Horological Meandering

I know that is a bit of an oxymoron... but browsing the latest Christies online auction and came across this Blancpain Villeret Minute Repeater. Still 4 days left on the auction but the current bid is 8,000 USD which is above estimate and seems to me like...  

Yes, they make some great pieces. Love the foudroyante they offer.

I find IWC to have affordable MRs. got one. Far cheaper than the holy trinity.

Have any pics of yours? Would love to see!

But here it is with its IWC brethren ...  

Love the ingenieur too! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks as well I like anything Genta

Here is mine. Actually I was very close to getting an Ingenieur like yours until I found this. ...  

Still a Genta

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Of Genta pieces. Really nice

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Mine looks like that. Will wear it tomorrow and post it here. Posting pictures here is a hit and miss for me. Sometimes it uploads immediately. Sometimes takes too long i just cancel.

In 2007. ...  

upgrade. Nice. Am sure the JLC sings better?

But having difficulty posting pictures

Was able to insert pictures yesterday. Now whenever i insert, just says “waiting for server”.

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My personal grail in PT. Perhaps the last watch I would let go. I am not so sure about the cheapness... Hahahahaha But of course it's all relative. Best Thomas ...  

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you are the of watch photography. 😊 Can‘t upload my pic to the site at the moment.... Best Thomas

I also cant seem to upload pics when i got home. Which i found weird as the internet connection much stronger here supposedly than when i was at the mall earlier.

😊

Here the pic I wanted to upload before. Best Thomas ...  

Excuse my ignorance, are the strikers and gongs on the dial side of this watch?

Yes, Nico remembers correctly. It is placed between dial and movement.

Normally the strike function is integrated in the movement. So usually you see the hammers and gongs from the back of the watch. The con of these movements is that they are rather delicate and require a huge amount of fine adjustment. The IWC MR is differ... 

Very interesting info

Also looks like the crown wheel is missing a screw?

I had to search some images of this movement but seems this hole is left open intentionally.

Kjkt3, great info to warn us from a disaster. I would also go for a famous brand which do minute repeaters like BP, Breguet and ALS. For all, 8000 usd is a bargain for the BP MR. I would say, i hit not the button, i am not ready for a minute repeater. Giv... 

I think I’m not ready to pick one up yet either but I don’t mind to plan ahead a bit and look😉. The UN is very cool watch, good luck searching!

I admit, dreaming to catch a desired watch, is what drives me.

I will bid!

Hope you get it. But you will have to post some pics!

because after your post, the price will probably sky rocket soon!

for the price, one should not expect Patek quality

They sound ok on you tube but I may be wrong.

I heard a brand new IWC minute repeater last week and the sales assistant at the boutique kept apologising profusely that it sounded so soft. The price though was very attractive and this Blancpain is 8 times cheaper!

It's probably one of BP's smaller watches (33mm?), hence not as popular, but it may work well with your wrist size. Service costs will be very high. Maybe 50% of the purchase price, or more. None of the above are reasons not to buy at that price. The clin... 

Most lower end MR watches I have handled sound soft, short and shallow which defeats the purpose. I want a chiming mechanism, not a clanking one