daniel Quare in 1687. Because repeater watches were much more difficult to manufacture than clocks due to their size, the intricacy of the parts, and the difficulty of successfully fitting the striking mechanism, they became luxury items, which meant they survived and continue to survive as status symbols and collector items to the current day. Many collectors possess at least one example of a repeater in their collections as a nod to the heritage of fine watchmaking and human ingenuity.

While early repeating watches made in the eighteenth century struck a bell mounted in the back of the case, repeaters from the nineteenth century (thought to have originated in Switzerland around the early 1800s) employed wire gongs, which took up less space. Another type of repeating watch made between 1750 and 1820 was the ‘dumb repeating’ watch, comprised of two hammers and striking blocks within the case, which made a dull-sounding thud designed to be felt rather than heard, hence the name.

Generally, these early repeating watches struck the hours and quarters, although London-made repeating mechanisms were also made using the Stockten system (named after the original inventor, Matthew Stockten, apprenticed to famous makers Daniel Quare and George Graham). Repeaters with the Stockten system were made to strike the hours, quarters, and half-quarters (7+¹⁄₂ minutes). From around 1750, this system was modified to repeat the hours, quarters, and minutes (the minute repeater), which Abraham-Louis Breguet improved upon in the nineteenth century to create the stunning minute repeaters we see today in some of the world’s best timepieces.

Are there different types of repeaters?

Yes, several types of repeaters exist, and they are identified by the interval of time they chime. Although variations exist, below is a typical chime sequence for the most common repeater types.

Quarter Repeaters: use two different chimes to strike the number of hours (usually a low tone), followed by the number of quarter hours since the hour (usually a higher tone or paired tone) since the last hour. Eg 2.45 = 2 hour tones + 3 fifteen-minute tones = Dong, Dong, + Ding, Ding, Ding

Five-Minute Repeaters: uses two different chimes to strike the hours, followed by the number of 5-minute intervals since the hour. Eg 3.25 = 3 hour tones + 5 five-minute interval tones = Dong, Dong, Dong + Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding (paired tones can also be used for 5-minute intervals).

Minute Repeater: uses three different chimes to strike the hours, followed by the quarter hours since the hour, followed by the exact minutes since the quarter hour. Eg 3.48 = 3 hour tones + 3 fifteen-minute paired tones + 3 minute tones = Dong, Dong, Dong, + ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong, + Ding, Ding, Ding

Other types of repeaters include Half-quarter Repeaters (sounds the time to ½ the quarter hour i.e., hours & 7½ minute intervals), Decimal repeaters (sound the number of hours & 10-minute intervals), Grand and petite sonnerie (can use elaborate chimes), and ‘silent repeaters’ that use vibration instead of audible chimes.

What makes repeaters so expensive?

The intricate repeater module is carefully built into a watch movement to allow users to ‘hear’ the time on demand rather than having to wait for regular chiming intervals given by striking clocks. The audio supplements visual time reading and is both an ingenious invention as well as a pleasant interaction to listen to a repeater chiming. Building a repeater is still a specialised task and requires skill, patience, and attention to detail. Repeater modules can use hundreds of components and require over 300 hours to assemble and perfect. As such, the cost of a repeater timepiece reflects the training, skill, know-how, materials, and time required for creation of the small horological masterpiece.

(maybe put our Habring video with sound  in here??)

What brands make repeaters?

Repeaters tend to feature as premium timepieces in many of the high-end watch brands that actually manufacture watches. Examples include but are not limited to: A. Lange & Sohne, Armin Strom, Audemars Piguet, Breguet, F.P. Journe, Habring2, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Patek Philippe, Tutima, and Vacheron Constantin.

Is it worth buying a repeater?

A question for the ages… perhaps best answered by a Glashuette watchmaker in their own words.

“For us, a repeater is horological perfection that you can hear. It represents the interplay of watchmaking tradition & skill, combined with long hours of assembly and painstaking adjustment, driven by the desire to deliver something truly wonderful that both functions and delights.” Tutima, Glashutte.

Convinced yet?