As we come to almost wrap up all the content from our attendance at the SIHH 2016, today, we decided to bring you this hands-on review with live pictures —including our usual wrist shots— of the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Extra-Thin ref. 26510PT and ref. 26516PT in platinum with smoked grey dial. This watch, presented at the SIHH 2016, was one that not everyone got to see in the metal. Luckily for us, we were allowed into a very special room —reserved to the most important Audemars Piguet collectors in the world— at the Audemars Piguet booth at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie Genève. The new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Extra-Thin ref. 26510PT like all the other Royal Oaks Tourbillon Extra-Thin is fitted with a 41 mm case, this time in platinum and available in two different references with a gorgeous smoked —fumé— grey dial. The Audemars Piguet reference 26510PT.OO.1220PT.01 comes with a regular satin brushed bezel, while the Audemars Piguet reference 26516PT.ZZ.1220PT.01 is fitted with a diamond set bezel with 32 baguette-cut diamonds totaling 3.04 carats.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Extra-Thin Tourbillon ref. 26510 was first presented in 2012 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Royal Oak. Today, the stainless steel version of this Royal Oak Extra-Thin Tourbillon is available as ref. 26510ST.OO.1220ST.01 with blue dial or as ref. 26512.ST.OO.1220.ST.01 with black dial. The 18K rose gold ref. 26510OR.OO.1220OR.01 we reviewed here, is only available with its stunning blue dial. Lastly, along with these two new platinum examples with 'fumé' dial, there is also a new 41 mm Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Extra-Thin Tourbillon Openworked in 18K yellow gold ref. 26513BA.OO.1220BA.01 and a Royal Oak Openworked Extra-Thin Tourbillon ref. 26511.PT.OO.1220.PT.01 in platinum, only available in a 40-piece limited edition that was released to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Royal Oak. We brought you the stainless steel prototype of this watch here.
This new pair of Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Extra-Thin watches ref. 26510PT and ref. 26516PT in platinum with smoked —'fumé'— grey dials, join the ranks of all the other exceptional Royal Oak Tourbillon Extra-Thin watches launched by Audemars Piguet to date. The new Royal Oak Extra-Thin Tourbillon with 'fumé' grey dial is fitted with a case measuring 41 mm in diameter with a thickness of 8.85 mm, maintaining all the characteristics that made the Royal Oak a watchmaking legend, including its 50-meter water resistance. The uniqueness of its dial along with the 18K white gold applied hour-markers and Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating, make this watch simply perfect. The dial features a tourbillon at 6 o'clock —does a full lap every 60 seconds— and its clean simple design, makes this watch a perfect timepiece for Royal Oak purists.
Both new watches are fitted with a display case back that allows for full view of the amazing calibre 2924 inside them. The highly finished manual wound in-house calibre is 31.5 mm —14 lignes— in diameter and only 4.46 mm thick. This 25-jewel movement composed of 216 parts, oscillates at a frequency of 21,600 vph to provide a power reserve of 70 hours when fully wound. The movement features an extra flat tourbillon cage, a differential power reserve with indicator on the back side of the calibre.
On the wrist, the watch wears slightly smaller than its actual size and more like a 40 mm piece on a 7.25" wrist. The smoked —'fumé— grey dial matches the platinum case perfectly and the watch has unparalleled wrist presence, feeling simply perfect like all other Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Extra-Thin out there.
Sticker Price $281,500 USD ref. 26510PT.OO.1220PT.01 and $241,300 USD the new 18K yellow gold ref. 26510BA.OO.1220BA.01. For more info on Audemars Piguet click here.
