SIHH 2018
Royal Oak RD#2 Perpetual
Calendar Ultra Thin
AUDEMARS
PIGUET
IN ADDITION TO ITS MULTIPLE ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE 25TH
ANNIVERSARY PIECES AND A NEW SERIES OF MILLENARY
MODELS, AUDEMARS PIGUET’S 2018 DEBUTS ARE FULL OF NEW
COLORS, NEW COMPLICATIONS (INCLUDING A FIRST-EVER
FLYING TOURBILLON) AND INTERESTING FINISHES. HERE ARE
JUST A FEW OF THE MOST INTRIGUING DEBUTS.
AUDEMARS PIGUET ROYAL OAK RD#2
PERPETUAL CALENDAR ULTRA-THIN
After five years of development, Audemars Piguet debuts this ultra-thin
5133 caliber with perpetual calendar, and wraps it around an all-platinum
package. The result is not only the thinnest (just 6.30 mm thick) automatic
perpetual calendar available, but quite possibly the most handsome as
well—with an eye-catching blue dial and Grande Tapisserie pattern.
Audemars Piguet explains that to reach its goal watchmakers devel-
oped a patented caliber system that features a 2.89 mm central rotor
depth and redesigned case that shaves almost 2mm off the earlier Royal
Oak Extra-Thin Jumbo. The 12 o’clock moon phase of the new ultra-thin
prototype pays homage to the company’s first perpetual calendar from
90 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | SPRING 2018
1955. Functions within the 41mm case include perpetual calendar with day,
date, astronomical moon, month, leap year, night and day indication, hours
and minutes.
AUDEMARS PIGUET ROYAL OAK DOUBLE
BALANCE WHEEL OPENWORKED
Utilizing Caliber 3132, one of our favorite open-worked watches of the past few
years, first seen in 2016 in a 41mm Royal Oak case, this new 37mm example
offers a smaller frame for the skeletal beauty inside. The watch incorporates
two balance wheels and two hairsprings that are assembled on the same axis.
This allows the escapement to be visible from both sides of the case while
also improving stability and precision---two adjectives not always aligned with
open-worked calibers.
Audemars Piguet then rhodium-plates the whole work to better highlight
the gold regulator and upper balance bridge, and finishes the bridges and
mainplate hand with beveling, chamfering, polishing, satin-brushing and
circular satin brushing. Two models will be made. One will be offered with a
hammered white gold case/bracelet and the other made with a rich pink gold
case/bracelet.