SIHH 2015 Audemars Piguet Creates the Perfect Chime

 

Audemars Piguet is set to drown out the show with a new improved Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Acoustic Research Episode 1 Watch.  Aside for the lengthy scientific title, this watch promises a minute repeater louder and clearer than any other mechanical watch. Of course the title does imply quite a bit of actual scientific research  including some cognitive and neuropsychology dealing with human perceptions (yay my degrees in psychology did not go to waste)  that went into this timepiece.   This type of attentiveness to the scientific approach, as opposed to trial and error, is becoming quite the thing in watchmaking.  The first company that really applied this principle with a huge success is  Greubel Forsey, after which the awards kept piling on.  One just has to look at the most recent being the first middle east awards in Dubai, where Greubel Forsey won the Best Technical Innovation Watch. 

So with a concept in hand, Audemars Piguet's highly reputable Le Brassus  Renaud & Papi Audemars enlisted the help of young innovative minds at the  EPFL polytechnic school of Lausanne (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) to assist in creating the perfect chime as perceived by the mind.

Now one must remember to emit a loud chime, quite a few factors come into play.  The watch case must serve as an amplifier of sorts.  The striking hammer must  bare down on thegongs with as much force as possible.  To create a great amplification and a large force within the small confines of a watch case is quite a challenge.  So before one even begins, the octagon Royal Oak case shape, designed by Gerald Genta, has the spacial capability to accommodate a great many complications.  A couple years ago, I went to a fascinating Royal Oak Exhibition, at Antiquorium in NYC; the great number and variety of Royal Oak timepieces on display was quite astounding.  It is quite one thing surveying a collection here, a collection there; a model here, a model there, but to actually view decades of Royal Oak timepieces laying side by side, emphasizes the versatility of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. 

How does Audemars Piguet succeed in creating the Perfect Chime?

After no less than eight years of intense research and development, the prototype of the  Audemars Piguet's

Royal Oak Concept Acoustic Research must be downright amazing.  Within the 44mm titanium case, an in-house tourbillon, visible at the 6 'o'clock position,  ensures gravity will not exert unnecessary force upon the movement and column wheel chronograph, aided by a 30 minute counter at the 3 'o'clock,  ensures additional timing complications.  But it is the loud chime which compels Audemars Piguet to announce:

“the first chiming watch so acoustically considered as to become a sound concept in its own right.”

For this chime, Audemars applies a stringed instrument concept, which creates a loud and clear chime. Since January 19th, 2015 is still over a month away, Audemars Piguet is still mum about the actual nitty gritty of the mechanics.  So instead of boring you all with suppositions of the watch's acoustic mechanics, I will hold my ramblings at bay and wait until Audemars Piguet is ready to release more details. 

As a conclusion, I find this concept watch fitting into a unique niche portraying a sporty and resilient minute repeater as opposed to the more dressy timepieces in which this particular complications is most often found.

Pre-SIHH 2012 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak to Commemorate 40th Anniversary of its Design

2102 marks the 40th year Anniversary of  the signature Audemars Piguet Royal Oak design. Many watch designs vanish after a couple of years  only to crop up in Antique shops and Estate Sales, but the Royal Oak designed by Gerald Genta, has remained a strong sale for Audemars Piguet attracting young and old alike. In commemoration of this milestone, Audemars Piguet will unveil the Audemars Piguet Open worked Extra-Thin Royal Oak Limited Edition 40th Anniversary.  The open worked dial exposes the remarkable versatility of the Royal Oak design in housing a movement as well as displaying supreme efficiency.
The timepiece evokes a response of utter respect created by its formidable presence.
The case is crafted from platinum - one of the rarest elements in the earth's crust - which neither tarnishes or wears out.  Due to its extreme rarity watch companies use platinum predominantly for limited edition watches such as the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 40th Anniversary Watch.  Platinum therefore is often the metal of choice for high end watch companies to commemorate important events in their companies history.
The 39mm case is the same size as in 1972, but in this commemorative model, the  automatic mechanical Audemars Piguet skeletonized Caliber 5122 is on display too, and can be views via an open worked  dial face with a satiny anthracite finishing.  The oscillating weight is crafted in 22 carat gold with the inscription "AP Royal Oak 1972-2012”.  The open worked dial and case back is protected by scratch resistant glare proof sapphire crystal and is water resistant to 50 meters.

