Fine and exceptionally rare Swiss 18K gold Westminster Chime carillon minute
repeater by Constant Piguet circa 1900.
Plain polish case with repeater slide in the band. White enamel dial with black markings
and blued steel hands. Fine 34 jewel frosted gilt movement with four hammers
striking on four gongs and silent centrifugal governor. Jeweled to the center and
the hammers.
When activated, this watch chimes the time using different chime tones to
designate the hours, quarter hours and minutes with loud clear chimes.
Carillon minute repeating watches with four hammers striking Westminster chimes
are very rare and only a few are known. On March 20, 1896, Constant Piguet of
Le Sentier received Swiss patent number 11948 for this repeating system.
Westminster chimes first appeared in 1793 at St. Mary's Church, Cambridge.
They were adopted for the Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of
Parliament, by Lord Grimthorpe, designer of the famous "Big Ben" clock.
The chimes are based on a four note sequence from Handel's Messiah, and the
chimes are different for each quarter.
Please email for a recording of the chimes.