To mark the 50th anniversary of the Royal Oak, Audemars Piguet today unveils a series of new tourbillon models with a new movement and new design elements. The four new anniversary watches also include, for the first time, an openworked Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon in 41 mm.
In addition, the Swiss haute horlogerie manufacture presents three new versions of its 41 mm selfwinding Royal Oak with flying tourbillon in stainless steel, titanium and rose gold. They complement the first three models in this series from 2020, which were the first Royal Oak models to be equipped with a flying tourbillon.
The case and bracelet of the Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked are made of stainless steel. On the other three models, they are made of stainless steel, titanium and rose gold. The 41 mm case and bracelet of the new tourbillon models feature larger bevels, which enhance the light reflection between the saturated and polished surfaces. The first four links of the integrated bracelet are slightly narrower than the other links. This also ensures that the watch is lighter and thus more comfortable to wear. The sapphire crystal case back has been integrated into the middle section of the case so that the watch fits more snugly on the wrist. The proportions of the indexes and hands have been revised and are now consistent within the Royal Oak collection.
The three new models Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon 41 mm feature an applied Audemars Piguet signature in 24-carat gold, which we already know from the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet line. It is produced by a galvanisation process – a chemical process in which wafer-thin layers of 24-carat gold are superimposed. This creates a very special 3-D effect. The letters are connected by fine threads that are almost invisible to the naked eye.
In the new Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked, every component has been finished according to all the rules of the Haute Horlogerie arts, including “traits tirés”, satin finishes, circular and sunray brushing, snailing as well as polished chamfers. The exposed flying tourbillon is located at the 6 o’clock position. It is supported only by the main plate.
The dials of the three new Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon models have a smoky blue hue. The titanium version is adorned with a sandblasted dial, which has now established itself in the Royal Oak line as an alternative to the traditional Tapisserie motif. The white gold hands and hour markers stand out against the dark blue dial.
The dials of the stainless steel and rose gold model have a Grand Tapisserie motif. The case and bracelet of all models have been hand-finished with alternating saturated and polished surfaces. The combination of matt and shiny surfaces has become a distinctive feature of the brand.
The Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked now runs with the newly introduced calibre 2972, which combines a central rotor with a flying tourbillon. The basis for this was the calibre 2950 introduced in 2019 in the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet line. The technique of openworked movements is to remove as much material as possible from the main plate and bridges. The geometries of the main plate and bridges were milled out in advance with CNC machines and then refined with the help of electro-erosion (EDM). It enables the extremely targeted removal of tiny amounts of material.
The other three non-openworked models feature the calibre 2950, a self-winding manufacture movement that combines a flying tourbillon with a central rotor. Launched in 2018, the Royal Oak Concept was Audemars Piguet’s first wristwatch with this complication. The tourbillon cage is visible from the dial as well as through the sapphire crystal case back and is finished by hand. The “Geneva stripes” in this movement are straight and not radiating, as was still the case in the models from 2020. Other decorations on the movement include satin finishes, spiral bevelling and hand-polished bevels.
The new Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon 2022 models are all fitted with an anniversary oscillating weight in 22-carat rose gold. The stainless steel and titanium models have a rhodium-plated finish. The “50 years” logo and the AP lettering are engraved on the surface of the oscillating weight. According to CEO Bennahmias, all Royal Oak models produced until 31 December 2022 will have this oscillating weight. The four models have a power reserve of 65 hours.
All novelties will be available in all Audemars Piguet points of sale from 01 February 2022. The Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon Automatic in stainless steel costs 169,000 euros, in titanium 175,200 euros and in rose gold 192,400 euros. The Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked costs 218,200 euros.
