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

More looks at the simply splendid new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15202 in steel.  Man, oh, man, what a watch.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo (Ref 15202ST.OO.1240ST.01)

39mm steel case, automatic mechanical AP caliber 2121

Very nicely done, the new AP Royal Oak Jumbo, celebrating 40 years of the Royal Oak this year.  As Hodinkee points out, AP connoisseurs will notice that the “AP” logo has been moved from the 12 o’clock position back down to 6 o’clock, and the tapisserie is also smaller, just like it was on the original.  As well, this watch will retain the reference 15202 despite the cosmetic changes, and it will only be available with a historically inspired blueish grey dial.  What a beauty.

via:  Hodinkee.

2012 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo

39mm stainless steel or rose gold case, AP caliber 2120

A brand Ambassador for almost three years now, the talented Swiss driver Sébastien Buemi gets his own Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore.  Although Buemi does not carry the name recognition of past AP racing Ambassadors (for example, drivers such as Rubens Barrichello, Juan Pablo Montoya and Jarno Trulli), Buemi’s ROO certainly does not fall short in terms of its attractiveness.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Sébastien Buemi

Limited Edition 250 pieces

42mm titanium case, water resistance 100 meters, automatic mechanical AP Caliber 3126/3840, black rubber strap with titanium pin buckle

Ref. 26207IO.OO.A002CA.01

Case back with transferred Buemi logo:

AP Caliber 3126/3840

The Manufacture Audemars Piguet Calibre 3126/3840 is developed on the basis of the legendary Calibre 3120.  It is an automatic mechanical chronograph with an anthracite colored 22k gold oscillating weight mounted on ceramic ball bearings; a cross-through balance bridge; as well as a stop-seconds time-setting mechanism. For user-friendliness, the in-house made Calibre 3126/3840 is also fitted with an ingenious fast-date adjustment system serving to avoid any risk of the date disc blocking if a correction is made at midnight.

Did You Know?

Sébastien Buemi in 10 dates

1988: born in Aigle, Canton Vaud, Switzerland
1997: Swiss Karting Champion
2000: Swiss Super Mini and KIA Cup Junior champion
2002: European Karting Champion
2005: European Formula BMW vice-champion
2007: Formula 3 Vice-Champion, 1st test drive with Red Bull Racing
2008: GP2 Asia Vice-Champion, test driver with Red Bull Racing
2009: Scores 2 points in his 1st race in Australia with Toro Rosso
2010: 8th place in Canada (Toro Rosso) – His best result to date
2011: Best season with Toro Rosso

Say hello to the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 40th Anniversary watch which will be officially unveiled January 2012 at SIHH in Geneva.  2012 is the 40th anniversary of the iconic Royal Oak, and Audemars Piguet will be producing 40 of these special edition pieces featuring a platinum case and an extra-thin movement (the 3.05mm) that has been meticulously skeletonized.  Like the 1972 model, the 40th anniversary model is presented in a 39mm case size, but the fully visible skeletonized Caliber 5122 stands in stark contrast to the clean, understated dial of the original.  As well, I find it somewhat unfortunate that this is a platinum-cased anniversary model because it is the stainless steel case that made the Royal Oak famous.  Hopefully we will get to see something in steel case in Geneva, because I find it hard to get excited about this piece for a variety of reasons.

Perpetuelle SIHH 2012 Previews >>> Panerai PAM 422, Girard-Perregaux 1966 Small Second, Piaget Altiplano Skeleton Automatic, Cartier Cadran Lové Tourbillon

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 40th Anniversary Watch

Limited Edition 40 pieces

39mm platinum case, automatic mechanical Audemars Piguet Caliber 5122 (3.05mm thick)

manual finishing of the bridge (polished bevels, satinbrushed edges, perlage on the recesses), 22K gold monobloc oscillating weight stamped with the raised inscription “ AP Royal Oak 1972-2012″ and with “tapisserie” motif on it external segment.

REFERENCE: 15203PT.OO.1240PT.01

Audemars Piguet Japan recently announced a broad-based fund-raising initiative to aid the victims of the March 11th Tohoku earthquake in Northern Japan.  Its “SUPPORT JAPAN” effort is a long-range plan projected to raise 100 million yen (~$1.3 million) to be donated to the Japanese Red Cross.  To this end, AP Japan has launched a limited edition Royal Oak Offshore watch, the “GINZA 7″.  200 pieces will be made in forged carbon case, and also a stainless steel model will be produced (quantity unknown).  Ten percent of sales of the special edition watch will be donated to SUPPORT JAPAN.    Also, 40 original Audemars Piguet clocks signed by world famous celebrities and AP ambassadors will auctioned off (see below).  Learn and see more at http://www.audemarspiguet-ginza.jp/supportjapan/index.html

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore GINZA 7 Forged Carbon

close-up of the stainless steel version:

Signed Audemars Piguet Wall Clocks:

Lionel Messi (Soccer)

Lebron James (Basketball)

Darren Clarke (Golfer)

Rory McIlory (Golfer)