Introducing The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph Baguette Sapphires

A 12 months after its grand Fiftieth-anniversary celebrations, Audemars Piguet releases a 41mm white gold version of the Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph embellished with blue baguette-cut sapphires and lightweight blue panda sub-dials. Akin to the newest design evolutions utilized to the Royal Oak household final 12 months, the spirit of Gerald Genta’s 1972 Royal Oak lives on in tones of blue ticking to the delicate in-house built-in flyback chronograph motion. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph 26240BC with Sapphire will likely be out there completely in Japan from Could 2023 earlier than being launched globally in July 2023.

Facelift

The facelift practised on the Royal Oak in 2022 – for the 37mm Selfwinding and 38mm and 41mm Selfwinding Chronographs – was refined and didn’t alter the enduring options of the watch. The tonneau-shaped case, octagonal bezel with eight screws, built-in bracelet and Tapisserie sample on the dial had been all revered. What it did contain, nevertheless, was a extra refined ending on the case with enlarged polished bevels to reinforce the play of sunshine contrasting with the brushed surfaces and a redesigned case center and caseback that sits higher on the wrist. Different tweaks included the tapering profile of the bracelet, thinner, lighter hyperlinks and harmonised hour markers and fingers throughout all of the self-winding fashions, a brand new 3D gold utilized AP emblem and tone-on-tone date wheels.

White gold case and panda dial

Responding to the design upgrades of 2022, the brand new 41mm white gold Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph shows brightly polished bevels and contrasting brushed surfaces. With a top of 12.4mm, the asymmetrical case options two piston-style pushers on the suitable with angular crown guards flanking the crown to make sure the 50m water-resistance of the case.

The enduring octagonal bezel nonetheless boasts the eight white gold screws however is now set with 32 blue baguette-cut sapphires. Blue, as Royal Oak followers know, is a signature color of this assortment and Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50 was the primary color to seem on the dial of the 1972 forebear. The tone of blue chosen for the Grand Tapisserie sample isn’t precisely Blue Nuit however a shade that matches the blue sapphires. The three snailed sub-dials and the minute observe are a light-weight blue color for distinction, and the date has a background to match the color of the dial and white numerals. The utilized white gold hour markers and the white gold Royal Oak fingers are all handled with luminescent materials. The brand new, extra elegant gold signature outcomes from a chemical course of often called galvanic progress, a function used on Code 11.59 and utilized by hand to the dial.

Calibre 4401

Powering this mannequin is AP’s latest-generation chronograph motion, calibre 4401. A totally built-in motion with a column wheel and flyback operate, the chronograph may be stopped, reset, and began in a single easy motion. In collaboration with a vertical clutch, the column wheel avoids the fingers leaping when beginning or stopping the chronograph, and the push-pieces reply easily. A strong gold openworked rotor reveals the elegant finishings of the automated motion – Côtes de Genève, round graining and round satin and polished chamfers. Beating at a frequency of 4Hz, the automated motion delivers a 70h energy reserve.

Availability & Value

As talked about, this Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph 41mm with Baguette Sapphires (reference 26240BC.SS.1320BC.01) will likely be bought completely in Japan from Could 2023 and the remainder of the world from July 2023. The value will likely be given upon request (in extra of CHF 100,000). For extra info, please go to audemarspiguet.com.