http://www.antiquorum.com/html/vox/vox2002/repetition_watches/repetition_watches.htm
By Etienne Leménager, Watch Expert
Since the 14th century, clocks on public buildings and churches rang the hours, half-hours and quarter-hours, which allowed people in the vicinity to know the time even if they could not see the clock's dial.
Several were the clockmakers who tried to invent a mechanical system, which could give the precise time upon request, even during the night. This was intended particularly for people with weak eyesight, but also for the most sophisticated and demanding watch lovers. The first to develop a quarter repeating mechanism for pocket watches, practically at the same time, were the English makers Daniel Quare (1648-1724) and Edward Barlow (1636-1716). King James II of England (1633-1701) decided in favor of Quare's quarter repeater, granting him the patent in 1687. Barlow's repeater was probably not chosen because it was more complicated and it was necessary to press on two different levers to activate the repetition (one lever for the hours and the other for the quarters). Daniel Quare's quarter repeating system, on the other hand, used a single hammer and was activated by simply depressing the pendant. Still in England, but a little later, Thomas Tompion (1637-1713) introduced a repeating mechanism with a second hammer in order to differentiate more easily between the sound of the hours and of the quarters. For example, three thirty would sound as follows:
din din din din din din din.
In France, Julien Le Roy (1686-1759) invented a system of repetition "à toc", where the hammer hit directly on the case making a dumb sound. He then went a step further inventing the repetition "à tac". When the repetition was activated by depressing the pendant, one could chose to hear the repetition in two ways. In one instance, the hammer hitting a bell would give a classical chime, in the other, when pushing with the thumb on a small button on the side of the case, which made the hammer hit a lever, the vibrations from the hammer would be felt on the thumb. Therefore, with a repetition "à tac", one could tell the time in a tactile manner, in a far more discreet way since it made no noise, but it was still necessary to pull the watch out of one's pocket in order to do this operation.
Marqüch, London, produced in Friedberg (Germany), circa 1710. Extremely rare silver pair cased minute repeating watch. Opposite page: Breguet et Fils, No. 2972, “Garde-Temps” with early minute repeating watch.
The first minute repeating watch known can be dated to circa 1710 (See the Antiquorum catalogue for the Geneva sale of April 1995, lot 411). This watch was made in Friedberg, Germany, and signed Marqüch, London, probably an alias for the German name in order to sell more easily on the English market. The significance of this watch and the history of early minute repeating mechanisms is eloquently covered in an article of some twelve pages by Sebastian Whitestone, published in "Antiquarian Horology", Winter issue of 1993, pages 145-157. The article is very detailed. Whitestone points out that due to a misinterpretation of Thiout's "Traité" of 1741, and subsequent writings, it has long been considered that Thomas Mudge (1715- 1794) produced the first minute repeating watch in about 1750. In fact two other minute repeating watches made before 1750 are known, although the previously mentioned example from Friedberg is certainly the earliest survivor and notably well presented. With regards to the signature on the watch, Benedict Fürstenfelder (died 1754), of Aichach (Eickstadt) and Friedberg seems the most likely maker of the watch in view of his known ability. The name - Marqüch - has been signed on the back-plate in such a way as to be clearly altered contemporaneously or very shortly after its manufacture, but microscopic examination reveals that the name has been applied using a partly erased previous signature which can be interpreted as "Aichach", the original town where Fürstenfelder worked. This watch can be said to represent an important link in the chain of mechanical advances in horology.
Audemars Piguet, Genève, produced circa 1929. Fine minute repeating, “Santos” type, platinum gentleman's wristwatch.
Patek Philippe & Cie, Genève, made in 1928. “Tortue shape”, minute repeating, 18K yellow gold gentleman’s wristwatch.
As of 1728 several types of repetition watches existed. Some repeated the quarters, others the half-quarters, and were especially favored in Germany and England. Then there were the minute repeaters and five-minute repeaters, which were principally preferred by Breguet.
However, it was only around 1792, when bells were replaced by gongs, which were first introduced by François Crespe, that the minute repeating mechanism became widely used. The introduction of gongs was an important step in the evolution of the minute repeating mechanism and towards its miniaturization, since they made it possible to produce watches of lesser thickness. Breguet, who always strove to create elegant, thin watches, often used gongs in his repetition watches, or alternated the dumb hammer for the hours and quarters, and the gong for the minutes. Initially, the repeating mechanism was activated by depressing the pendant, while later it was done through a slide, placed on the side of the case, in the band. Later, and especially for less expensive repetition watches, there was a push-button on the band. Patek Philippe, Touchon and Agassiz created around 1900 a minute repeater that was activated by a small coaxial push-button on the crown. The mainspring of this system, which required a separate wheel-train, was wound by the crown at the same time as winding the watch itself.
Paul Ditisheim, La Chaux-de-Fonds, circa 1900. Fine, early, minute repeating, 18K yellow gold gentleman's wristwatch.
The first repetition wristwatch was made in 1892. It was a true technical prowess that we owe to L. Brant & Frère, which later became the Omega watch manufacture. This repetition wristwatch had a 13 movement with seconds at 6 o' clock, an enamel dial and a pink gold case. Eight years later, the Paul Ditisheim watch company, (1868- 1945), from La Chaux de Fonds, executed a minute repetition wristwatch for the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1900, with an 11 3/4 movement, seconds at 6 o' clock, enamel dial, in a yellow gold case. This watch was sold at Antiquorum, in the thematic auction "100 Years of Wristwatches", Geneva, November 2000, lot 4, for SFr. 119'000 (US$ 66,480).
Soon after, in 1906, Audemars Piguet began making its first minute repeating wristwatch that was consigned to Gübelin, Lucerne in 1908. It was extremely flat and had a 10 movement, fitted in a cushion-shaped case. Later, in 1915, Patek Philippe made its first five-minute repeating lady's wristwatch, with a 10 movement and, in 1926, the first minute repeating gentleman's wristwatch with a 12 movement.
From this time, several other manufacturers produced repeating wristwatches and among them are Leroy, Vacheron & Constantin, Jules Jürgensen, Cartier. The fashion for repeating wristwatches decreased around the 1950's and for about a quarter of a century they were no longer produced.
In the early 1980's came the revival of this type of wristwatches, with Gerald Genta, a passionate and visionary watch company, which recognized the growing interest for mechanical watches and was the first to invest a considerable capital to produce minute repeating wristwatches.
The minute repeating wristwatch is considered the most sophisticated and highly desirable by collectors, especially when it also incorporates other additional complications, such as perpetual calendar, chronograph and split-seconds.
Vacheron & Constantin, Genève, Ref. 4261, completed in 1951.
Fine minute repeating, platinum gentleman's wristwatch.