Philippe Dufour – Grande & Petite Sonnerie Sapphire Dial - Unique Piece

 

Philippe Dufour – Grande & Petite Sonnerie Sapphire Dial Two-train Minute Repeating - Unique Piece 2024

 All About Philippe Dufour’s Unique Grande & Petite Sonnerie Wristwatch No. 07

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Philippe Dufour's journey to becoming one of the most respected independent watchmakers alive was nothing short of extraordinary.

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After spending years working for revered names like Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe, and dedicating himself to restoring antique timepieces for auction houses, Dufour had a revelation that would ultimately redefine his path and the boundaries of modern watchmaking.

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In a field already crowded with remarkable talent and established brands, Dufour knew he had to do something distinctively special. And in 1992, he did just that, presenting the world’s first Grande & Petite Sonnerie wristwatch.

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“The value of my timepieces is in the handwork and the craftsmanship. I put a part of myself in my watches, and the owner can feel that.”
— Philippe Dufour, as quoted In Watchmakers:
The Masters of Art Horology

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 Having already created five magnificent Grande and Petite Sonnerie pocket watches for Audemars Piguet between 1982 – 1988, Dufour moved to miniaturize his creation to spectacular effect. 

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But his inspiration goes beyond modern times, and like the Duality, which draws on a double escapement pocket watch made in the 1930s, the movement architecture of Dufour’s Grande and Petite Sonnerie pocket and wristwatch is based on ébauches created by Louis Elisée Piguet in the late 19th century and other watchmakers from La Vallée de Joux.

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Movement image of Louis Elisée Piguet Grande & Petite Sonnerie pocket watch made for the South American market, circa 1895. Former lot 82 of The New York Watch Auction: X, 9th June 2024.

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Indeed, this inspiration from the past drives all of Philippe Dufour’s creations and the painstaking detail he dedicates to the finishing of movements. 

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Albern G. Pguet - Le Sentier Montre-de-poche Double balance (1933 year)

That includes the parallel Geneva stripes, the sharp points on the bridges made entirely by hand, anglage with deep interior angles, black polishing on the winding click, mirror-polished bevels and countersinks, and even the gilded gears have been finished so that no visible area hasn’t been treated to the most painstaking of hand finishing treatments.

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Movement view of the present No. 7 Grande & Petite Sonnerie wristwatch

In 1992, after three years of strenuous work, calculating tolerances, designing bridges, gears and pinions, testing chimes and functionality, Philippe Dufour presented a world premiere: a Grande & Petite Sonnerie wristwatch in yellow gold, with grand feu enamel dial. Then, in 1999, Dufour would up the ante, so to speak, by introducing an exquisite sapphire dial option, so that the finishing of the movement is visible not only through the caseback, but the front of the dial as well.

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Despite the extremely complex movement, Dufour made the watch easy to use. The crown is wound one way for the movement and the other way for the striking mechanism. Minute repeating is activated on demand by pressing a coaxial button within the crown. The desired sonnerie mode (Grande Sonnerie - HQ, Petite Sonnerie - QO, Silent - SI, and Strike - ST) is selected by positioning the two small sliding levers on the center case band.

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An incredibly complex sonnerie system chimes the hours and quarter hours at every hour and every quarter in grande sonnerie mode, and in petite sonnerie mode, it chimes the hours and quarters only on the hour with only the quarters at the quarter hour.

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“I have no secrets as past watchmakers had. There are graveyards full of secrets and that's enough.”
— Philippe Dufour 

Eight total ébauches existed, and to date, they have all been cased. Five examples are cased in white, yellow, pink gold, or platinum with grand feu enamel dials, and three examples feature sapphire crystal “open” dials to reveal the movement within. We present below, for the first time, the complete list of all Grande & Petite Sonnerie wristwatches created by Philippe Dufour. We are indebted to Monsieur  

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Grande and Petite Sonnerie timepieces are some of the most technically demanding watches to create. The complex sonnerie complication chimes the hours and quarters automatically, in the grand sonnerie mode at each quarter-hour, and only on the hour in the petite sonnerie mode. Dufour had already gained unparalleled expertise in crafting five such pieces for Audemars Piguet, but shrinking this intricate mechanism into a wristwatch, a format requiring the utmost precision, would push him to new heights.

