Audemars Piguet

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SIHH 2012: Audemars Piguet

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

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