Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph 41mm Frosted Gold 26240

Removed from a radical transformation to mark its 50^th anniversary, the design evolutions practised on the Royal Oak Selfwinding time-and-date and Selfwinding Chronograph fashions are delicate, perpetuating the spirit of Gerald Genta’s epic 1972 Royal Oak. Its commanding octagonal bezel with eight uncovered hexagonal screws, its tonneau-shaped case, built-in bracelet, and tapisserie guilloché dial are so sacrosanct and embedded within the identification of the Royal Oak that no person of their proper thoughts would consider substituting them. Two 41mm Selfwinding Chronographs be part of the Fiftieth-anniversary social gathering with engaging frosted gold circumstances and Audemars Piguet’s latest-generation built-in flyback chronograph motion, calibre 4401. From Could to July 2022, the Frosted Gold Royal Oak Chronograph 41mm will probably be offered solely in Japan; in August 2022, they are going to be out there worldwide.

Hammered gold circumstances

The circumstances of those 41mm Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronographs are crafted in 18k white or yellow gold with a spectacular frosted end. Frosted gold, often known as a Florentine end, was launched to AP by Italian jewelry designer Carolina Bucci. Commissioned by AP to create one thing particular to rejoice the 40^th anniversary of the ladies’s Royal Oak, a mannequin that Jacqueline Dimier revisited in 1976, Bucci took her hammer to the floor of the watch and created a sensation. Utilizing a diamond-tipped instrument, the artisan hammers delicately on the case and bracelet to supply tiny indentations that sparkle like diamond mud. Nevertheless, the alluring texture that appears prefer it has been lined with frost quickly discovered its approach into bigger fashions beginning with Royal Oak Frosted Gold 41mm of 2017 and adopted by a extra daring model like this wild purple RO Chronograph.

One of many key design evolutions of the Royal Oak time-and-date and chronographs regards the enlarged and polished bevels, or chamfers, that may be appreciated on the sloping sides of the bezel on the dial and caseback. Given the grainy frosted ending of those fashions, the distinction with the intense polished bevel actually stands out. Not solely is the distinction evident, however the chamfers additionally refine and attenuate the size visually, giving the 12.4mm thick case a extra slender profile. By the way, the sapphire caseback has additionally undergone modifications to enhance its integration with the case and to sit down extra comfortably on the wrist.

Just like the non-frosted 41mm Selfwinding Chronographs launched for the 50^th anniversary of the Royal Oak, the crown and pushers are screw-locked, and the water-resistance is 50 metres. One other improve to the gathering is the extra pronounced taper of the built-in bracelet. The primary hyperlinks of the gold hammered bracelet, the place the case and bracelet meet, at the moment are trapezoid when seen from the facet and reveal a extra pronounced lower in thickness earlier than the hyperlinks begin to taper. The hyperlinks are additionally thinner and lighter for extra consolation.

Panda dials

Though the adjustments are invisible to most of us at first look, beady-eyed RO followers will discover that the hour markers and fingers at the moment are harmonised throughout the Royal Oak Selfwinding time-and-date and chronograph fashions.If you happen to evaluate them to the white frosted gold Selfwinding Chronograph of 2021, you’ll begin to discover the delicate variations. A key design characteristic of the brand new fashions is the incorporation of a 24k gold Audemars Piguet signature, changing the utilized AP monograph and printed textual content of earlier collections. The brand new, extra elegant signature outcomes from a chemical course of often called galvanic progress, a characteristic used on Code 11.59 and utilized by hand to the dial. Naturally, the long-lasting Grande Tapisserie guilloché sample is used to embellish the dial and is picked out in a tone to match the yellow or white gold case. Additionally value noting is the date wheel that matches the color of the dial.

Due to their contrasting panda-style chronograph counters, these frosted gold fashions have barely completely different dials than the opposite 41mm Selfwinding Chronographs. Each the white and yellow gold fashions have black counters, and their interiors are snailed. The utilized gold hour markers and Royal Oak fingers are handled with luminescent coating.

Calibre 4401

Initially offered within the Code 11.59 assortment of 2019, calibre 4401 is AP’s in-house computerized built-in flyback chronograph motion. Not like a typical chronograph, a flyback lets you cease, reset and begin the chronograph in a single easy motion. Reviewed intimately in this text, the motion includes a column wheel and vertical clutch and delivers a sturdy energy reserve of 70 hours. The ornament could be seen from the sapphire caseback, and though the stable gold rotor doesn’t have the commemorative ’50 Years’ emblem, it’s openworked, revealing the Côtes de Genève, the round graining and round satin and polished chamfers.

Availability & Worth

The Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph 41mm in yellow gold (ref. 26240BA.GG.1324BA.01) and in white gold (ref. 26240BC.GG.1324BC.01) will probably be offered solely in Japan from Could to July 2022. From August 2022, they are going to be out there worldwide. The retail value is EUR 75,100.

Extra info at audemarspiguet.com.