As I said…these previews are most certainly one of my favorite times of the year.  And here we have a very striking and bold looking watch from Audemars Piguet that will be officially unveiled at SIHH 2010.

At first glance, the watch dial looks to busy, too difficult to read.  But then again it has some cool materials that give the watch a very nice sporty and tough look to it – forged carbon case – bezel, crown and pushers in cerarmic – and also some blackened steel on this watch – the caseback and the buckle.  Wow – what a combination of materials!  Even so, I’m not quite sure what to think of this watch….it kinda-sorta-just-a-little-tiny-bit reminds of Audemars Piguet’s Survivor (maybe it is the carbon), but at the same time it is very much a different watch.  In fact it belongs to a completely different collection (Millenary collection rather than Royal Oak Offshore).  I will say that the look of the movement through the caseback is pretty cool.

Anyhow, got lots of great pics on this one, and also the full spec set at the bottom, just for fun Last but not least – a hat tip to my watch blogger friend Jason over at Professional Watches – seems he saw this one coming many many months ago (click here to read what I am talking about)!

Millenary Carbon One Tourbillon Chronograph

Reference 26152AU.OO.D002CR.01

Limited edition of 120 carbon-forged pieces

The watch has an Audemars Piguet Caliber 2884 in it – as described by AP:

Audemars Piguet Calibre 2884 is an oval hand-wound movement entirely developed and crafted by AP. It is a complex movement equipped with a tourbillon, an ultra-efficient column-wheel chronograph mechanism and twin barrels. Each movement is first assembled on a trial basis in order to set it into motion. This stage alone calls for ten full days of painstaking adjustments. Once the watchmaker is sure that it runs completely smoothly, he takes it apart and scrupulously cleans the parts before final assembly and casing up. It takes about 15 days to create a finished movement that then undergoes various tests.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Millenary Carbon One Tourbillon Chronograph

Reference
26152AU.OO.D002CR.01
Forged carbon case, black crocodile leather strap
Limited edition of 120

Movement
Calibre : 2884 hand-wound with twin barrel and tourbillon
Carbon mainplate
Bridges in eloxed aluminium and blackened steel
Total diameter: 38.40 x 33.40 mm
Casing diameter: 37.40 x 32.40 mm
Thickness: 9.7 mm
30 jewels
336 parts
Up to 240-hour power reserve
Cadence of the balance: 21,600 vibrations per hour
Finishing: all parts decorated by hand.

Case
Forged carbon with black ceramic bezel, crown and push-buttons
Dimensions: 47 x 42 mm
Cambered glareproofed sapphire crystal
Blackened titanium back fitted with sapphire crystal
Water resistant to 20 metres

Dial
Openworked to reveal the movement
White hour-markers with luminescent coating
Blackened luminescent hands

Strap
Hand-sewn “large square scale” crocodile leather with AP folding clasp in blackened titanium

Functions
Hours and minutes
Chronograph
Power-reserve indicator

Source:  Audemars Piguet.