[Interview] Patek Philippe Chief Designer Philippe Barra

Patek Philippe's experimental model is the Advanced Research. The new model is, surprisingly, a minute repeater. According to Philippe Barat, the head designer, it is "a model modeled after the gramophone." The name is the Advanced Research Fortissimo 5750P.

A completely new minute repeater independent of case construction

Philip Barra
Born in Switzerland in 1961, he studied watchmaking and microtechniques at the Geneva Watchmaking School before earning an engineering degree. After graduating, he joined Chopard, where he designed various modules, before joining Patek Philippe in 92. He has worked on numerous masterpieces, including the annual calendar and split-seconds chronograph. He is the brains behind Patek Philippe's current shift to practical complications.

　While a typical repeater uses a hammer to strike a gong, causing the sound to reverberate within the case, this model, equipped with the Fortissimo Module, transmits the sound via a rod-shaped sound lever to a sapphire crystal vibrating wafer, before exiting through 0.15mm-wide slots in the titanium ring at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock.

　Normally, platinum cases are not chosen for repeater watches because acoustic efficiency is a priority. However, with the Fortissimo system, the case material does not affect the sound and its propagation. Philip Barra emphasizes, "We chose platinum for the case material for this piece because it has the lowest acoustic efficiency."

　He explains that the Fortissimo's distinctive features lie in its volume and sound quality. "Other companies' repeaters produce a harsh sound, but when you put it through the slot, the sound becomes softer," he says. The sound transmitted to the gong is transmitted to a sapphire crystal vibrating wafer via a 0.08mm-thick stainless steel lever. The vibrating wafer is supported by a polymer, which supposedly makes the sound six times louder. "We made the ring out of titanium because other materials would rust." Additionally, by changing the automatic winding rotor to platinum, which has a higher density, it was made thinner, and even with the addition of a module, the movement's thickness was kept low. While this is merely an impression based on what I've heard online, the volume and sound quality of this watch are impressive, given its 40mm case size.

　He speaks frankly, "The design of the Fortissimo module is similar to that of the Ulysse Nardin Blast Hourstriker. When I saw it, I thought I was screwed. However, we revised the design from there and evolved it into its current form. The Ulysse Nardin gongs are fixed, so the sound is short. In contrast, this model has two free gongs, which lengthens the sound."

　As he described it as a half-product, this is merely an ambitious concept model. However, the approach of amplifying the sound like a gramophone has brought unprecedented volume and sound quality to this model, which has a platinum case that is usually dull, without making any major changes to the base movement. Perhaps this model will be the catalyst for a major change in Patek Philippe minute repeaters.