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By: SJX 
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*** Audemars Piguet

Date: Jan 31, 2009,21:05 PM -  
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Each year the new products from AP can be neatly split into two groups – Royal Oaks and Others. Fortunately, this year Others are numerous and impressive. But let’s get the difficult part out of the way and first run through the new Royal Oaks.

 

The grand tradition of Audemars Piguet dictates that each year at least one limited edition must be dedicated to a paragon of good taste, often a sports or music personality. This year is no different with an Offshore limited edition for a Japanese wrestler, Masato Yoshino, who according to Wikipedia is also known as “Sexy Tarzan”.

 

 

Offshore Masato steel 

 

 

Offshore Masato gold with diamonds  

 

Two versions are available, 200 pieces in steel and 20 pieces in white gold with diamonds. Less than 220 lucky people around the world will own one of these, because there are selfish folks who will buy more than one and keep it all to themselves.

 

AP has created a few Offshore limited editions is for retailers in Las Vegas. One is features a blackened titanium case and is a limited edition of 300 pieces. AP should nickname this one the Offshore Dracula.

 

 

 

Next is a pair of his and hers Offshores set with diamonds. 50 piece limited edition.

 

 

 

 

Regular production Offshores are now presented with the in-house AP cal. 3126 movement with Dubois-Depraz chronograph module, replacing the JLC cal. 889 base formerly used. It’s available in both titanium and steel cases with bracelets or straps. Both versions display particularly subdued colours for Offshores.

 

 

Offshore in titanium on bracelet 

 

 

In steel on strap 

 

Another non-limited Offshore features a forged carbon case with a ceramic bezel. This one is attractive, as most Offshores are, but it’s more of the same. It’s also probably the final nail in the coffin of the forged carbon Team Alinghi which has been dropping faster than C in value.

 

 

 

For the ladies, AP presented an Offshore Ladies’ Chronograph, also in forged carbon with a ceramic bezel set with diamonds.

 

 

 

 

And also several new versions of the Lady Offshore.

 

 

 

 

And now on to the Royal Oak. The Royal Oak chronograph (Piguet 1185 movement) is now available in yellow gold with a new dial and strap combination.

 

 

 

The Royal Oak Tuxedo Collection which consists of a man’s and lady’s Royal Oak, cufflinks, studs, necklace and earrings. Each is available individually or all can be purchased as a set. Both wristwatches are presented with black patent leather straps and lacquered black dials. The man’s watch is actually a Royal Oak Jumbo with the cal. 2120 inside.

 

 

Tuxedo men's wristwatch 

 

 

 

Tuxedo ladies' watch 

 

Set of men's watch, cufflinks and studs 

 

There are a lot of diamonds on it, but the gent’s set of watch, cufflinks and studs is actually moderately attractive and could do well as black tie accessories.

 

And we are done with the 8-sided watches. Moving on, the Tradition collection has a new addition in the form of an ultra-thin and ultra-large automatic featuring the cal. 2120 movement. Even though the cal. 2120 is a very fine movement and a very costly movement, this watch is expensive for what it is.

 

 

 

The Jules Audemars chronograph is now available with a new, classically styled dial. It’s available in either white gold with an ivory dial or pink gold with a white dial.

 

 

 

Cal. 3120 with chronograph module 

 

 

 

The Millenary collection has been expanded to include a chronograph, presented in rose gold with brown dial and “sky blue” indices. It measures 47 x 42 mm. Not my cup of tea, I like this even less than the Dracula Royal Oak.

 

 

 

 

AP has tweaked the Millenary to create the Millenary Précieuse line, consisting of three models on satin straps. All have hand-wound cal. 2046 movements. I like these, the rings around the case change the look of the Millenary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And now comes the really good, and expensive, stuff courtesy of Renaud et Papi. (Expensive is my opinion, based on complications compared to other high horology houses, but anecdotal evidence suggests that my opinion is shared by other more seasoned industry observers.)

 

Also part of the Millenary range, the Chalcedony Tourbillon, a ladies’ tourbillion with a baseplate fabricated from chalcedony, a silica crystal. This is the third AP with a crystal baseplate, the first being Edward Piguet tourbillions with rutilated quartz and moss agate baseplates respectively. AP claims the chalcedony baseplate is incredibly difficult to machine, the cut-by-a-virgin-during-a-solar-eclipse-with-a-sharpened-unicorn-horn level of difficulty that is frequently encountered in the watch industry hence the price that exceeds EUR250,000. Nonetheless this is a stunning ladies’ watch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AP also presented three complicated Jules Audemars watches in platinum. The first is a skeletonised version of the minute repeater with jumping hour that was presented last year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another is a skeletonised chronograph with tourbillion.

 

 

 

 

 

 And last is a ladies’ tourbillion in a 39 mm case with diamond bezel.

 

 

 

 

All three watches have skeletonised bridges and baseplates but sans engraving, giving them a cleaner, more modern look. Movement finish is top notch.

 

And we conclude with the flagship AP complication of 2009, officially known as the “Jules Audemars Watch with Audemars Piguet Escapement”, though the watch has a shorter unofficial title which completely escapes me now.

 

 

The lubrication-free escapement of this watch beats at 43,200 vibrations per hour. It is a remarkable achievement but not a pleasant sound – the escapement sounds like a cricket on drugs. AP claims this new escapement allows for exceptional accuracy, hence the “Chronometre” appellation on the dial (what do you think Monsieur Journe?). I don’t know how exactly this escapement is different from a traditional lever escapement, no technical details were available, but it would be interesting to find out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Admittedly the aesthetics are reminiscent of the Breguet La Tradition but this is a stunning timepiece, not only in design but also finish. AP notes that the finishing is “inspired by the grand watchmaking tradition” and this is a rare occasion where that isn’t puff. The only downsize is the 46 mm case – acceptable since the movement is 39 mm wide – a little larger than I would have liked but still wearable nonetheless.

 

 

 

 

 

 This message has been edited by SJX on 2009-02-02 22:44:47

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