Today, we start a new section to talk about those little —and sometimes big— goodies we all love to receive from the watch brands. Watch paraphernalia is commonly received as part of an important watch purchase at a brand boutique or just as part of those little swag bags we all receive while attending a watch event.
Posts filed under Audemars Piguet
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph ref. 26320. Hands-on with One of Our Favorite Chronos Out There.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph ref. 26320 we are reviewing here, is the latest iteration of the Royal Oak Chrono. Released for the first time as ref. 25860 in 39mm and then as ref. 26300 —reviewed by us here. The Royal Oak Chronograph is a model with more than ten different reference numbers and all of them are fitted with the same calibre 2385.
Photo Gallery: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Rubber Clad ref. 25940OK. Merry Christmas to all of You.
Another great year has gone by and we are already celebrating Christmas Eve today. In preparation for the SIHH 2016 taking place in less than a month, we bring you today some inspiring macro images of the discontinued Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Rubber Clad ref. 25940OK.OO.D002CA.02.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Extra-Thin Tourbillon ref. 26510OR. Hands-on with Our Favorite Tourbillon in the Market.
Sublime, exceptional and elegant, are the words we like to use to describe what we consider to be the 'our favorite Tourbillon in the market'. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon has a very rich history within Audemars Piguet. The first Royal Oak Tourbillon was released in 1992 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Royal Oak and its name the Royal Oak Jubilee. Then in 1997, one of the most unique and rare Royal Oaks ever made was presented by Audemars Piguet. We are talking about the Royal Oak Automatique Tourbillon 25th Anniversary ref. 25831 of which only 5 pieces were ever made in 18K rose gold to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak as we featured it here. This exceptional limited edition watch was produced in very limited quantities in stainless steel —only 25 pieces—, 18K yellow gold —5 pieces—, 950 platinum —5 with blue dial and 5 with salmon dial— and it is the only Royal Oak Tourbillon fitted with an automatic calibre up to date.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph Tribute to Italy ref. 26326ST. Hands-On with this 500-Piece Limited Edition.
As you all know, 2015 has been a very important year for Milan as they hosted the World's Exhibition Expo 2015 from May 1st thru October 31st. As a Tribute to Italy, earlier this year, Audemars Piguet presented the Royal Oak Chronograph Tribute to Italy ref. 26326ST.OO.D027CA.01 in a 500-piece limited edition. Our friends from Le Brassus, seized the opportunity by creating this special limited edition of the Royal Oak Chronograph in stainless steel, a metal always favored by Italian AP connoisseurs. What we love the most about this limited edition because the color combination with plenty of blue in it, is the subtle touches that bring Italy into the design of this 'Tribute to Italy' Royal Oak Chronograph. Those subtle details that include the color blue —a preferred color among Italians— and the indices on the 30-minute counter; which borrow the iconic green, red and white of the Italian flag. The watch just like all other Royal Oak Chronos measuring 41 mm is perfectly fitted for every day wear.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar ref. 26574 in Stainless Steel. Hands-On with the New Grail Watch for AP Lovers.
Released almost two months ago, the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar ref. 26574 in stainless steel is quickly joining the ranks of grail watches for AP lovers and purists. On this hands-on review of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 26574ST.00.1220ST.01, we will tell you why in our opinion, this is a new AP grail and a perfect daily wearer for most watchlifestylers. Since we already discussed the history of the Royal Oak Perpetual calendars since 1983 during our review of the rose gold version ref. 26574OR.00.1220OR.02 here, we will skip those details and head straight to the watch. But not before we warn you that our live pictures are so good that you better have that card number ready, because we know you will be calling your nearest Audemars Piguet boutique right away after reading this post. The new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Quantième Perpétuel —Perpetual Calendar— ref. 26574, joins all other Royal Oak Perpetual Calendars previously released since 1983 but with a larger case at 41 mm and a new automatic calibre.
