Jules Audemars Minute Repeater & Jumping Hour: close to perfection.

Jun 27, 2010,11:50 AM
 

Many times, when I write a post, words can come easily. But when I look at this Jules Audemars Minute Repeater & Jumping Hour... I'm speechless. Maybe because it's a beautiful watch. Maybe because it looks so simple for a complicated watch. Maybe because it's close to perfection.

I would like to share with you these pics I took at the AP boutique of Madrid several weeks ago.





The pictured watch has a 43mm platinum case, an opalin dial with beautiful applied figures. The dial is very balanced and its simplicity enhances its beauty. Thanks to the jumping hour system, there is only one big hand running over it. The railroad is not cut and the beveled hour window is located below the brand name. You will notice that the hour window is rather large to improve the readability and to get a balanced dial (the hour figures are a bit larger than the minutes ones).





The slide lever is located on the left side of the case and it is well integrated in it.

Caliber is the handwind AP 2907 which is very large: 37mm. Rather thin (7,6mm), it has 412 parts, a 3hz frequency and a power reserve of around 70 hours. Please note that Audemars Piguet has designed the caliber in order that when the watch strikes during the first quarter, there is no silence between the hours and the minutes notes (example: at 2:11, the eleven minutes are played just after the two hours). Another interesting feature is that the time can be set even when the watch strikes. We can consider this feature as an improvement of the reliability of the watch and we all know that striking watches are more delicate than other watches.





The caliber is beautiful with the usual quality of the finishings of the complicated Audemars Piguet. I really like the lay-out of this caliber, especially the 3 bridges at its bottom and the way the 3 jewels are in a line.













The two hammers are located just below the "Audemars" of the bezel.

Quality of the sound is excellent: it is not that loud but it is pure. Sadly, I didn't shoot a video of the watch.

Hours are played with a low note. Quarters with a low and high note. Minutes with a high note. Just above the crown, there is a corrector which can be used to set the striking hour: if there is a difference between the hour which is struck and the time hour, this gap can be eliminated with this corrector.





Even if the case diameter is rather large (43mm with a thicknes of 12mm), the simple design of the dial, the thickness of the bezel make it smaller than it is actually. And believe me, wearing this watch is a true pleasure !





I would like to thank a lot the team of the AP boutique in Madrid.

Fr.Xavier


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I think this may be one of the most eye pleasing watches ever, the numbers, simplicity..

 
 By: doubleup : June 27th, 2010-12:04
I love everything about it. Thanks for posting, stunning

Thank you for the photos . . .

 
 By: M4 : June 28th, 2010-04:02
. . . of this wonderful watch, which is one of my all-time favorites. Dan

re: close to perfection...

 
 By: DRMW : June 28th, 2010-12:26
Wonderful post foversta! The talk is usually about RO/ROO's but many forget how beautiful the Jules Audemars are. Thanks for the pics and post! -MW

Thank you for sharing this beauty

 
 By: respo : June 28th, 2010-12:41
I hope to see one of these in the metal one day. It really is beautiful and so clean looking. I like the combination of complications on this piece, as they seem both usefula and harmonious. Honestly, the breadth and range of AP watches is stunning. respo

I saw this beauty in the 2008 AP Catalogue...

 
 By: jmpTT : June 28th, 2010-21:42
This is my favorite Audemars Piguet watch from the current collection - beautiful and understated. For those of you with prior experience - what are the typical servicing costs for a minute repeaters of this caliber? If I have to ask...

I like simple looking complicated watch....

 
 By: Goh : June 28th, 2010-23:35
and this one is very close to perfection indeed. I hope to handle one some day, even though I can never afford it. Goh This message has been edited by Goh on 2010-06-28 23:42:18

this piece is now available in AP Boutique...

 
 By: FanFrancisco : June 29th, 2010-08:00
Goh, you missed the AP dinner yesterday. after the dinner, some of us managed to try this great piece on our wrist and also heard the repeater sounds, very beautiful piece indeed. stefan

Thanks Stefan...

 
 By: Goh : June 29th, 2010-08:06
Sigh, I was confirmed for the dinner but have to pass up (I did informed Kong). I am sure you guys have had a wonderful time. Thanks for the info, I shall drop by the Boutique next week to see it in metal. Goh

What a beautiful post. Thank you!

 
 By: boa2 : June 29th, 2010-05:24
I too have had the opportunity to put this one on my wrist, and your words echo my impressions. It is one of the most spectacular pieces I've ever seen. Understated, simple, yet energetic. Thank you for the incredible pics of this stunning watch.

Fantastic pictures of a great timepiece

 
 By: DaMctosh : June 29th, 2010-09:05
Thanks FX. Michael of AP Singapore was very generous with his time at the AP Singapore event last night (Giulio Papi was the guest speaker; I'm sure Kong will be posting great photos soon) and showed a few of us this wonderful watch (we of course took mat... 

Beautiful movement...

 
 By: patrick_y : July 2nd, 2010-10:03
Love the beautiful curved bridges on the movement. The curves and nicely bevelled edges of the bridges really make the piece look amazing! I can't tell from the photo but the screw heads seem to be somewhat uninteresting in the photo. Perhaps big angled s...