Patek Philippe’s Platinum Grande Sonnerie

The Ref. 6301P takes cues from the Grandmaster Chime but in a new pared-down design.

By Paige Reddinger 11/11/2020

Although Patek Philippe’s new platinum grande sonnerie Ref. 6301P seems comparatively less complex next to its predecessor, the Grandmaster Chime (the company’s most complicated timepiece in its current collection), its looks are deceiving. In addition to its grande sonnerie function, which automatically strikes the full and quarter hours, it also houses a petite sonnerie (which strikes only the hours), a minute repeater (which strikes the time on demand) and a subsidiary dial with jumping seconds. It’s also the first of this complication, at Patek Philippe, to feature an open caseback for a full view of its movement, the 703-part GS 36-750 PS IRM.

It uses the Caliber 300 base movement of the Grandmaster Chime, first introduced in 2014, which was the first grande sonnerie wristwatch from Patek Philippe. According to Philip Barat, the company’s head of development, work began on the Grandmaster Chime seven years before its introduction, but even then, the plans for the Ref. 6301P were already in the works. “It’s the first time we have a grande sonnerie in its purest form in the collection,” Barat told Robb Report. “It’s not a limited edition but, of course, it’s limited by its complexity. There are very few grande sonneries in the market, and this was a real missing piece for our collectors.”

Patek Philippe Grande Sonnerie Ref. 6301P

Patek Philippe Grande Sonnerie Ref. 6301P Jean-Daniel Meyer

The double-faced Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175 featured 20 complications. For the Ref. 6301P, Patek Philippe removed the alarm, travel-time mechanism, the day and date, and repeater mechanism. The simplified structure allowed for the addition of a jumping seconds counter at 6 o’clock—a personal request from Patek Philippe CEO Thierry Stern. “The base movement for the Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175, didn’t have the little seconds, because there were other indications in its place, and to have the Grandmaster Chime with the dual face, we couldn’t have the seconds at 6 o’clock,” says Barat. “It was turning on the reverse side.”

Of course, in watchmaking, even small details such as these are extraordinarily difficult to execute. To implement the function, the mechanism of the Ref. 5275 Chiming Jump Hour (with jumping displays for the hours, minutes, and seconds as well as an automatic strike at the top of every hour), also introduced in 2014, was used. The seconds jump one step per second. Barat likens the movement to a quartz timepiece, instead of the smooth run of a seconds counter on most mechanical watches. “It’s a very particular way to have a seconds in that kind of complication,” says Barat. “We thought it was smart to use one of the patents that we had on the Chiming Jump Hour and put it on this watch.”

But what will really resonate with collectors, of course, is its crisp and loud chiming—intensity of sound was another Stern mandate. The piece has three hammers and three gongs, as opposed to the two hammers used in the Grandmaster Chime, because it produces a melody that plays in order of sound from medium to high to low with each quarter playing the same tune. Each has the same shape and weight so that they ring at the same volume.

Patek Philippe Grande Sonnerie Ref. 6301P

Patek Philippe Grande Sonnerie Ref. 6301P Jean-Daniel Meyer

The minute repeater is activated via the pusher in the crown, while a slide located at 6 o’clock activates the other chiming features. The middle position activates the grande sonnerie mode; the left activates the petite sonnerie; and the right side places the watch in silent mode. The minute repeater can be activated in any mode. A bidirectional crown winds the watch and sets the time. Clockwise winds the base movement, while counterclockwise winds the striking mechanism. Pulling the crown out allows the wearer to set the time.

A full wind allows for an impressive 72 hours of power reserve for the base movement (indicated at 9 o’clock)—the average on this kind of complication is around 48 hours—and 24 hours of run time for the sonnerie. “On the movement, there is a big bridge on the left,” says Barat. “This is the barrels bridge, so we have two couples of barrels—two for the base movement and two for the sonnerie. That’s the reason we can have a power reserve for the movement of 72 hours.”

Patek Philippe Grande Sonnerie Ref. 6301P Caseback

Patek Philippe Grande Sonnerie Ref. 6301P Caseback-28683 Jean-Daniel Meyer

The anti-reflective sapphire crystal caseback (the watch also comes with a solid platinum caseback) is positioned close to the movement to allow for a superior view of the caliber. It also reveals a fusée, the motor of the grande sonnerie, beneath the brand’s Calatrava Cross symbol and shows off the governor, which is used to regulate the sonnerie’s speed. “When there is one strike, two strikes, three strikes at the same time, the energy is controlled by the speed of the governor,” says Barat. “This is the first time we can see all of the governor. There is no bridge to hide it.” You can also see the three hammers in action as they create the piece’s melodic ring.