News: Pre-SIHH 2016 Introducing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in 18K Yellow Gold. As Warm and Brilliant as the Sun.
n 2016, Audemars Piguet brings the enduring lustre of yellow gold back to the forefront. Launched in 1972, the Royal Oak was the first luxury watch to treat stainless steel, and meticulously craft, polish and decorate it, like a precious metal. As the copy on the first campaign mentioned: "A Tribute to Steel" and then the following one: "Steel at the price of Gold". Using steel in such a manner was a risk, yet ultimately a game-changing triumph. The revolution it launched opened a new and extremely creative chapter for Audemars Piguet, during which it explored traditional and unconventional materials in great depth: platinum, carbon, alacrite, bronze, rubber, ceramic, titanium, tantalum, etc.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher. Hands-On with The World's First Mechanical Chronograph with Independent Memory and Three Column Wheels.
Earlier this year, Audemars Piguet unveiled the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher ref. 26221FT.OO.D002CA.01. Finally, we were able to get our hands on one of the watches to bring you this hands-on review and live pictures. The watch, was a true collaboration between Audemars Piguet and Michael Schumacher, taking five years to come to fruition after Schumacher challenged Audemars Piguet to create a watch with the ability to measure and record an extended series of consecutive lap times. In late 2010, F1 legend and Audemars Piguet ambassador Michael Schumacher posed an apparently simple question to the engineers at Audemars Piguet: would it be possible to create a mechanical wristwatch designed specifically for use in motorsport which would make it possible to measure and record an extended series of consecutive lap times?
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar ref. 26574OR. A Look into the History of the Royal Oak Quantième Perpétuel Since 1983.
Just released a little bit over a month ago on September 14, 2015, we patiently awaited until we could finally meet with Audemars Piguet to work on a proper hands-on review of this new stunning Perpetual Calendar and bring you our usual live pics under natural light . Well, the reward was worth the wait. As you will see in this post, the live pictures we took bring the watch to a different level, as if you could almost touch the dial. The new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Quantième Perpétuel —Perpetual Calendar— ref. 26574, joins all other Royal Oak Perpetual Calendars previously released since 1981 but with a larger case at 41 mm and a new automatic calibre. Audemars Piguet has an uninterrupted history of creating exceptional calendar watches that goes back to the company’s origins over 140 years ago. Sales of Audemars Piguet’s first full calendar wristwatches with phases of the moon began in 1924 and according to the Archives, the first perpetual calendar wristwatch was made and delivered in 1950.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 'Pride of Argentina' Limited Edition ref. 26365OR. A 50-Piece Limited Edition in 18K Rose Gold.
he Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 'Pride of Argentina' Limited Edition ref. 26365OR.OO.D801CR.01 is one of those Offshores that didn't cause much furor or excitement when it was launched on June 2 of 2010. However, this particular watch, is one of our favorite 'country inspired' Pride Offshores —other Pride Offshores include the Pride of Mexico reviewed by us here, the Pride of Russia with an engraving of the Russian Imperial emblem of the two-headed crowned eagle, the Pride of China with The Great Wall of China engraved on its case back, the Pride of Siam honoring Thailand and the just released Pride of Indonesia— and one that is particularly hard to get —so hard to get that it took us many years to find one for this hands-on review. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 'Pride of Argentina' was released as a tribute to the Bicentenary of the 1810 May Revolution in Argentina. This limited edition piece bears a beautiful engraving of the 'Cabildo de Bueno Aires' on its case back.
News: Introducing the New Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar ref. 26574. Now with a 41 mm Case and the New Automatic Calibre 5134.
