What is in your opinion the most impressive horological achievement/ complication

[unknown]

Not looking at a specific brand but in general, what complication do you appreciate the most when talking about watches.

Let me give you my opinion about the 3 that will probably be the top 3

1/ minute repeater
Tbh it’s the most expensive but imo also the most useless. Never cared about it at all. And tbh I barely hear a difference between a mediocre and what should be a good one… and believe my I’ve seen most of them

2/ tourbillon
For others this is by far top notch in a watch.
And while I appreciate it I have 2 remarks. First it’s as good as useless in a wristwatch, only had a major positive impact in a pocket watch. Second …. Imo if you would buy you have to pay an insane amount cause the Chinese crap for 1 k and even tag heuer and chronoswiss at 15 k do not do it any justice.
Going for this grande complication you have to go all in and that means SUPER finishing. So think about AP, Breguet, patek, Girard Perregaux, Vacheron

3/ perpetual calendar
Well once it was probably useful but today we use our laptop, tablet ….
I know, this can be said about watches in general… who needs one anyway ?


So what is your dream (grand) complication…. And why ?

[Andad]

The original sundial was a 10.

[Audevache]

I voted perpetual calendar, mostly for aesthetic reasons.

Technically speaking, I assume the most complex would be a grande sonnerie minute repeater, or at least that's what I've been told by watchmakers. But I agree it is not a complication I particularly care about.

[Bug04]

Minute repeater

[bondtoys]

Originally Posted by unknown

2/ tourbillon
For others this is by far top notch in a watch.
And while I appreciate it I have 2 remarks. First it’s as good as useless in a wristwatch, only had a major positive impact in a pocket watch…..

I am hearing this all the time - and it doesn‘t make sense to me.
Certainly, pocketwatches are mostly worn vertically ( contrary to wristwatches) but from everything I am hearing, Tourbillons deliver a better consistency in position errors and ergo a higher precision.

Not because everybody is saying it, it doesn‘t make it true

[bondtoys]

And if you disagree, talk to the folks at Greubel Forsay

[enjoythemusic]

MB&F Legacy Machine Sequential EVO

[1William]

I prefer the chronograph for function.

[kunlun]

Making a chronometer escapement is the real horological achievement. Look at how long it took Omega to get the co-axial right (longer than you think).

[Old Expat Beast]

Does the Multiband 6 feature in my Casio G-Shock, which connects with a radio tower hundreds of miles away to set itself to Atomic Time every night, count? Probably not in this thread, but if combined with the solar charging feature, you have a perpetually self-setting, self-powering timepiece, which I suppose was the ultimate aim of horologists through the ages. And it's got a perpetual calendar, of course

[PhilLynott]

I'll admit I've never put a ton of thought into it but at first glance the most I've ever been impressed by a watch's complication was the Zeitwerk.

Minute repeaters are a close second.

[Ichiran]

I'm not sure if the opening of flowers constitutes a complication but I was very impressed with the Lady Arpels Heures Florale movement. Each flower indicates an hour and they open randomly, which is mind-boggling. All in a 38mm package. That watch is super cool.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Ichiran

I'm not sure if the opening of flowers constitutes a complication but I was very impressed with the Lady Arpels Heures Florale movement. Each flower indicates an hour and they open randomly, which is mind-boggling. All in a 38mm package. That watch is super cool.

OK Michael, I’ve gotta see this … link please?

[Ichiran]

Originally Posted by brandrea

OK Michael, I’ve gotta see this … link please?

Happy to share. Every hour all the flowers close and x number of flowers open randomly depending on the time of the day. Minutes are on the side of the case. This youtube short video is a good demonstration. Ignore the enamels, diamonds, and the bright colors, this watch is a mechanical marvel.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Ichiran

Happy to share. Every hour all the flowers close and x number of flowers open randomly depending on the time of the day. Minutes are on the side of the case. This youtube short video is a good demonstration. Ignore the enamels, diamonds, and the bright colors, this watch is a mechanical marvel.

That’s incredible :clap. I don’t even want to understand how that is possible, I’d just rather accept it as simply amazing

[enjoythemusic]

Originally Posted by Ichiran

Happy to share. Every hour all the flowers close and x number of flowers open randomly depending on the time of the day. Minutes are on the side of the case.

My wife loves this timepiece! If anyone wants to gift it to us we'd be happy to accept it, especially on Valentine's Day

[WatchEater666]

I dont know, but I love what chronographs do to movements in terms of depth/making them more enjoyable to look at.

[codecow]

Moser makes nice looking tourbillon pieces for reasonable money. Used Breguet has bargains there as well. As for the complication itself, it’s worthless but it looks cool!

[llngoc]

No Grand Sonnerie?

[vitalsigns]

For sheer complexity, I think the split second chronograph is most complex (so the award would go to Lange's massively impressive Triple Split).

But my heart would say the minute repeater. Few can make them and fewer still can make them sound good. Part art and part horological engineering.

The tourbillon is more of a fanciful complication now, as implemented in wristwatches that can get to daily deviations of a couple seconds or less even without a tourbillon. So I agree that tourbillons are mostly useless. Against that backdrop, the Tag tourbillon, if it works (though it certainly won't account for much improved timekeeping) is fine with me and just illustrates that the complication is added complexity for mere complexity sake.

[Calatrava r]

I would love to own a MR at some point. Love the concept.

[unknown]

Originally Posted by codecow

Moser makes nice looking tourbillon pieces for reasonable money. !

Moser makes nice watches but the finishing of the tourbillon is not even close to what I would want if I would buy one

[Easy E]

Originally Posted by Ichiran

Happy to share. Every hour all the flowers close and x number of flowers open randomly depending on the time of the day. Minutes are on the side of the case. This youtube short video is a good demonstration. Ignore the enamels, diamonds, and the bright colors, this watch is a mechanical marvel.

Holey sheets, that thing is $265,000…..plus tax

[buddenfan]

Wondering hours

[nickorette]

Grand Sonnerie..

But more conventional high complication would be minute repeater. Takes a master watchmaker 3 months on average to make one

[GB-man]

I’m more impressed by the execution of any of the major complications than the complications themselves. Some brands just do it better.

[windingmybusiness]

Split second chrono