Concierge Group, Beyond service

One of the most revered complications is the minute repeater, no watch can really be called a Grande Complication without one. Originally developed during a time when there was no electric lighting, the minute repeater generally strikes the hours, half hours and quarter hours so that the time could be told without reading the watch face. IWC WatchConcierge

The difficulty in manufacturing a watch sized minute repeater is extraordinary. First gongs need to be fashioned that will sit in a watches case and produce the right sound despite their proximity to the other parts of the movement, they then need to interact with the movement via the hammers that strike them and when the case is sealed the right note needs to be heard. No surprise then that a minute repeater is an expensive purchase providing both visual and auditory pleasure....

24 Carat 99.9% Gold 18 Carat 75.0% Gold 14 Carat 58.5% Gold 9 Carat 37.5% Gold Assay Office

Approximately 75% of all gold mined in any one year is used to make Jewellery, including watches. It is said that all the gold ever mined could fit beneath the Eiffel tower in Paris, which is an indication of how rare gold actually is, despite its everyday appearance in our lives. Gold watches are almost exclusively made from 18ct gold, although some are produced in 9ct and 14ct. Housing Precious movements in a metal that will never tarnish or rust seems an emminently sensible choice. Today, watch manufacturers use a variety of materials to produce cases for watches but gold remains the most popular choice for the luxury watch.

Did you know that you can use your chronograph for tracking time zones ? There is some debate as to whether chronographs should be left running for long periods, but they can be used to have two time zones displayed on your watch. Before leaving for a destination in a different time zone you need to start the chronograph. This needs to be started at exactly 12:00 (to the second). If you have hour counters these will now be showing the correct hour, the minute counters will show the exact minutes, and the chrono second hand will be showing the correct seconds. Once you arrive at your destination you can set the time to whatever is required, and the chrono will continue to tell you the time at home.

Invented in 1795 by Abraham Louis Breguet, the tourbillon is one of the most important complications in a wristwatch. Back in those days watches were worn in the pocket and mainly stayed in a fixed position until taken out to be read. It was thought that gravity would have an effect on the accuracy of such a watch because similar clocks were more accurate. Breguet had the radical idea of mounting the escapement and balance wheel in a rotating cage so that they were in constant motion, thus negating the gravitational effect of being in the same position for most of the day.

Modern wristwatches are far more accurate than the 18th century pocket watches, however the tourbillon remains one of the most important complications because of the challenges involved in producing them and the constant technical innovation.

More recent innovations for the tourbillon include mechanisms that allow the cage to rotate freely in more than one dimension. As these tourbillons are generally displayed on the dial they are a fascinating addition to a watch which can mesmerise for hours.....