Today January 26, 2022, Audemars Piguet decided to drop the new watches to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’. The new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 'Jumbo' 50th Anniversary ref. 16202 replaces the Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ Extra-Thin reference 15202 with a brand new automatic in-house calibre. The new calibre 7121 —which took five years to develop— replaces the legendary calibre 2121 that had been used for 50 years in the Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’.
The new reference 16202 maintains the exact same case proportions as its predecessor reference 15202. The case size remains at 39 mm in diameter and 8.1 mm in thickness. Fitted with a sapphire crystal display case back just like the previous Royal Oak Jumbo ref. 15202, makes the 16202 thicker than the original Royal Oak Jumbo 5402 from 1972 which featured a unique monoblock case design, making it even thinner and sleeker.
The new automatic calibre 7121 is 3.2 mm thick which makes it slightly thicker than the calibre 2121 that was only 3.05 mm thick. In addition to having a totally new architecture and finishes, this new automatic movement provides a longer power reserve of 50 hours thanks to its larger mainspring barrel. Not only the calibre has more power reserve but it is also more precise and it is fitted with a new patented extra-thin quick-set date setting mechanism —a real upgrade from calibre 2121 which only had a rapid-advance date setting mechanism but not a quick-set. Calibre 7121 is composed of 268 parts and 33 jewels.
Lastly, calibre 7121 is equipped with a special anniversary oscillating weight in 22K gold matching the color of the case. This anniversary open-worked oscillating weight features the “50 years” logo and the engraved Audemars Piguet signature. Similarly to the case, the oscillating weight has been finished with an alternation of satin-finishing and polished chamfers. The “50 years” oscillating weight will be fitted to the Royal Oak anniversary models throughout 2022.
The new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 'Jumbo' 50th Anniversary ref. 16202 is being released in four different versions including stainless steel, 18K rose gold, 18K yellow gold, and platinum.
The stainless steel model reference 16202ST.OO.1240ST.01 features a Petite Tapisserie dial and Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50 —night blue, cloud 50— hue. The dial’s Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50 color was originally developed by Geneva-based dial maker Stern Frères. The blue hue was obtained by immersing each dial in a galvanic bath. While the formulation of the mixture is important, the duration and temperature are both crucial. If the artisan removes the dial too early, it comes out purple, if removed too late it turns black. A thin layer of varnish mixed with a few drops of black color —No. 50— was then applied onto the dial to protect it. The term “nuage” refers to the cloud effect the drop of black creates when it enters the protective liquid varnish. Today, the Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50 hue is achieved internally through PVD —Physical Vapor Deposition— to ensure a more homogeneous color across the collection.
Similar to the Royal Oak from 1972, this new “Jumbo” model has kept the original baignoire —bathtub— shaped hour-markers and hands, which enable the luminescent material to be poured in for optimum legibility. The dial has also retained the polished gold applied AP monogram at 6 o’clock, as well as the printed “AUDEMARS PIGUET AUTOMATIC” mention at 12 o’clock. The “SWISS MADE” indication, which came to replace “SWISS” around the mid-1980s, remains positioned at 6 o’clock, with the words SWISS and MADE on either side of the hour-marker to balance the dial.
Sticker Price $33,200 USD.
The new 18K pink gold and 18K yellow gold models references 16202OR.OO.1240OR.01 and 16202BA.OO.1240BA.01 respectively, are both enhanced with the trademark Petite Tapisserie dial in new smoked shades. The 18K pink gold model is contrasted with smoked grey hues, while the 18K yellow gold version is illuminated with smoked yellow-gold tones.
Sticker Price $70,500 USD for either 18K rose gold or 18K yellow gold.
Lastly, the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 'Jumbo' 50th Anniversary in platinum reference 16202PT.OO.1240PT.01 with a green dial is reserved for the AP Houses. This elegant timepiece contrasts its hand-finished 950 platinum case and bracelet with a smoked green dial, whose base is decorated with a sunburst pattern. This auspicious combination introduced last year, was awarded the ‘Iconic Timepiece Prize’ at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in November 2021. The vivid green shade is obtained by adding drops of green coloring to the dial’s protective varnish. The smoked effect on the dial’s periphery accentuates the color’s intensity while giving it more depth.
Platinum made its debut in the Royal Oak collection in the 1980s, following the introduction of yellow and white gold. The first Royal Oak “Jumbo” limited edition in platinum appeared in 1992 in celebration of both the timepiece’s 20th anniversary and the creation of the Audemars Piguet Foundation. The one-of-a-kind 39 mm Royal Oak Foundation timepiece —reference 14811—, auctioned off to support the Foundation, encompassed a dial featuring a yellow gold modeled oak tree depicted by an engraving machine in an echo to the Foundation’s mission to preserve forests worldwide. Other platinum limited editions followed, such as the 39 mm Royal Oak Jubilee —reference 14802— that saw the addition of a 20-piece platinum limited edition in 1995.
Live pictures of all watches coming up later this week. Stay tuned.
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