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And so, after three years of design, construction, and testing, Dufour introduced the world to the first Grande & Petite Sonnerie wristwatch in 1992, encased in yellow gold and finished with an elegant grand feu enamel dial. Then, in 1999, he pushed boundaries further with a version featuring a sapphire crystal dial – a daring choice that revealed the intricate architecture of the movement not just from the back, but also through the dial, allowing the watch to speak for itself, showcasing its inner beauty from every angle.

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Eight examples of this model exist, each with its own unique features and nuances. No. 07, however, stands alone. This watch combines the early, intricate hinged hunter caseback design from the initial run with a sapphire crystal “open” dial, offering a view into the movement through the case front – a first and the only configuration of its kind.

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This design is remarkable not just for its rarity, but for the unique and modern aesthetic it brings to Dufour’s otherwise classical design language. The pink-gold, delicately applied markers stand out against the sapphire dial, with 12, 3, and 9 o’clock positions marked in a style that draws parallels to the Rolex Explorer’s layout, creating a strikingly modern look that sets this watch apart from any other Dufour creation.

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The watch's hands, each with a subtle, curvaceous shape and an arrow tip that complements the hour markers, are a departure from Dufour’s typical use of classic Breguet or sword hands. Here, Dufour has opted for something that not only enhances legibility against the exposed movement but also gives the watch a distinct, almost avant-garde touch, yet in a way that feels fully at home in a Dufour.

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Philippe Dufour’s hallmark has always been his obsessive attention to detail. This watch, like all of his works, is finished with a level of detail that is as much an homage to traditional Swiss watchmaking as it is a testament to Dufour’s exceptional talent. 

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The movement of No. 07 is decorated with parallel Geneva stripes, anglage with deep interior angles, and black-polished steel components – all applied meticulously by hand. The gilded gears, the bridges’ sharply defined edges, and even the recessed countersinks have all received his painstaking finishing techniques.

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Philippe Dufour’s Grande & Petite Sonnerie wristwatches are already legendary, but No. 07 – this singular piece combining the early hinged caseback architecture with the transparency of a sapphire dial – represents a once-in-a-lifetime convergence of Dufour’s design philosophies, technical prowess, and artisanal finish.

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Phillips has the honor of presenting this extraordinary watch to the public for the first time since it was sold directly by Dufour in 2016. No. 07’s provenance, having been in the possession of its original owner since it left Dufour’s workshop, only enhances its allure. It is preserved in immaculate condition, complete with its original certificate and presentation box – a tangible link to the artisan’s hands and to the heritage of traditional Swiss watchmaking.

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The impending auction of Philippe Dufour’s Grande & Petite Sonnerie wristwatch No. 07 is nothing less than a milestone event. A watch like this stands as a trophy of modern watchmaking, a testament to what’s possible when an artist works without compromise, and a piece that embodies the legacy of one of watchmaking’s living legends.

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With this remarkable watch, Dufour’s vision and uncompromising standards are on full display, making No. 07 an ultimate prize for the world’s most distinguished collectors.   It’s this pioneering spirit that brings us to the present moment, as Dufour’s unique, one-of-a-kind Grande & Petite Sonnerie wristwatch No. 07, an extraordinary piece housed in a white gold case with an open sapphire dial, is set to go under the hammer at Phillips in New York this December.

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: Philippe Dufour

Year: 2016

 Case No: No. 7
Model Name: Grande & Petite Sonnerie Sapphire Dial
Material: 18K white gold
Calibre: Manual, cal. 12, 35 jewels
Bracelet/Strap: Crocodile
Clasp/Buckle: 18K white gold Philippe Dufour pin buckle
Dimensions: 41mm Diameter
Signed: Dial, case, movement, and buckle signed.
Accessories: Accompanied by Philippe Dufour international guarantee and certificate of origin dated 8 December 2016, fitted presentation box, and outer box.

Literature: Philippe Dufour is prominently featured in Twelve Faces of Time: Horological Virtuosos by Elizabeth Doerr and Ralph Baumgarten pp. 10-25 and in Masters of Contemporary Watchmaking by Michael Clerizo pp. 72-91.

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