Patek Philippe Grande Sonnerie Ref. 6301P

Patek Philippe Grande Sonnerie Ref. 6301P Jean-Daniel Meyer

The finishing on the movement is, as you would expect, of the highest level. It features Côtes de Genève decor, along with a bridge with multiple polished angles. Careful attention was paid to the now visible governor, which also has smoothed and polished finishes. “We also have a particular balance bridge that is only fixed with one screw and one heel,” says Barat. “But for aesthetic and technical reasons, if you have only one heel the place is too small and the look of the bridge will be not very nice. So, we have a cross bridge, which looks better.” No detail was spared.

Another unusual feature on this haute-horlogerie piece is the luminous coating used on the hands—a feature typically found on sports watches rather than ultra-elite dress watches. The very notion of a chiming watch negates the need to read the time in the dark, but Patek Philippe didn’t want to leave any base uncovered. “Sometimes we say, ‘Why do we even put the hands on a minute repeater and grande sonnerie? We don’t need it, in fact,” joked Barat. But Stern’s philosophy is that a piece must function in every occasion, which means that if you didn’t want to wake someone sleeping next to you at night to check the time, you could still read the hour by the luminescence of the hands. “We want the watches, however complicated they are, to be worn, not to be in a safe,” says Brat. “The watch should be wearable at any time. Now people wear their minute repeaters even if they are going to yoga or pilates.”

You would be misguided if you thought this was said in jest. Barat says the company really does have clients who wear their repeaters to workout. We would be hard-pressed to believe it, if another collector hadn’t once told us he goes surfing in his Patek Philippe (that watch, however, was fortunately not a grande sonnerie otherwise it would no longer be in operation). “Watches are made to be worn,” says Barat.

If only it was that simple.

The Ref. 6301P is price upon request, but grande sonneries are well into the six-figures or higher.

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Tom Brady Wears a Jacob & Co. Watch Decked in Yellow Sapphires to the Super Bowl

The $740,000 Caviar Tourbillon was an opulent choice for the former NFL star.

By 17/02/2025

Tom Brady was on the field tonight at the 59th annual Super Bowl game, and while the retired NFL hero—a seven-time Super Bowl winner (the most of any footballer in history)—wasn’t playing, he came dressed to impress with a $116,400 Jacob & Co. watch on his wrist.

Brady, who is a notable watch collector, recently sold off several of his timepieces at a Sotheby’s auction called “The GOAT Collection: Watches and Treasures from Tom Brady” this past December. Those timepieces ran the gamut from a Rolex Daytona Ref. 6241 to a unique Audemars Piguet Royal Oak with his name spelled out in diamonds across the salmon-colored tapisserie dial. His Rolex Daytona sold for over $1.5 million, and, in total, his auction raked in around $7 million. So, he’s well-equipped for a new watch purchase.

Whether or not he owns the six-figure sapphire stunner or it was a paid spot, the watch certainly stood out against his conservative but immaculately fit gray suit. “Tom Brady is the epitome of excellence, both on and off the field,” said Benjamin Arabov, CEO of Jacob & Co, in a press release sent out by the company shortly after Brady’s appearance. “We’re thrilled to see him wearing two of our most prestigious timepieces on the biggest stage in sports. The Billionaire Mini Ashoka and Caviar Tourbillon embody the precision, luxury, and innovation that define Jacob & Co. We’re honored to have him represent the artistry and craftsmanship behind every piece we create.”

Like much of Brady’s wrist candy, his 44 by 15.8 mm Caviar Tourbillon is not easy to come by. It is limited to just 18 pieces. It features hours, minutes, and a one-minute flying tourbillon in the JCAA43 movement with 216 components and 72 hours of power reserve. The movement itself is set with 338 brilliant-cut diamonds, while a total of 337 yellow sapphires adorn the case and dial. The clasp is decorated with another 18 baguette-cut yellow sapphires, and the crown comes with 14 baguette-cut yellow sapphires and one rose-cut yellow sapphire. As far as gem setting goes, this is one extraordinary piece, but it certainly seemed like a surprising choice for Brady, who was otherwise dressed like he just stepped out of a boardroom or a Ralph Lauren catalog.

Benjamin Arabov, son of Jacob & Co. founder Jacob Arabov, is now the CEO of the company. The 32-year-old recently took to Instagram to post that he was looking for a rebranding agency with experience in visual identity and packaging. As far as marketing goes, however, with Tom Brady, he’s golden.

