At SIHH 2013, Audemars Piguet presented the Royal Oak Offshore Grande Complication – an amazing watch with perpetual calendar, split seconds chronograph and minute repeater.  While this is the most complicated Offshore ever, and the first time that the Grande Complication cal. 2885 movement has been used in an Offshore model, I think that the modern styling of the ROO somewhat disguises the extraordinary complexity of this piece.   All the more reason I love it.  Only three pieces will be made in each of rose gold and titanium.  Price is ~$750,000 (apiece).  Here’s a short promo video from AP and a couple quick looks.  Check out more over at AP>>>

Listing of 2013 Audemars Piguet watches, highlighted by the Royal Oak Offshore Grand Complications and the Tradition Minute Repeater Tourbillon!

CLICK ANY WATCH FOR PERPETUELLE COMMENTARY, SPECS, AND HIGH-RES IMAGES!

SIHH 2013…

In addition to the Royal Oak Offshore Grand Complications (ROO titanium or ROO rose gold) I’ve already shown you, AP is introducing a high complication this year in its Tradition line.   The Audemars Piguet Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph is powered by the super (and superbly finished) hand-wind AP Caliber 2874.  This triple complication caliber features column-wheel chronograph (30 min counter on dial), tourbillon and Minute repeater on two gongs.  The case here is 47mm titanium, with a display back.  The silvered opaline dial has pink gold appliques (Arabic numerals and hands).  Limited to just 10 pieces and priced at US$471,300.  Nice.

Audemars Piguet Tradition Tourbillon Minute Repeater Chronograph (Ref 26564)

AP Cal 2874 (manual wind)

SIHH 2013…

Audemars Piguet adds a ceramic-case (44mm) option to its Royal Oak Offshore (ROO) chronograph lineup.  The watch is powered by the automatic AP Cal 3126/3840.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph Ceramic (Ref 26402)

SIHH 2013…

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Grand Complication shown here, ref 26571RO.OO.A010CA.01, features a pink gold case with black ceramic bezel, on white rubber strap.  It joins the earlier previewed ROO Grand Complication with titanium case and black ceramic bezel.  The movement is the AP cal 2885 selfwinding with perpetual calendar indicating the day, the date, the week, the moon phases, the month and the leap years, minute repeater, split-seconds chronograph and small seconds at 9 o’clock.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Grand Complication 26571RO.OO.A010CA.01

44mm pink gold case, automatic AP Cal 2885

SIHH 2013…

Diving now into the 2013 Audemars Piguet Novelties, here’s a new Royal Oak Offshore Diver – 42mm ceramic case & bezel, sapphire crystal on front & back, manufacture calibre 3120.   This piece, accented in orange, joins the yellow-tinted model of prior year, with a few key changes.  First, the case is done here in black ceramic (vs. last year’s forged carbon).  Secondly, this new orange-accented model has been given a sapphire crystal display back, framed in titanium, the first AP diver to get this feature.  This will provide a uninterrupted views of the excellent AP Caliber 3120 (shown below).  Also worth noting is that the water resistance — 300m — is unchanged.  Price on the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver Orange is set to be $21,800.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver Orange

42mm ceramic case + bezel, automatic mechanical AP Caliber 3120

More info, here: http://www.audemarspiguet.com/en/watch-collection/novelties

SIHH 2013 Preview…3 pieces, $741,000 per…

Here’s a first look at a new piece that will be launched officially in Geneva at SIHH 2013:  the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Grande Complication.  The Royal Oak Offshore was born in 1993 as a sportier extension of the model designed two decades earlier by watch designing icon Gérald Genta.  This model with its minute repeater, split-second chronograph and perpetual calendar complications is the first Royal Oak Offshore to be designated as a grande complication.  Just three pieces will be made which is not surprising for such a highly complicated watch.   The price tag will easily run into the six-figures, if not more.  More details and looks, on the jump>>>
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The Christie’s Geneva auction of Important Watches of November 12 is fast approaching.  Of course you’ve already seen what is likely to be the top lot of the sale — an ultra-rare platinum perpetual calendar chronograph by Patek Philippe, reference 2499/100, from the collection of Eric Clapton (estimate: SFr.2,500,000-4,000,000) — but with 310 lots there are plenty of other watches for collectors of every style.

For example, there’s  this splendid looking Audemars Piguet chronograph, actually a piece made for Cartier in 1946.  When it comes to auction next month, it will have been in the same private collection for almost 20 years.  Let’s take a closer look at this watch and its interesting provenance.
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FIRST LOOK…

Audemars Piguet fans have been waiting for this one, and here it is — the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Michael Schumacher Limited Edition.   It has been just shy of two years since Audemars Piguet signed F1 legend Michael Schumacher, and as noted at the time, “Limited Edition(s) will surely follow.”  And follow they do, with three new limited edition models for the King of Formula 1 racing — titanium case (1000 pieces, Ref 26568IM.OO.A004CA.01) , rose gold (500 pieces, Ref 26568OM.OO.A004CA.01, and platinum (100 pieces, Ref. 26568PM.OO.A021CA.01), all 44mm, all with AP Cermet bezel, all with AP automatic mechanical caliber 3126/3840.  As usual Perpetuelle is here bringing you the first look — lots of pics, review of notable features and prices on the jump.
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Audemars Piguet Classique Grand Complication Pocket Watch

Ref. 25701OR.OO.0000XX.03

52mm pink gold case (sapphire crystal and hunter sapphire caseback)

Opaline black dial, 18-carat pink gold hands and hours-markers, black counters with white printed numerals

Date, day, month, leap year, moonphases, number of the week, seconds and split seconds counter, minutes counter, minute repeater on two gongs, hours, minutes, small seconds

The 2012 SIAR (Salón Internacional de la Alta Relojería) show began this past Tuesday in Mexico City and concludes today. As I referenced last week along Christophe Claret’s new Soprano Minute Repeater, SIAR has become “the” annual horology gathering to be at for the Mexico/Latin/South America market.

In addition to Claret’s minute repeater, visitors who have made the trip this year were treated to a fine display of grand complications from Le Brassus workshops of Audemars Piguet which this year is celebrating 40 years of its emblematic model, the Royal Oak. In addition to the Royal Oak Exhibit. In addition to the pocket watch shown here, below are some of the special Grande Complications that AP has on display at the show….
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