I just received the latest Audemars Piguet press kit CD and book/catalogue “As
Time Goes By”. From the photos below, it’s obvious that the company is very proud of their movements and I think they have every right and reason to be so. I’ll be showing you some of their absolute novelties as well, technical highlights include the new "Dynamograph" with it’s completely new power-reserve indication and the truly gorgeous Jules Audemars Metropolis with perpetual calendar and world-time indication. Most of the pictures are from the CD ROM and were gigantic 10 MB tif files which I converted to 1024x768, let me know if you’d like any larger wallpaper scans. If you get a chance, try to pick up a copy of the catalogue, it’s the most luscious publication from a watch manufacturer I’ve ever seen, full of fantastic pictures of new and vintage Audemars, movements and close-ups of parts.
All that remains to be said is: ENJOY !
Hans
Click on the thumbnails to view a larger version of the picture
Jules Audemars tourbillon, minute repeater and perpetual calendar with large date
Ref. 25948PT.0.0022CR.01, platinum case, limited to 20 pieces.
Calibre 2869 (which is NOT related to the 2892, hehehehe), handwind, 29.3 mm diameter, 7.6 mm height, 38 jewels, 443 parts, 48 h power reserve, 21,600 bph, balance diameter 10.9 mm (when was the last time you saw the diameter of the balance listed in a catalog ?), all parts finished and anglage applied manually.
Jules Audemars Dynamograph Grande Sonnerie Carillon
At the AP 125th anniversary show last year, the watchmaker that took me on the tour of the exhibition mentioned a novel power reserve indication that they were working on and this is it. Basically, a probe measure the main spring’s torque and shows the value on the dial. If it gets to low, the watch has to be wound. Here’s a picture of the part that holds the three gongs of the carillon.
Ref. 25945BC.0.0001CR.01 in white gold, limited to 10 pieces.
Ref. 25945PT.0.0022CR.01 in platinum, limited to 5 pieces.
Calibre 2891, handwind, 29.3 mm diameter, 5.8 mm height, 57 jewels, 491 parts, two main-spring barrels with 48 h power-reserve for time, 22 h power-reserve for the Grande Sonnerie, 60 h power-reserve for the Petite Sonnerie, 21,600 bph, all parts finished and anglage applied manually.
Canape tourbillon with power reserve
Technical highlights in this pretty minute tourbillon include 70 h power reserve and a newly patented winding system with progressive backslide. Fully wound, a blocking pin prevents the spring to be overwound, the progressive backslide prevents the main-spring from moving backwards. According to the press release, this system lessens the number of turns to the crown needed to fully wind the watch by 20 %.
Ref. 25942PT.0.0022CR.01
Calibre 2878, handwind, 27x20.3 mm length/width, 6.1 mm height, 21 jewels, 177 parts, 70 h power-reserve, 9.1 mm balance diameter, all parts finished and anglage applied manually.
Jules Audemars Equation of Time
Perpetual calendar with equation of time indication, for a detailed description of this watch, see Watchmaking at its very best: AP Equation du temps on Timezone Classics.
Edward Piguet Minute Repeater Carillon
Smallest minute repeater carillon movement, power reserve.
Ref. 25935PT.0.0022CR.01, platinum case, limited to 20 pieces.
Calibre 2877, handwind, 22.3 mm diameter, 5 mm height, 33 jewels, 366 parts, 48 h power-reserve, 21,600 bph, all parts finished and anglage applied manually.
Jules Audemars Metropolis
Perpetual calendar with world-time indication. Ref. 25919PT.0.0002CR.01, platinum case, Calibre 2120/2804 automatic.
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here for Part 2
