Introducing the Audemars Royal Oak QP Extremely-Skinny Smoky-Blue

In 2019, Audemars Piguet launched the world’s thinnest perpetual calendar, with a 2.89mm motion and a 6.30mm case. The watch, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar Extremely-Skinny (or Royal Oak QP Extremely-Skinny to make it easy) in a titanium case with platinum alloy elements, was primarily based on the RD#2 idea revealed a yr earlier. That yr it obtained the Aiguille d’Or, the highest prize on the GPHG, in recognition of its creativity and innovation. Right now the model unveils a brand new restricted version of the Royal Oak QP Extremely-Skinny, in full titanium (no extra platinum elements), and with a cool gradient blue dial. 

Audemars Piguet has been on the forefront of the profitable improvement of ultra-thin mechanics as early because the Twenties, with a record-thin 1.32mm pocket watch motion introduced in 1921, adopted by a hand-wound 1.64mm wristwatch motion in 1938. The corporate returned to the scene in 1967 with a self-winding calibre of solely 2.45mm thick, and a little bit over ten years later, in 1978, excited the world with its self-winding perpetual calendar watch motion, world-record 3.95mm skinny. The 2019 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak QP Extremely-Skinny, the world’s thinnest perpetual calendar again then, held the file for 2 years till Bulgari launched the Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar (2.75mm motion, 5.80mm case). However, AP’s perpetual calendar continues to be an distinctive timepiece, so the rank will not be that essential.

The newest model of the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Extremely-Skinny is introduced in a 41mm titanium case with a satin-brushed titanium bracelet, and it differs from the mannequin launched in 2019 largely aesthetically, with the sunburst “smoky-blue” dial with three “snailed” black counters created solely for this reference. The earlier version had a matte, vertically brushed dial with tone-on-tone sub-counters. Nearly nothing else was touched (extra on that in a bit); and albeit, it’s onerous to think about any design enhancements to this beautiful watchmaking opus.

The utilized white gold hour markers are a well-recognized form, as are the matching Royal Oak signature hour and minute fingers, all with luminescent coating. The calendar information is printed in white, making the indications legible regardless of the abundance of knowledge out there. One can solely admire the moon section crescent aperture over the Audemars Piguet brand – a poetic complication each QP should have, in the event you comply with me.

The case of this Royal Oak QP Extremely-Skinny, as already talked about, is made from grade 5 titanium, and so are the octagonal bezel and the bracelet, with alternating polished and satin-brushed surfaces, a trademark ending function of Audemars Piguet. And that is the place this new restricted version reference 26586TI differs from the earlier all-blue version, which featured polished platinum bezel and mid-links. It’s all titanium now. The caseback has a sapphire crystal to check the works of the Calibre AP 5133, measuring simply 2.89mm thick.

The view permits some understanding of how the slim profile was achieved. Nonetheless, the unseen dial facet a part of the motion reveals the secrets and techniques – fortunately, the picture is made out there by Audemars Piguet. You may discover elements distributed horizontally, and the QP module development was redesigned to develop into a single-level aspect. Additionally, the date wheel and the 48-month wheel liable for the calculation and correct show of the calendar indications have been re-engineered to cut back the general peak of the motion. These are only a few examples of what contributed to the creation of the calibre 5133, and it’s price mentioning that this motion is simplified in comparison with the calibre 5134 (primarily based on the sooner calibre 2120) that energy “common” Perpetual Calendar references in the Royal Oak and Code 11.59 collections, and has solely 256 elements.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar Extremely-Skinny Smoky-Blue and Titanium is a rightful inheritor to the award-winning mannequin. It’s considered one of many references that place AP on the high within the haute horlogerie world. Two issues to ask are higher water resistance (at present 20m) and a extra prolonged energy reserve (now assured to run for no less than 40 hours). Nonetheless, it’s a nice watch as it’s. The worth is indicated as “upon request”. For extra info, please go to www.audemarspiguet.com.