Christophe Claret reaches beyond mechanics to refine his acoustic watches.

Though he had two decades of experience making acoustic wristwatches, Christophe Claret decided his efforts to create a minute repeater capable of striking Westminster Quarters needed the help of a professional musician. Displaying an appreciation of the difference between building and playing an exceptional instrument, Claret—considered by some to be a Stradivarius among musical watchmakers—required a Paganini “to obtain the best ha…