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Reuge is one of the world's most luxurious mechanical music box brands, boasting over 150 years of history and numerous exquisitely crafted music boxes with timeless melodies. In 2020, the Vietnamese national anthem, "Tiến quân ca," appeared in a music box called "Reuge Vietnam Nation Anthem," coinciding with the 75th anniversary of Vietnam's National Day.
The "Reuge Vietnam Nation Anthem" music box features engraved motifs on its glass surface. Vietnam is one of the few countries chosen by the luxury mechanical brand to have its national anthem incorporated into a music box. A company representative stated that one of the biggest challenges in crafting the mechanical music box was transcribing the music. Initially, the company chose 36 notes of the "Marching Song," but later increased it to 72 notes to fully convey the spirit of the piece.
The music box's four legs are gilded and decorated with intricately sculpted fish motifs. All the mechanical parts are housed in a transparent glass case. This music box is 16 cm high, 35 cm long, and 25 cm wide.
The text and images commemorating the 75th anniversary of Vietnam's National Day were created by laser engraving and gold plating onto the back of the glass panel.
Swiss artisans spend six to eight months testing and fine-tuning the mechanism. The musical instrument is designed using steel alloy or brass. The manufacturing, assembly, and tuning processes must be done manually to ensure accurate sound.
The "Reuge Vietnam Nation Anthem" music box has become a special and internationally acclaimed gift, with each box valued at approximately 80 million VND. Reuge produces only about 20-30 of these music boxes each year, and they are all "bespoke" (custom-ordered) products.
Around the world, Reuge music boxes are special gifts for prominent figures – those who play important roles in politics and the arts. In 1999, former President Donald Trump, then known as a billionaire, gifted diva Celine Dion a music box playing the melody of "My Heart Will Go On," which she performed in James Cameron's blockbuster "Titanic." Previously, General Vo Nguyen Giap also received a music box from the President of Switzerland.
