Horological Meandering

Can someone pls tell me the difference between a Minute Repeater and a Grande Sonnerie? Is it that a GS automatically chimes every quarter? Many thanks G.

for every "strike" session. It also has it's "power" charged with every activation, so it does not need its own separate "power train." Thus, when a slide is slid, or plunger pushed, it "charges" the repeater spring and the time is "chimed" out. Typically...  

Dear Thomas, So does that mean that the Sonnerie en Passant must have at least 2 barrels, one for the escapement and one for the sonnerie? Do they ever have more? It probably varies dramatically between watches and whether they are in the Grand or Petit m... 

Hi, Andrew, The two lower barrels are wound by the gear in the center (three gears at the top in the picture) - the crown winds bi-directionally, one way for the timekeeping, the other for the sonnerie. I have heard of some attempts to run the sonnerie of...  

Hi Thomas, I'm almost afraid to correct you on this topic, but the FP Journe Sonnerie uses one barrel only. Luckily I have a purists article to back me up http://www.thepurists.net/Patrons/members/ian_s/journesonsouv/sonsouv2.htm Regards, Joram

Thomas, may I ask two more things : - what reference is the AP you have in the picture you posted? It's absolutely superlative. Discontinued I presume? - I read somewhere that the IWC Porto MRs don't have the hammers exposed on the back of the movement. D... 

Thomas Many thanks indeed for your great explanation - very helpful. From this I infer that Sonneries are signficantly more more complicated/expensive than Repeaters. Who are the main producers of GSs? I know of AP and FPJ. If I'm not mistaken PP only mak... 

Hi, G, Keeping in mind that expense and complication are not necessarily tied to each other (why would a Simplicity time only be more expensive than most perpetuals? Why would a 3970 chronograph perpetual be more expensive than some mint sonneries?) but y...