The JZ&F 2012 SIHH Report – Audemars Piguet

Audemars Piguet

For the Royal Oak lovers, this year is an exciting year. Exactly 40 years ago, the original Royal Oak design was conceived by Mr. Gerald Genta as the first steel luxury sport watch, and the rest is history. Who doesn’t love the octagon shape, the white gold screws, the tapisserie dial, and the integrated bracelet so finely finished in multiple styles…

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of Royal Oak, AP came out with the Openworked extra-thin in platinum (40 limited edition), the 41mm extra thin tourbillon in platinum, and the extra-thin 39mm (featuring cal 2121) with a dial design (the AP logo at 6’O clock) that pays tribute to the original 1972 Jumbo.

Another notable mention is that the regular Royal Oak automatic (with 3120 movement) and the Royal Oak chronograph (with 2385 movement) are now enlarged from 39mm to 41mm – a welcomed enlargement to some, especially for the Chronograph.

Openworked extra-thin Royal Oak in platinum

With commemorative rotor.

Openworked Tourbillon

The extra-thin (Jumbo) in rose gold and steel

The extra-thin tourbillon in 41mm.

The movement design is true to the original tourbillon design in the 1980’s.

The enlarged 41mm Royal Oak Automatic and Chronograph. The clasp of the bracelet is also redesigned to be thicker.

The Year of the Dragon limited edition tourbillon in the Jules Audemars case, with 3 variations (gold on red, gold on gold, and white on red)

The Year of the Dragon Jules Audemars perpetual calendar, with the dragon rotor.

It is not often that AP makes a model with the Chinese market in mind. The most recent stylistic and commercial success was the Royal Oak “Pride of China” in Steel and Rose Gold – a limited edition of 250. Introduced in 2008/2009 and completely sold out. It has a relief engraving of the Great Wall of China on the  back.

For the Offshore lovers, this year is relatively calm…

the Diver in Forged Carbon.

And AP’s first regular production Platinum offshore (previously all the platinum pieces are limited editions)

Some ladies’ novelties.

Royal Oak in 37mm

Size comparison of the 37mm and the 33mm Royal Oak

This year the ChronAP is introduced in the rose gold case.

In my humble opinion, AP’s approach this year has been quite different from the previous years with major launches of exciting limited edition Offshores. Although not as exhilarating, the seemingly conservative product introduction represents a return to tradition and a much welcomed break from all that glitter…

Hope you have enjoyed the blog!

Yours Truly,

Jon