The timepiece is limited to 40 pieces. 
Click here to learn more about the history of the Royal Oak 

Come on Baby! Roll the Dice! And other Georgous Audemars Piguet Timepieces

Audemars Piguet does Las Vegas, dressing up its Royal Oak dial in pulsating "strip neon" red. The particular model depicted above is the Audemars Piguet Las Vegas Strip Manual Wind Tourbillon with Chronograph Watch. The versatility of the Royal Oak, is especially noticeable in this extraordinary timepiece. The watch is limited to a mere 35 pieces. However, bare in mind when purchasing this watch, you are by no means taking a gamble.


The Royal Oak was unveiled at Basel World 1972 as a high-end steel sports watch with the Octagon shape and became an immediate success. Designed by Gerald Genta, the flexibility of this case design is endless whether in movements (either quartz or mechanical), complications, colors or materials

An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Timepiece adds a explicit sense of style to ones attire. It takes but one second to make a first impression; enhance it with an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

The Effect of the Economy on Luxury Watches.

When the economy was great, my interest in finances was somewhat vague, but now it has become something of an obsession. I constantly check the Dow Jones to see whether the market is up or down - mostly down, and the minutes before 4pm ,when the market closes, my eyes are glued to the screen watching the numbers change. So naturally I am always scanning the net to find articles about the current economic situation and luxury watches. I came across an article on Portfolio. com titled "Tough times for Luxury Watches" which I found well written and a good read. Click on the title and you will be able to read the full article.

The article states quite a bit of statistics regarding the downturn of mid range luxury watches. The downturn in the economy left an entire army of watch buyers in a quandary, your stock brokers, your mortgage brokers, lawyers, real estate developers, construction workers suddenly found themselves scrambling to pay the bills, regular bills like the phone and electric. Who could think of buying a luxury watch?
But there are dreams and just because the bank balance is dwindling the dreams don't stop, as Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel designer, voiced in a January BBC interview.

"I can be interested in a $20m diamond I will never buy, without desiring the diamond. If you want only things you can afford, it's boring too."

"It's great to see things you may not buy - because you don't have the money - but it is very ugly to think they shouldn't exist because you can not buy them."

(Watch depicted Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Joaillerie Ladies' Manual Wind Watch 18K White Gold with Diamonds Q2673301)
People will not succumb to frivolous spending, but spending wisely, and although at this present moment the spenders have halted to rethink their past spending habits, they will reorganize and begin to set money aside for that which they want. The thrill of having a luxury watch strapped to ones wrist does not fade with the passage of time, but only increases so that when one purchases an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak or a Cartier Tank or a Concord La Scala the satisfaction is ten fold.

(Watch depicted Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Men's Watch Automatic 18K Rose Gold White Dial on Brown Leather Strap 15300OR-OO-D088CR-02)

Last week I took my son to the doctor to have his yearly shots. I noticed the Doctor had on an exquisite Cartier Tank. I admired it and she said, "I had wanted a Cartier Tank for the longest time, and finally I bought it."
In these troubling times with CEO's getting hammered for travelling by private jet, people are feeling guilty about spending large sums of money. However, there is no substitute for a good watch, especially a good Luxury Watch which will last a lifetime. The trick is to channel your money wisely and in doing so you will be able to afford a luxury watch. Buy a luxury watch and feel good about yourselves, feel that even in this economy you can gain self confidence, and confidence is a much needed trait around about now.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the above issues.