Even for the world’s oldest known watchmaker, the $2 million Blancpain Grande Double Sonnerie is nothing less than a staggering horological achievement, with an eye-popping price tag and the specs to match.
The astronomically- priced timepiece represents a decidedly intricate high horology masterpiece from a watchmaker perhaps best known for the dive-ready utility of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. Built off more than eight years of development and 1,200 technical drawings, an eye-popping 1,053 components went into the Blancpain Grande Double Sonnerie, the design of which resulted in a remarkable 21 patents. Blancpain proudly notes the refined timepiece was “entirely conceived, produced, decorated and assembled in-house,” and to that end, only two models will be produced per year: Indescribably rare doesn’t begin to cover it.
The horologist notes the watch is “the most complicated watch in Blancpain’s history,” packed with a slew of features seemingly impossible to incorporate into one timepiece (perhaps resulting in its 47mm case diameter). The Blancpain Grande Double Sonnerie features everything from a flying tourbillon to a fully integrated retrograde perpetual calendar, a minute repeater and a movement design that’s entirely secured within the watch and its 18-karat case and bridgeplate construction. Most striking is the duo of sonnerie complications (one grande melody, one petite melody, both switchable within the watch itself).
Even more incredibly, one of the melodies was composed by watch collector Eric Singer, who just so happens to be the drummer in KISS (yes, KISS). Billed by Blancpain as a “symphony of innovation, artistry, and emotion,” the Sonnerie complication doubles the number of notes found in a traditional chiming mechanism, using the notes E,G,F and B with four hammers and gongs.
Singer composed the Blancpain melody, while the other selectable Sonnerie option relies on the Westminster melody. Two manually wound spring barrels, one operating the chiming mechanism, rest within the watch, while the flying tourbillon delivers stability and a striking sense of visual appeal through both the dial and its caseback. Even more impressive is its 96-hour power reserve.
The grande sonnerie, with its impressive list of complications, pushes the boundaries of horology even further than one might have thought possible from Blancpain (of course, the price tag naturally matches such a towering achievement). Accordingly, there’s a sense of triumph from the Swiss watchmaker regarding its latest masterpiece, said Blancpain President and CEO Marc A. Hayek. “Listening to a sonnerie is like tasting a grand wine,” Hayek said. “It is not merely a question of volume, but the clarity, the resonance, the persistence, the richness. Savoring the sounding of a prestige sonnerie is an emotional experience.”
The accomplishment raises the bar for what future Blancpain watches might be able to achieve, well beyond even the sporty-yet-luxurious appeal of its most famous model, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. And while only two incredibly fortunate owners (annually) will secure a piece of horology history, the latest experiment from Blancpain very well might set the tone for where the company goes next.
