The repeater is a mechanical "voice" for a clock. On demand or automatically, the movement strikes the time through sound. The Grande Sonnerie represents the pinnacle of striking complications: in this mode, the clock automatically "chimes" every quarter and every hour, striking the full sequence of both hours and quarters. Frequently, this movement is paired with a manual minute repeater, which sounds the exact time – hours, quarters, and minutes – at the push of a button.

The repeater mechanism consists of three main elements: a sound source (gongs or pins), a "controller" (cams or snails that determine the number of strikes), and a power source – a hidden spring. The system reads the position of the hands through a series of gears and special racks (the rack-and-snail system): the "snail" features steps that correspond to the specific hour. When the mechanism is triggered, the rack engages with the snail to determine the number of strikes. The rack sets exactly how many times the hammer must hit the gong. Each quarter hour has its own specific striking sequence, and the minute repeater adds a count of minutes following the final quarter. The value of a repeater is defined by three key aspects. First is the level of engineering: a multitude of miniature components must work in perfect harmony and with absolute reliability. Second is the aesthetics of sound: the shape and quality of the gongs, along with the case construction, define the timbre of the strikes. Thus, a repeater is not just a technical achievement, but an acoustic masterpiece. Third is historical significance: in an era before widespread electric lighting, acoustic timekeeping was of practical value. Later, these mechanisms evolved into an ultimate demonstration of a watchmaker's mastery and the owner's status.

There are several modes of repeater operation. The Grande Sonnerie automatically strikes both the hours and the quarters, creating a complex acoustic landscape of time. The Petite Sonnerie typically chimes only the quarters, without repeating the full hours. Finally, the Minute Repeater sounds the exact hours, quarters, and minutes on demand.

The history of the repeater dates back to the 17^th and 18^th centuries; during the 18^th and 19^th centuries, pocket models became widespread, and masters, including A.-L. Breguet, significantly refined the movement's design. In the 20^th and 21^st centuries, major manufactures (such as Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and A. Lange & Söhne) revived interest in these complications, blending traditional principles with modern technology.

The Grande Sonnerie stands as a synthesis of precision mechanics, acoustics, and historical tradition: these timepieces perform the practical function of timekeeping while simultaneously creating an acoustic portrait of an era. To this day, the repeater maintains its status as one of the most complex and revered horological complications.

Grande Sonnerie carriage сlocks from the museum Collection repository:
Carriage Grande and Petite Sonnerie striking alarm сlock. J. Picard (clock). Switzerland, Genèva. Сirca 1850
Carriage Grande Sonnerie striking clock with quarters repeater and alarm. Jules Matile. France, Paris. Circa 1870
Carriage grande and petite sonnerie striking clock with alarm and quarter repeater. Breguet, Abraham-Louis. Switzerland. The 1880's (on the cover)
Carriage quarters striking repeater clock with alarm. England. Circa 1850