Ulysse Nardin Forgerons Minute Repeater watch

The Ulysse Nardin "Forgerons" Minute Repeater watch is a masterpiece of haute horlogerie, combining the prestigious high complication of the minute repeater with the sophisticated and charming beauty of automaton work, a specialty of the house of Ulysse Nardin.  The Forgerons Minute Repeater watch is animated by the highly complex manually wound UN-71 movement, which has a power reserve of 48 hours. 

Meticulously finished by hand, the complex mechanism of the minute repeater contains an elaborate structure of cams and toothed racks, which translate the position of the hands into a series of precisely tuned strikes, which sound upon steel gongs which have been arranged around the periphery of the movement.  Thus, at any time that the slide lever is operated, the watch can chime the exact sequence of the hour, then the quarter hour, and lastly, the minutes, each interval distinguished by a distinctive pitch or combination of pitches.  The beauty of the Ulysse Nardin "Forgerons" Minute Repeater watch is not only in what one hears, but what can be seen, as well. 

Upon stunning dials of genuine flinque enamel, chalcedony or black onyx, two busy Forgerons (blacksmiths), intricately rendered in gold, can be seen with their hammers, as they work over a large anvil.  As the watch chimes, the miniature forgerons upon the dial spring to life, and beat their hammers to the exact sequence of the chiming minute repeater.  The blacksmith on the left strikes in accord with the bass notes that signal the hour, while the high-low chimes of the quarters are indicated by an alternating combination of both forgerons striking the anvil in proper sequence together; finally, the individual treble chimes of the minute are accompanied by individual strikes of the by the blacksmith on the right. 

By turning the Ulysse Nardin "Forgerons" Minute Repeater watch over, the fascinating mechanical ballet of the repeater mechanism itself can be observed through the sapphire caseback; the UN-71 caliber has been refined with traditional Cotes de Geneve on the top surfaces of the bridges, while each edge has been painstakingly angled and polished, and the hammers of the repeater given a fine specular polish. Offered in a 38.5mm case made from 18K rose gold or platinum, this incredible piece of horological art is limited to 30 pieces each for each metal and dial combination.