Without any surprise, the SIHH 2012 collection from AP was mainly
focussed on the Royal Oak. And it was true fireworks to celebrate the
40th anniversary of the iconic watch. From simple in SS to complicated
in Platinum, AP offered us a wide range of new models what gave another
proof of the modernity of a design launched 40 years
ago.
I propose you to browse the watches I was able
to see during my appointment with AP. Obviously I will come back during
the next months to specific models with dedicated posts. I
couldn't see everything but the AP team tried to show me the largest
number of novelties available. Even on Friday, there was a very busy
atmosphere at the booth so I would like to thank them a lot for the time
they dedicated to me.
Let's start with the...
original watch or at least its latest version. I was very happy to see
this new Jumbo
because I find it very close to the spirit of the first one. Very close
but not identical and we can underline two main
differences.
First one is an improvement. The folding
clasp was revised and the new one makes the watch more comfortable on
the wrist. Good point!
Second one is the new rotor of the 2121
movement. I was less convinced by this change. If I understand it in the
context of the new skeletonized Jumbo (it makes the work on the
movement more visible), I find it here too "geometric" with straight
lines. It is less refined in my point of view even if of course, its
finishings remain flawless.
PG version:
Anyway,
the new 15202 is a true beauty and I was very satisfied with the AP
logo at 6 o'clock. Back to the roots!
During several
years, the 15300 and its in-house 3120 caliber was considered as the
best way to enter AP world. I was not a huge fan of this one because one
of the key assets of the Jumbo was its slenderness and for me, the
diameter/height ratio of the 15300 was a bit too far from the original
concept. AP has tried with the 15400 to change this with a larger diameter. With
its 41mm, the watch looks much bigger than the 39mm of the 15300 but
remains quite well balanced on a overall basis. But carefull: due to
the shape of the bracelet, the watch is not dedicated to small
wrists. When we turn over the watch, 3120 caliber seems to be a bit
lost in the case. Again, these 2mm are far from being without any
influence. The diameter/height ratio is better for my taste but I found
the watch a bit too bulky. Actually, the Jumbo is always in my mind and
I'm still facing the same trouble: for me, there is absolutely no need
of a second hand on a Royal Oak. But the 15400 wil make very happy the
larger wrists and the people who look for a more powerful design than a
very refined one.
40 years are a very venerable age and an important milestone.
To celebrate it, AP dedicated two skeletonized
watches.
First one, in Platinum, is a LE of 40
pieces. It uses the case of the Jumbo and it gets a new skeletonized movement. The
way the 2121 was decorated, finished is totally different from the
previous version. Dial side, the central part of the movement is the
main point of interest while the outer date ring makes the joint between
the movement and the case. We can feel a slight disappointment due to
the surface of the skeletonized area compared to the diameter of the
watch. However, I was really impressed by the work and by the high
quality of the finishings. Bridges side, the work quality is still on
top with, like the latest Jumbo, the new rotor. In the specific context
of the skeletonized watch, I found it appropriate.
This
Skeletonized Royal Oak is an impressive watch but different from the
skeletonized 15300. Maybe I prefer the 15300 due, for me, to a better
use of the space available.
Second celebration watch is a skeletonized Tourbillon Royal
Oak again in Platinum. I really love this watch.
First of all, it gets the right slenderness (41mm / 8,85mm), the
skeletonized movement highlights the beauty of the Tourbillon and makes
the visual impact lighter. We are in a world of beauty, a kind of
crossroads where technical achievement (3 days of power reserve
Tourbillon) meets the artistic approach. You will notice the very
specific lay-out of the movement: the space on the left was kept
available for further developments.
Like the skeletonized "Jumbo", this Tourbillon is a
LE of 40 pieces.
Caliber 2924 is also used in a non-skeletonized
version with a SS case (good news!) and a PG case. Diameter obviously is
the same. I also like this watch even if the partially visible wheel
over the Tourbillon spoils a bit the show (what was not the case with
the skeletonized Tourbillon).
I presented you the 15400 and its 41mm diameter before. The
Royal Oak
chronograph goes the same way with an enlarged version and
new indexes and hands. These faceted hands and indexes give
volume and depth on the dial. But I was less convinced by this watch. I
found it a bit unbalanced (look at the date window position) and it
doesn't have the charm, for me, of the "Kasparov". Movement is still the
Frédéric Piguet 1185.
I spoke several time about "enlargement" but AP
also had the will to fulfill the expectations of the clients with
smaller wrists. It is the reason why a Royal Oak using 3120 caliber was
unveiled with a 37mm
diameter. A ladies' watch was also presented with
a 33mm diameter, a set bezel and a quartz
movement.
If you look carefully at the "classic" Royal Oak offer, you
will notice that a wide range of cases are available:
41mm with
the 15400 (3120 movement)
39mm with the Jumbo (2121
movement)
37mm (3120 movement)
33mm
(quartz).
I would like to finish my report
with one of my all-time favourite AP watches: the ChronAP. I know that it is a
really loved baby by Giulio Papi because it contains a lot of his
chronometric ideas. This watch, due to its movement, its design, its
frequency (6hz) has a special place in the collection. This year a PG
version was presented and the new case, in addition to the movement
finishings, gives a bright atmosphere to the ChronAP making it even more
impressive than it was before. A true beauty and a superlative
watch.
To
sum up the report in a few words, AP didn't disappoint us with a very
appealing collection around the 40th anniversary of the Royal Oak. I was
convinced by the new Jumbo and by the finishings of both skeletonized
watches. And the new ChronAP is still in my head 3 weeks after having
seen it.
Again, thanks a lot to the AP team for the
warm welcome and the time dedicated to
me.
Fr.Xavier