After the release of the amazing Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Acoustic Research Episode 1 we brought you here and the Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher we presented you here, our friends from Le Brassus are hitting another home run with the launch of the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar ref. 26574. This Royal Oak Quantieme Perpetuel returns to the center stage with four different versions —two in stainless steel and two in 18K pink gold with either silver toned/white dial or blue dial. The reference numbers are as follows: 26574OR.00.1220OR.01 18K rose gold with silver toned dial, 26574OR.00.1220OR.02 18K rose gold with blue dial, 26574ST.00.1220ST.01 in stainless steel with silver toned dial and 26574ST.00.1220ST.02 in stainless steel with blue dial. Continuing with the shift in watch case size that began in 2012, the new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar is now 41 mm —instead of the classic 39 mm like the one we featured here—, yet still extremely thin.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 15400SR 'Two-Tone' SIHH 2015. Stunning is an Understatement.
Back in January 2015, we brought you the news fresh from the SIHH 2015 in Geneva regarding the launch of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 15400SR.OO.1220SR.01 'Two-Tone'. Today, we bring you our usual live images with as many macro shots as possible so you can see its beauty for yourself. This Royal Oak needs like introduction as we reviewed its stainless steel predecessor here. The new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 'Two-Tone' powered by the in-house automatic calibre 3120 is fitted with the largest case ever made on a Royal Oak measuring 41 mm in diameter. This novelty marks the return of one of our all-time favorite Royal Oaks phased out in the 1990s and originally launched under reference 5402SA as a 'Two-Tone' Royal Oak Jumbo in 1976. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo 'Two-Tone' ref. 5402SA was only produced for a few years and only 951 were ever created.
Macros: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver. All About Mastering the Details in Watchmaking.
A few days ago, we took some macro pictures of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver ref. 15703ST.OO.A002CA.01. These pictures are a perfect example of what attention to detail means when it comes to watchmaking.
As it is the norm with Audemars Piguet timepieces, attention to detail is one thing that this 'Haute Horlogerie' really masters. From the glossy look and details on the Méga tapisserie dial to the perfectly brushed finish of the case and the rubberclad crowns, all design elements of this watch join in a symphony that only Audemars Piguet can play.
Experience: The Audemars Piguet Floral Clock at Singapore's Gardens by The Bay. Celebrating Singapore's 50th Year of Independence.
To celebrate Singapore's 50th Independence anniversary, Audemars Piguet and Gardens by The Bay have come together to commemorate the occasion with the unveiling of Singapore’s only sizable public floral clock. Blending timekeeping precision with botanical artistry, the Floral Clock was unveiled by Minister for National Development, Mr. Khaw Boon Wan, together with Dr. Kiat W. Tan, CEO of Gardens by the Bay, and Mr. Oliviero Bottinelli, Member of the Board of Directors, Audemars Piguet Holding SA. Displayed prominently in the Gardens, at the intersection between the cooled conservatoires and the Supertree Grove, the seven-meter-wide Floral Clock draws inspiration from the signature characteristics of Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak collection and fuses traditional and contemporary landscaping elements in its design. Featuring tropical plants with colored foliage and flowers, its plant palette will be refreshed regularly for the public to enjoy.
Macros: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore Dials. The Different Types of Tapisseries.
We often run into watchlifestylers that are curious about the differences between the different types of 'tapisseries' on the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore dials. While many know their names, few know the difference between them. Now, how does Audemars Piguet create these iconic 'Clous de Paris' guilloché pattern dials?
The brass dial is engraved by a burin —a precision metalwork chisel— that reproduces the motif on a disc attached to the machine, like a pantograph. A pointer rotates across the disc from the periphery to the center. The system is combined with a tool that forms the little lozenges between the pyramidal squares and takes between 20 and 50 minutes, depending on the dial's diameter. It's a delicate operation. A mere skip is all it takes to damage the piece as the slightest impact is as visible as dust on a mirror. Here's a video courtesy of Audemars Piguet showing the work to create one of these iconic dials.
