YEAR OF THE ROYAL OAK

Following my “Audemars Piguet 2012″ overview – here is the new 40th Anniversary limited edition Audemars Piguet Openworked Royal Oak Tourbillon.  Like the Openworked Extra-Thin Royal Oak 40th Anniversary Limited Edition (non-tourbillon), this watch boasts a platinum case and bracelet.  The dial is slate grey and openworked, or skeletonized.  The applied hour-markers are white gold and the hands are standard Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating.  At 4.45mm thick, the AP Calibre 2924 is one of the thinnest tourbillon movements on the market.  A true AP collector’s piece.

Audemars Piguet Openworked Royal Oak Tourbillon 40th Anniversary

41mm platinum case and bracelet, manual wind AP Calibre 2924 with tourbillon and 70 hr power reserve

YEAR OF THE ROYAL OAK

Following my “Audemars Piguet 2012″ overview – here is a new 41mm tourbillon model added to the Royal Oak collection.  Equipped with the new hand-wound Calibre 2924, it is one of the thinnest tourbillon watches on the market.  It features a dial with a “tapisserie” motif, thereby reflecting the original identity of the Royal Oak.   Shown here in pink gold (Ref. 26510OR), a steel case model is also available.

Audemars Piguet Extra-Thin Royal Oak Tourbillon

41mm pink gold case, Blue dial with “Petite Tapisserie” pattern, pink gold applied hour-markers and Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating; on pink gold bracelet with AP folding clasp

movement is the manual wind AP Calibre 2924 with tourbillon and 70 hrs power reserve

YEAR OF THE ROYAL OAK

Following my “Audemars Piguet 2012″ overview – Audemars Piguet presents its famous Royal Oak Chronograph in a new 41mm case size, suited to current trends.   The applied AP initials placed just above the logo are more discreet than on other models.  A double hour-marker appears at 12 o’clock, inspired by the first Royal Oak watches launched in 1972.   The subdials and their inner graduated scales have been redesigned so as to further improve their readability.

The new 41mm Royal Oak Chronograph is also available in several steel or pink gold versions with a choice of black, silver-toned or blue dial (the latter being reserved for the steel version).  It is fitted with a steel or pink gold bracelet or a leather strap.

 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph 41 mm (Ref. 26320OR)

41mm pink gold case, AP Caliber 2385, black dial with ‘’Grande Tapisserie’’ pattern, pink gold applied hour-markers, Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating

AP Calibre 2385

mechanical selfwinding movement driving hour and minute hands, small seconds, a date display and the chronograph functions. 304-part Calibre 2385 has a 40-hour power reserve and a frequency of 21,600 vibrations/hour (3 Hz).

The monobloc oscillating weight is made of 18-carat gold.

YEAR OF THE ROYAL OAK

Following my “Audemars Piguet 2012″ overview – here is the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Ref. 15400.  This watch is given a new case size of 41mm, up slightly from the 39mm models of the past.  The applied AP initials appearing just above the logo are more discreet than on the previous 39 mm version.  They leave ample room at 12 o’clock for a double hour-marker inspired by the first Royal Oak watches launched in 1972.  Like the Ref. 15300 series, this reference will retain the AP automatic mechanical Calibre 3120 (also shown below).   The new Ref. 154000 Royal Oak Selfwinding 41mm model also comes in two other steel versions with a blue or silver-toned dial.  It is also available in pink gold with a choice of black or silver-toned dial, fitted with a pink gold bracelet or a leather strap with AP folding clasp (not pictured).

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding (Ref. 15400ST)

As is typical of the Royal Oak collection, the black dial of this new 41mm Royal Oak bears a “Grande Tapisserie” pattern that now becomes a signature for all Royal Oak selfwinding models.  This motif is crafted by Audemars Piguet using historical machines according to the ramolayé or pounced ornament technique.  This process enables simultaneous cutting of squares interspersed with a gridwork pattern of fine grooves.

AP Calibre 3120

mechanical selfwinding movement driving hour, minute and seconds hands as well as a window-type date display. 280-part Calibre 3120 has a 60-hour power reserve and a frequency of 21,600 vibrations/hour (3 Hz).

The monobloc oscillating weight is made of 22-carat gold.

YEAR OF THE ROYAL OAK…

In 2012, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the collection, Audemars Piguet is presenting eight new models all in-tune with the design codes of the original 1972 collection.   Launched in 1972 by Audemars Piguet, the Royal Oak was a breakthrough creation right from the start.  With the launch of the Royal Oak, designed by the late Gérald Genta, nothing would ever be the same.  The advent at that particular time of this prestige sports watch, representing a complete break with traditional watchmaking codes, would result in a complete paradigm shift — a prestigious extra-thin mechanical movement housed inside a steel case and sold for the price of a gold watch.    40 years later, the Royal Oak has become an authentic contemporary watch icon.

