GARMENTS OF LIGHT FOR A TOURBILLON
Audemars Piguet provides a luxury setting to its most spectacular watch complication, with an exclusive version (in more than one sense) of the Royal Oak.
In the early 1970s, Audemars Piguet set Gerald Genta the task of creating a new timepiece. Crowned with his previous successes, the brilliant watchmaker handed in his work in 1971. Its main aesthetic feature? An octagonal bezel screwed to a case made from a single piece, case middle and back. The Royal Oak was born! For the 40th anniversary of this model – today an icon – the company from Le Brassus introduced a prestigious version of the model, the Extra Thin Royal Oak Tourbillon. Released in January 2016, the platinum Royal Oak Tourbillon Chronograph Skeleton (reference 26347) is a worthy descendent of the original model, just like the titanium version.
Although it has a generous diameter of 44 mm, the case has kept the collection’s unique style. But unlike other models equipped with a dial with the famous tapestry pattern, this one is open-worked, revealing the workings of the self-winding mechanism. Once wound, the calibre 2936 provides 72 hours of power reserve. The subsidiary second counter is at 9 o’clock, and is used to check that the watch is working normally. The hour and minute hands with their Royal Oak shapes point to the applied indices. The large central hand and the minute totaliser at 3 o’clock provide readings of subsidiary times with the help of the chronograph complication. A tourbillon at 6 o’clock contributes to this exclusive timepiece’s cachet.
The Royal Oak Tourbillon Chronograph Skeleton is worn with a perfectly matching alligator leather or titanium strap, depending on the version.
Price: €288,750 (platinum) – €250,000 (titanium)
By Dan Diaconu