One of the driving forces behind the market is undoubtedly luxury. People seek it for a variety of reasons, but when it comes to quiet luxury, one of its goals is self-satisfaction. Pocket watches, table clocks, and repeaters without hands represent a timeless yet ever-relevant worldview: "just for myself."
Edited by Hiroyuki Suzuki
[Article published in the July 2024 issue of Kronos Japan]
The ultimate "quietness" is a sense of luxury just for yourself.
In the spring of 2024, I spoke with Guido Terreni, CEO of Parmigiani Fleurier, about luxury. "I don't particularly like the term 'quiet luxury'; I'd rather say 'private luxury.' True elegance is about being true to yourself, isn't it? (….) In the fashion world, customers are sometimes called victims of fashion. They want the latest, what everyone else has. We want to choose the opposite."
Whether the term "private luxury" becomes established or not remains to be seen, but isn't the essence of quiet luxury exactly as Terreni described? In other words, it's about personal satisfaction. In this context, it's understandable why some manufacturers that advocate for quietness have introduced smaller sizes.
Setting that aside, when you pursue the idea of "just for yourself," luxury can be something that doesn't need to be shown to others. For connoisseurs who have reached this point, some manufacturers produce exceptionally quiet watches. As of 2024, the pinnacle of this trend is probably Breguet's "No. 5." The company completely reproduced a pocket quarter repeater made in 1794 in 2004 and delivered it to at least a few collectors.
For watch enthusiasts, one ultimate pursuit is the pocket watch. For these discerning connoisseurs, Breguet has been offering a reissue of its masterpiece, the "No. 5," since 2004. The top image shows the 1794 original, while the right shows the current model; the exterior size and finish are identical. It features a quarter repeater and the same perpetual automatic winding mechanism as the original. Automatic winding. Power reserve approximately 60 hours. 18K yellow gold case (54mm diameter). Not water resistant. Price upon inquiry. (Inquiries) Breguet Boutique Ginza Tel. 03-6254-7211
The fact that you never see it on social media is probably because, like the watch, the owner is a quiet person. Incidentally, No. 5 is still listed in the catalog, so a passionate (and wealthy) collector might just get a word from Breguet. However, the price, which was estimated at nearly 2 million yen in 2010, has surely risen even further by now.
Patek Philippe's Dome Table Clock is another masterpiece, alongside Breguet's No. 5. Nowadays, enamel dials, even those as small as 3cm in diameter, are traded for at least several hundred thousand yen, and some even several million yen. This enamel is applied to the entire surface of this clock, which is by no means small. When enamel is applied to a curved surface rather than a flat one, it immediately runs off. Therefore, Patek Philippe's craftsmen increase the viscosity of the glaze and fire it in sections to prevent it from running off.
In terms of the amount of effort put into it, there is no other current product that is as elaborate, but since it cannot be easily carried around like a watch, it can only really be enjoyed alone in one's own room. Incidentally, I saw the company's dome table clock in the room of a well-known collector. The owner said, "It is more satisfying than owning a chiming toy." Indeed, it seems that clocks exist for people like that.
![Patek Philippe "Dome Table Clock 20132M-001 [HANAMI]"](https://www.webchronos.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/no115_1toku8_3.webp)
One of the ultimate forms of quiet luxury in watchmaking is the Patek Philippe Dome Table Clock. Its case is an ideal canvas for enamel work. The "Hanami" model, released in 2024, depicts scenes of Japanese spring across its entire case using cloisonné, miniature enamel, and guilloché enamel. It is a highly coveted timepiece for collectors, but as it is a one-of-a-kind piece, it is virtually impossible to acquire. Reference item. (Inquiries) Patek Philippe Japan Information Center Tel. 03-3255-8109
![Patek Philippe "Dome Table Clock 20132M-001 [HANAMI]"](https://www.webchronos.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/no115_1toku8_4.webp)
Minute repeaters and sonneries, among other chimes, are also quiet items. In particular, models that only feature chimes look indistinguishable from ordinary watches, making them even more understated. At the pinnacle of this trend is H. Moser & Cie.'s "Swiss Alps Watch Concept Black," released in 2019. With its hands boldly removed, this watch looks like an Apple Watch with a blacked-out screen. This timepiece, whose existence is not apparent unless it makes a sound, is perhaps the epitome of quiet luxury.
Frankly, these three watches listed here probably won't be well-received by the general public. However, their outstanding craftsmanship is sure to bring deep joy to their owners. Ultimately, quiet luxury is the ultimate form of self-satisfaction.
True to H. Moser's rebellious spirit, this model embraces extreme minimalism. It deliberately omits hour and minute hands, instead using a minute repeater tourbillon to tell the time solely by sound. However, practicality has also been considered; the time can be adjusted using the scale revealed when the crown is pulled out. Manual winding (Cal. HMC 901). 28 jewels. 21,600 vibrations/hour. Power reserve approximately 87 hours. Platinum case (45.8mm x 39.8mm, 11.0mm thick). 3 ATM water resistance. Reference item. (Inquiries) Exes Tel. 03-6274-6120