Audemars Piguet is returning to roots in 2012 with the presentation of eight new Royal Oak versions in keeping with the spirit of the first prestigious sports watch that has become a legend since its launch in 1972, and here they are:

CLICK THROUGH TO VIEW HIGH-RES IMAGES AND SPECS ABOUT EACH WATCH:

Within the Extra-Thin Royal Oak line:

• Openworked Extra-Thin Royal Oak Tourbillon 40th Anniversary Limited Edition (Ref. 26511)
• Extra-Thin Royal Oak Tourbillon (Ref. 26510)
• Openworked Extra-Thin Royal Oak 40th Anniversary Limited Edition (Ref. 15203PT)
• Extra-Thin Royal Oak (Ref. 15202)

Within the Royal Oak Selfwinding and Quartz line,

• Selfwinding Royal Oak (Ref 15400) – 41 mm, upsized from 39mm
• Selfwinding Royal Oak Chronograph Ref 26320 – 41 mm, upsized
• Royal Oak Quartz (33 mm) – available in steel and pink gold versions; all versions are fitted with diamond-set bezel
• Selfwinding Royal Oak (37 mm) – available in steel and pink gold versions with diamond-set bezel

Sketch + Photo of the Original Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, circa 1972

Royal Oak Print Ad, circa 1972

This watch is totally Ninja…a real Warrior’s watch!  The Roger Dubuis Excalibur Skeleton Double Flying Tourbillon is not an entirely new watch, but it is the first time it has been executed in black titanium.  Also the first time with the “new” more encompassing Geneva Seal.  And it looks, well, badass.  This will be a limited edition of 88 pieces, delivered on a hand-sewn black alligator-skin strap with an adjustable folding buckle in titanium.

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Skeleton Double Flying Tourbillon in black titanium

Limited edition 88 pieces

45mm titanium case,  manual-wind manufacture RD01SQ caliber (COSC), Geneva Seal, double one-minute flying tourbillons

What a great start to SIHH Geneva 2012 it has been!  Let’s move on to some of Vacheron Constantin’s pieces now, shall we.  For me, the most interesting pieces for Vacheron in 2012 are in the Malta collection.  2012 is the 100th anniversary of the brand’s first tonneau-shaped watch (1912), and to mark the occasion Vacheron Constantin has revisited the tonneau shape of its Malte collection in a fairly big way.  That is, VC has completely redesigned the shape of the Malte tonneau case and also developed a new tonneau-shaped movement to match, the Caliber 2795.  The new case is a bit sharper and more angular in its form — the old case has very smooth arcing sides whereas the new case has the very, very faint resemblance of a V-shape to it.  The new shape paves the way for the “new” Malte collection in the years ahead.

For 2012 four new models are presented, three of them approved in accordance with the new Hallmark of Geneva criteria.  There is a tourbillon, a small seconds, a lady’s model, and a Malte 100th Anniversary edition.  The first piece I am showing here is the Malte Tourbillon, featuring Vacheron’s new mechanical hand-wound Tourbillon movement, the Calibre 2795.  I will be posting the other models soon, so stay tuned in.

Vacheron Constantin Malte Tourbillon

38mm x 48.2mm pink gold case, manual wind mechanical VC Caliber 2795, alligator strap

Caliber 2795

I love the smooth case lines of the Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 collection, and this new model with the addition of a “big date” window and moon phase module makes the watch especially elegant.  GP really does a good job of staying true to its roots and never going too crazy with its core lineup.  I appreciate that in the brand.

GIRARD-PERREGAUX, VINTAGE 1945 LARGE DATE MOON-PHASE

36.1mm x 35.25mm pink gold or steel case, display back, automatic mechanical GP 03300-0062 movement, black alligator strap with matching folding clasp

References

Pink gold: 25882-52-121-BB6B

Steel: 25882-11-121-BB6B

The new  Girard-Perregaux Laureato Tourbillon with 3 Bridges is a limited edition of 10 pieces that pays homage to its predecessor, the GP tourbillon three gold Bridges which was first introduced in 1889.  The tourbillon and other components are visible on the dial-side behind three translucent blue parallel bridges.  The octagonal platinum bezel alternates satin-brushed and polished finishes for an interesting effect if you examine it for a bit.

  Girard-Perregaux Laureato Tourbillon with 3 Bridges

Numbered, limited edition of 10 pieces

42.6mm titanium case with platinum bezel, automatic mechanical Girard-Perregaux 9600-0004 movement with tourbillon, display back, titanium bracelet

Reference 99071-27-001-21A

Cartier has presented another impressive line-up for its 2012 collection, and this new Rotonde Annual Calendar is perhaps my favorite.  Though not as complex or intriguing as the Rotonde de Cartier Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon or the Cartier Skeleton Pocket Watch, the Rotonde de Cartier Annual Calendar is a fine example of a clever yet practically designed calendar.

Cartier Rotonde Annual Calendar

45mm pink or white gold, automatic mechanical Manufacture Cartier Caliber 9980MC with annual calendar, display back