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This Vintage Rolex Day-Date Has an Ultra-Rare and Coveted ‘Bark’ Design

The ultra-cool piece from Wind Vintage also comes in pristine condition with a desirable patina.

By Paige Reddinger 17/02/2025

Over the last four years there has been a resurgence in interest for 18-karat yellow gold watches. Much of that is due to fatigue over the long-running craze for steel tool watches, but it is also in part due to the rising value of gold (which shows no sign of slowing), rendering these once undesirable pieces increasingly worth collecting. Add to that the fact that, in some niche and stylish circles, unusual bracelet treatments, gem-setting, and interesting dials are becoming increasingly appealing and you have a new wave of watch collecting emerging. Steel sports watches are still the bread and butter for most dealers, but as pockets of interest in more unusual timekeepers, often from younger and fashion-forward collectors, continue to rise we’re seeing some really fun pieces pop up on the market. Case in point: This 1980s Rolex Day-Date in 18-karat yellow gold with a sapphire and diamond dial from Wind Vintage currently available exclusively on The Vault.

It wasn’t that long ago that dealers had a hard time unloading an all-gold gem-set piece. Eric Wind, the notable dealer and founder of Wind Vintage, says five years ago he would have sold this piece for around $23,000 to $28,000. The asking price today? $45,000. “It is very rare,” he tells Robb Report. “I think that was all clearly hand-done. Funnily enough, bark watches were not very desirable in the past. You know, even five to 10 years ago, they were very, very hard to sell. But, over the last three to five years, there’s been such an emergence and interest in jewellery and watches and work like that engraving and other kind of artistic forms that the watches took.” The style of engraving he is referring to on this watch can be seen on the bezel and middle links of the bracelet that is referred to as “bark” for its rough tree-like appearance.

“Bark” engraving on the bezel and bracelet of the Wind Vintage 1980s Rolex Day-Date
Courtesy of Wind Vintage

And while the bracelet is certainly a notable feature that will stand out in a sea of Submariners and Daytonas, the dial is also worth bragging about. Its diamond minutes track and sapphire hour markers are executed in what is known as a “string dial” because it looks like a string of pearls. “They’ve become very popular,” says Wind. “They were very expensive back in the 80s, just because of the cost of the stones, and there are just not many that exist on the planet.” Likewise, Wind says the canary yellow matte dial is not something he comes across often, having only seen a couple of others.

An up-close look at the patina and “bark” engraving on this 1980s Day-Date from Wind Vintage.
Courtesy of Wind Vintage

Part of what makes this watch so hard to find on the market is that pieces like this often didn’t survive past their ’80s heyday. “A lot of times these watches were so undesirable that dealers would replace the bezel inserts and put on fluted inserts, or smooth bezels or fluted bezels and melt down the bracelets or polish the center link so they looked like a standard Day-Date. Those dealers should have learned that what goes around, always comes around. Now with these interesting Rolex watches on the rise, they’ll become even harder to find.

A Wind Vintage 1980s Day-Date with “bark” engraving and a gem-set “string dial”
Courtesy of Wind Vintage

If you’re interested in the piece and want to speak to Wind about it IRL, he will be at Robb Report’s House of Robb event in San Francsico today during the NBA All-Star weekend.

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Soccer Star Kylian Mbappé Is Now an Investor in Watch Marketplace Wristcheck

Just like Jay-Z.
Published on February 7, 2025

By Abby Montanez 11/02/2025

Kylian Mbappé just went from brand ambassador to investor.

The celebrated French footballer, who currently plays for Real Madrid, has taken a stake in luxury watch trading platform Wristcheck, Hypebeast reported lat week.

Off the filed, the 26-year-old soccer star is a known timepiece collector and has served as an ambassador for Swiss marque Hublot since 2018. With this new partnership, the forward joins a growing group of influential backers, including Jay-Z. The rapper and business mogul took an equity stake in the Hong Kong-based company last summer as part of a recent funding round of $7.9 million.

“I’m thrilled to join Wristcheck as an investor through Coalition Capital,” Mbappé said in a press statement. “As a Hublot ambassador and someone passionate about watches and innovation, I see Wristcheck as a platform that truly understands the next generation of collectors. They’re reshaping the watch industry with a forward-thinking approach that blends technology, transparency, and creativity.” Mbappé did not immediately respond to Robb Report‘s request for comment on his new business endeavor.

