THE POWER OF CERAMICS

Audemars Piguet made its first perpetual calendar wrist watch in 1955. A limited edition of nine gold pieces opened the way for this useful complication and has led, over 60 years later, to the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar.

Launched at the beginning of the year at the Salon international de haute horlogerie (SIHH) in Geneva, this new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar has an all-black case and dial.

True to the aesthetic codes of the Royal Oak collection, the watch features the famous octagonal bezel equipped with eight screws to crown the black ceramic watch case. The case is 41mm wide, is waterproof down to 50m and has a sapphire glass back. This means part of its mechanism is visible – namely, the calibre 5134, designed and made in Audemars Piguet’s Vallée de Joux workshops. The self-winding mechanical movement has a gentle rhythm of 19 800 vibrations an hour (2.75Hz) and provides a power reserve of about 40 hours.

On the anthracite grey dial, we naturally also find the famous relief “Grande Tapisserie” chequerboard pattern dial. On the disc adorned with small squares are four round bevelled silver counters. The perpetual calendar is laid out as follows: the day of the week is at 9 o’clock, the date at 3 o’clock and the months, including leap-years, at 12 o’clock. A hand with an arrow tip is placed at the centre to show the week number (out of 52) on the black chapter ring, while at 6 o’clock is a shining moon phase. The hours and minutes are displayed by two central hands travelling round an hour rim with white gold indices.

Prix: 85,000 CHF

By Sharmila Bertin