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Grand complication
I think, strictly, it's supposed to have at least one function from each of the complication groups in order to qualify as Grand Complication:
1. Calendar complication: for example a perpetual or annual calendar, possibly even a regular simple calendar would qualify.
2. Timing complication: for example a chronograph, or split chrono.
3. Audible complication: for example a minute repeater or a grand or petite sonnerie, or alarm.
4. Astronomical complication: for example moon phase, or something more advanced.
And yes, it's clear that most manufacturers are abusing the term!
Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon 5002G. A legend and a cult watch.
Here are some pictures to be credited to Phillips who recently auctioned one: Described and called by Patek as a Grande Complication, which is not totally correct, as to deserve this title, it should have a Chronograph, and more precisely, a Rattrapante. ...
The first grande complication wrist watch certainly were the IWC Destriero Schafusia, and the Blancpain 1735. In the article,
It is said that the watch has to be a grande et petite sonnerie... Which is correct. The problem is that the term " Grande Complication " has been hackneyed by the brands marketing teams, and that nowadays, you can see, with a bit of surprise, that a simp...
to make things even more accurate, the first ever grand complicated watch was the Blancpain 1735, which was released in 1991
the Destriero Scafusia by IWC showed up in 1993....all the others, which were certainly inspired by those two followed later, including PP...
Thanks Nico for sharing an iconic Patek! We don't get a chance to see these often :-)
I guess the definition of GC is broader/more nuanced than when it was originally conceived...even a perpetual calendar alone (or alarm, etc.) does qualify, at least in Patek's books. Maybe they just have to create a new cross-collection of "Icons", where ...
I will not be involved in the definition of what is and what isn’t qualified as Grand complicated watches.
As I don’t need an chronograph to measure if my eggs are ready 😂
Grand complication
I think, strictly, it's supposed to have at least one function from each of the complication groups in order to qualify as Grand Complication: 1. Calendar complication: for example a perpetual or annual calendar, possibly even a regular simple calendar wo...