Kylian Mbappé is an investor in online watch shop Wristcheck.
Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

Launched in 2020 by renowned horophile and Instagram personality Austen Chu, Wristcheck offers a platform for collectors to buy and sell pre-owned watches that have been authenticated by Swiss-trained watchmakers. Since it was founded, the company has raised more than $21.6 million in funding from investors including the Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, Gobi Partners GBA, and K3 Ventures.

Mbappé, meanwhile, has achieved remarkable success in his soccer career. He won the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France, becoming the youngest player to score in a final since Pelé. At PSG, he has secured multiple Ligue 1 titles and domestic cups. Individually, Mbappé has earned the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award and regularly features in top European scoring charts. And in 2020, he was ranked the world’s highest-paid player, surpassing rivals Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

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Sotheby’s Will Put on the Largest Auction of Breguet Watches in Decades This Fall

To celebrate the revered watchmaking house’s 250th anniversary, the sale includes rare collectibles belonging to living Breguet family members.

By Paige Reddinger 11/02/2025

Interest in Breguet has experienced a quiet resurgence among savvy collectors who appreciate the brand’s deep-rooted watchmaking heritage. This growing enthusiasm will soon take center stage with an upcoming auction that shines a significant spotlight on the storied Maison.

Founded in Paris 250 years ago, Abraham-Louis Breguet was one of the most influential watchmakers in history, best known for inventing the tourbillon and the automatic winding system—along with many other groundbreaking innovations. His legacy continues to inspire modern masters such as F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour. You can see Breguet’s influence pointedly in pieces like F.P. Journe’s famous Chronomètre à Résonance timepiece, voted one of Robb Report‘s 50 Greatest Watches of All Time.

Now, Sotheby’s has announced “the largest sale of Breguet timepieces in three decades.” Though the auction won’t take place until November, the auction house is already working to build anticipation. In the meantime, it might be wise to brush up on the most coveted Breguet references.

Breguet 1827 Perpétuelle à Tact watch made for King George IV Breguet

What may pique collectors’ interest is the sale is being curated in conjunction with Breguet and Emmanuel Breguet, the vice president and head of patrimony, who happens to be a descendant of the original Monsieur Breguet. So far, the only timekeeper publicly associated (at least visually) with the auction is the 1827 Perpétuelle à Tact watch made for King George IV. Still, it hints at the historic level of pocket watches, wristwatches, and clocks that will be on offer. Abraham-Louis Breguet was a frequent supplier of high-end and state-of-the-art timepieces for royalty, including Marie Antoinette, Napoleon Bonaparte, and King George III.

Other highlights include an open-faced montre à tact (a watch that replicates the internal hour hand on the cover of the pocket watch via an arrow so that time could be read via touch) with a calendar and moonphase indications that was the inspiration for the Ref. 3330. A pendulette with alarm, perpetual calendar and repeater, and a two-color gold open-faced tourbillon watch is said to be a part of the sale, although no images were provided as of press time. More info on what will be in the sale will come this spring.

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Capella Brands Their Own Caviar to Mark Chinese New Year

Capella Sydney continues its commitment to exceptional luxury experiences, with a high tea and caviar upgrade all part of its 2025 Lunar New Year celebrations to usher in the Year of the Snake.

By Belinda Aucott-christie 07/02/2025

These days caviar bumps are on the menu at all the best seaside restaurants, and now guests checking into a suite at Capella Sydney will be saved the trip to the beach with a tin of caviar conveniently stationed in their mini bar.

Downstairs at the chic lobby café Aperture, caviar is also part of their elegantly indulgent high tea. Expertly crafted by Head Pastry Chef Arthur Carré. This bespoke menu features a delectable selection of delicacies, including Capella Kaluga Caviar, sesame prawn toast, Peking duck pancake roll cornetto, fried pork dumplings, and pandan and mandarin lamingtons. The experience is complemented by the delicate notes of white rabbit jasmine tea from Zensation Tea House, with an optional upgrade to a glass of Louis Roederer Champagne for a truly indulgent experience.

It’s all part of a chic lunar collaboration with Kaluga Caviar (from central China) which supplies 21 of the 26 three Michelin starred restaurants in Paris. Kaluga caviar offers a balance of luxury, flavour, and sustainability. Its rich, creamy texture and large pearls make it a close alternative to Beluga caviar with a lovely walnut aftertaste.

Even if you are a guest just for the day at Capella Sydney you can indulge your palate with a high tea that pairs Oscietra black caviar, from Russian Sturgeon stock, with champagne and traditional accompaniments.

Ask for the Capella Lunar New Year Afternoon Tea when you make you reservation, and take your place at the table. Each set comes with a 10g tin of Capella Sydney x Kaluga Queen Caviar.

Capella Sydney

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