Audemars Piguet Grande et Petite Sonnerie Pocket Watch No.1 by Philippe Dufour
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1982
This open face pocket watch in 18k yellow gold represents the first timepiece constructed and commercialized by master watchmaker Philippe Dufour. Commissioned by Audemars Piguet in a limited series of five pieces and originally retailed by Asprey London, it features a twin-barrel two-train manual-wind movement incorporating grande and petite sonnerie alongside a minute repeater.
The fired white enamel dial displays elongated Roman numerals, an outer minute track, blued spade hands, and a sunken subsidiary seconds register at 6 o'clock. The 61mm case features dual caseband slides flanking the top crown to control striking and silence modes.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Open face grande and petite sonnerie minute repeating pocket watch
- Complications
- Grande and petite sonnerie with minute repeater
- Delivery Date
- 1982
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Dial Construction
- Fired white enamel with sunken subsidiary seconds
- Maker / attribution
- Philippe Dufour for Audemars Piguet
- Case Material and Size
- 18k yellow gold, 61mm diameter
Design
- Visible features
- • Open face case in yellow gold with an oval pendant bow surrounding the fluted winding crown at 12 o'clock. • Glossy white enamel dial with black Roman hour numerals and blued steel spade hands. • Sunken subsidiary seconds sub-dial positioned at 6 o'clock with Arabic numerals at 10-second intervals. • Dial signed 'AUDEMARS, PIGUET' below 12 o'clock and marked 'SWISS MADE' at the bottom perimeter.
- Dial and Case Specifications
- The watch features a 61mm yellow gold case with a fluted winding crown and an oval pendant bow. Two caseband slides flanking the crown control the sonnerie mode and the minute repeater/silent mode settings. The white enamel dial displays Roman numerals, an outer minute track, and spade hands. A sunken subsidiary seconds register is positioned at 6 o'clock. The movement-side features a cuvette with internal engravings.
- Historical Context and Origin
- This 18k yellow gold open-face pocket watch represents the first timepiece constructed and commercialized by Philippe Dufour. Commissioned by Audemars Piguet as part of a series of five pieces, the watch was delivered in 1982 and retailed by Asprey London. While designed and assembled by Dufour, the dial is signed 'AUDEMARS PIGUET'. The watch is identified as the first of the series, and it is reported to be the only piece of the five to include Dufour's signature on a dial-side movement plate.
- Movement Architecture and Complications
- The manual-wind movement incorporates grande and petite sonnerie alongside a minute repeater. It utilizes a twin-barrel system to maintain power to both the timekeeping train and the sonnerie mechanism. A governor regulates the speed and pace of the hammer strikes on the two gongs. Visible finishing includes anglage and Côtes de Genève. The movement layout includes an L-shaped bridge and a bridge securing the governor, with various interior and exterior angles present.
Identification
- Serial number
- No. 1
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Internal cuvette engravings, movement plates, and Dufour's dial-side signature are concealed beneath the dial and closed cuvette in this front view.
- Research required: Internal striking mechanisms, chiming train, and movement condition cannot be visually confirmed from this exterior photograph.