Glossary

A complicated feature found in certain high-end watches, particularly in mechanical and luxury timepieces. It refers to a striking mechanism that automatically chimes the hours and quarters, producing a melodious sound. Unlike a simple striking function that only chimes the hours or quarters upon activation, the Grande Sonnerie can automatically strike the hours and quarters in passing, indicating the time audibly without any manual intervention. This intricate complication requires a sophisticated mechanism and is considered a hallmark of horological craftsmanship.