The “Primo 4” musical timepiece from the MERMOD FRERES watchmaking Manufacture is now available on the market.

The legendary brand from Sainte-Croix, MERMOD FRERES, which is now owned by the renowned manufacturer of music boxes and singing birds, REUGE, is currently launching an exceptional timepiece on the market: the Primo 4.

This mechanical watch - which was initially presented as a sneak preview at the 2007 Baselworld trade fair, before being finalized and officially launched at Baselworld 2008 - features an integrated music player and is now available on the market. It has been released as a limited edition series of 50 timepieces produced in each shade of gold, i.e., white, pink and yellow.

The mechanical watch and musical movements equipping the Primo 4 contain no less than a total of 577 components and 34 rubies. The watch movement vibrates at 28,800 v.p.h. and has a power reserve of 40 hours. The musical movement, which took fours years to develop, plays four different melodies that can be customised according to the specific wishes of each client.

The music player is integrated into four separate minidisks positioned on the cardinal points and functions following the principles of a juke-box. Simply press the push-button situated at 8 o’clock to start the player, which turns the disks towards the note comb. This action may be repeated as often as desired.

One of the major challenges of the Primo 4’s creation lay in achieving perfect acoustic quality. Research was thus carried out on the bridges and plates, as well as on the double-lined base of the case that was designed to act as a sound box. The same is true of the double-lined base in sapphire crystal, which required twelve months of development work before it transmitted the sound vibrations flawlessly.

Several patent and licensing applications have been filed for this unique and exceptional piece. The result lives up to all expectations: a watch that is as remarkable as it is original, intended for music lovers and connoisseurs of exceptional timepieces.

Technical Characteristics
Primo 4 – Reference: MER.04.PRI4

Case
18 carat yellow, pink or white gold – Diameter: 45.5 mm – Engraved back – Sapphire double-lined base – Sapphire crystal – Double push-button.

Mechanical watch movement
Reference: MF-101 – 17 rubies – Frequency: 28,800 v.p.h. – Power reserve: approximately 40 hours – Manual winding – Functions: hours and minutes – Set the time by pressing the push-button at 10 o’clock while rotating the crown.

Mechanical musical movement
17 rubies – Power reserve equal to approximately 4 melodies – Manual winding – Function: musical juke-box – Rotary disks support (360°) in polished white or polished PVD blue hardened steel both featuring a mirror effect – 4 musical minidisks each with approximately 50 pins – approximately 10 seconds of music per disk – Disk covers in blue, white, pink or yellow – Music played by pressing push-button situated at 8 o’clock – Disk player positioned at 6 o’clock.

Mechanical watch movement and mechanical musical movement
Swiss made – patented and licensed – Water resistance: 3 ATM – Single-position crown that winds musical movement when turned clockwise and the watch movement when turned anti-clockwise – 577 components.

Melodies
The Magic Flute (W. A. Mozart) - Canon (J. Pachelbel) – Hungarian Dance (J. Brahms) – The Four Seasons (A. Vivaldi).

Melodies may be customised according to the specific wishes of each client.

Dial
Hands: hours and minutes hands in 18 carat yellow, pink or white gold or in blue-tinted 18 carat gold – Minutes circle designed to evoke the 5 lines of a musical stave – Each of the 12 hours is marked by a “musical pause” support. The dial remains in the background in order to highlight the beauty of the musical movement.

Strap In black, dark brown or midnight blue alligator skin with a pin buckle in 18 carat yellow, pink or white gold.

Other characteristics
This series is limited to 50 timepieces for each shade of gold, i.e., white, pink and yellow – Delivered in a luxurious Makassar ebony box trimmed with white bukana and containing a musical movement with 36 notes – The watch may be personalized with the various executions of its components – Certificate of authenticity.

Swiss recommended retail price 104,000 CHF