Ron DeCorte is a master watch maker who creates his own timepieces, restores complex mechanisms, and has a deep interest in automatons. The articles he writes are fascinating and his photos of dissected complications are stunning. From his study of a Vacheron Constantin minute repeater wristwatch movement:
Unlike a lot of other watch complications, the repeater is a bit mysterious, having most of its mechanism hidden under the dial. And so I thought it would be interesting to present an article on the subject of repeaters, particularly the minute repeater…
Striking watches, repeaters, were developed prior to electricity when checking the time during the night wasn't as easy as turning on a light bulb or looking at the illuminated electric clock. And during some of those long Sunday church services many a man was known to reach into his pocket, cradle his repeater in his hand, and count the hours and minutes until he was free to go fishing, drinking with his buddies at the pub, or visit his mistress!
(Seen here, a) Vacheron Constantin minute repeater wristwatch movement, topless. The minute repeater strikes the hours, quarter hours, and minutes, on two gongs, each with a different pitch. Yes, there are exceptions to this two-gong rule, but they are very rare.
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