Rare Bird: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 'Pride of Mexico' in 18K Rose Gold. A 100-Piece Limited Edition Impossible to Find.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 'Pride of Mexico' in 18K rose gold, is one of those watches that if you are a fan of AP and you are Mexican, you need to own. However, this very special watch was released in 2010 by Audemars Piguet in a limited edition of 200 pieces in titanium with stainless steel bezel ref. 26297IS.OO.D101CR.01 —reviewed by us here— and in a 100 pieces in 18K rose gold ref. 26297OR.OO.D101CR.01. In our opinion, this is the most beautiful 'Pride' Offshore out there. Therefore, is no surprise that soon after its release, the watch was completely sold out. While many gray watch dealers claim to have these watches in stock, they don't and finding a brand new one or even a mint one like the rare bird we have here, is as hard as finding 'El Chapo' roaming around the streets of Mexico City.
While today there is no Mexican holiday to celebrate, why pass on the opportunity of featuring this rare bird as we were very lucky to find this one.
Experience: Ferrari F430 Scuderia and the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph ref. 26470OR Rose Gold. Absolute Perfect Pairing.
What best way to showcase the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore ref. 26470OR.OO.A002CR.01 than to feature it along with one of the most amazing supercars out there. We are talking about the Ferrari F430 Scuderia. The new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore line in 42 mm unveiled at the SIHH 2014 as we presented it to you here, was slightly redesigned 20 years after its launch in 1993. Today, the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore features beefier crown guards, ceramic crown and pushers, new dial options, straps with pin buckles and display case backs. Thankfully, the watch didn't lose much of its original essence and Audemars Piguet needs to be congratulated for that. We all know how bad it is when iconic watches get redesigned and they end up being so far from their original designs that they become a completely different timepiece.
Breaking News: Audemars Piguet Appoints Claude Emmenegger as New Creative Director After Octavio Garcia's Departure.
Audemars Piguet is proud to announce Claude Emmenegger as new Creative Director after the sudden departure of Octavio Garcia after the SIHH 2015. Octavio had been the Chief Artistic Officer —Creative Director— at the manufacture from Le Brassus for more than a decade. Claude Emmenegger started his career with an interesting start at Longines followed by Gucci —where he created 23 collections including the G Watch—, to later join Audemars Piguet in 1999 and then leave in 2003 to launch his own horological consulting firm and work with more than 40 brands during 12 years. Passionate about complicated movements, horology and in constant pursuit of innovation and creativity, his main creations include the Tradition of Excellence models 2, 3 and 4. Not only do they combine design and technique, they also represent a new milestone for Claude in terms of approach, as case and movement are addressed simultaneously for a perfect fit.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore ref. 25721BA. LeBron James' First Audemars Piguet Timepiece Ever Owned.
There are watches and then there are what we like to call very special watches or grail timepieces. Therefore, today we bring you a truly unique Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore ref. 25721BA.OO.1000BA.03. This fascinating Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore in 18K yellow gold, is the first AP that NBA superstar LeBron James had ever owned. Yes ladies and gentlemen, this watch used to sit on LeBron James' wrist and today it sits in the watch collection of a very close and special friend of ours.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore in 18K yellow gold ref. 25721BA is not only a true grail timepiece for AP fans, but a beast of a watch weighing 398 grams/14 ounces —almost a whole pound of precious metal.
News: Presenting the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 'Pride of Indonesia'. A 100-Piece Limited Edition with 18K Rose Gold Case Back.
The new 'Pride of Indonesia' is an interesting addition to the other Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 'Prides'. The manufacture from Le Brassus just released last week, the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 'Pride of Indonesia' ref. 26179IR.OO.A005CR.01. This new watch fitted with a 42 mm titanium case with the same construction as the original Royal Oak Offshore —not with the revamped case design unveiled during the SIHH 2014 with beefier crown guards and ceramic pushers and crown— with rubber clad pushers/crown and an 18K rose gold case back engraved with the legend "Royal Oak Offshore Pride of Indonesia" and Indonesia's national symbol the Javanese eagle Garuda —a large bird-like humanoid creature that appears in both Hinduism and Buddhi.
