This most revered of instruments was invented in the 90s by Binho Percussão at the Rio samba school, Beija Flor de Nilopolis. The groove of the modern-day repique mor mode is a hybrid of sounds akin to the tantan and repique from the famous bloco afro Ilê Aiyê.
It's usually used in the repique bossa section (the repiques that make the calls and characteristic long phrases).
The contemporanea model is all you could need. Aluminium shell and hardware combined with a renowned, durable nylon head. Powerful resonance and clean tones.