Audemars Piguet : Matter, conceptualised

Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon  
Case : titanium and white ceramic, sapphire back Size: 44mm Movement : mechanical hand-wound (Calibre 2930, 237-hour power reserve), white ceramic upper bridge, tourbillon, hand-finishing Functions : hours, minutes, seconds, 2nd time zone, day/night, function selector Dial : openworked, tourbillon bridge and inner bezel ring in blackened anodised aluminium Water resistance : 100m Strap : white rubber with titanium folding clasp Limited edition : one of a kind

The Royal Oak concept watch series that was launched 12 years ago to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first steel luxury watch continues exploring the world of materials with the titanium and white ceramic Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon. The two-fold challenge is based on a combination of case materials that are ten times harder and longer to machine than steel, and on the complications of a Manufacture-made movement with a ten-day power reserve and featuring  bridges now made of platinum. Other high-tech materials also make their appearance, including the ultra-light aluminium on the inner bezel ring framing the dial, which is hardened by anodisation. The 85 parts of the tourbillon carriage weighing no more than half a gram call for two weeks of hand finishing (bevelling and polishing), and three days of assembly by an experienced watchmaker. Placed symmetrically opposite the tourbillon, the dual-time display is based on two discs showing the hours from 1 to 12 on the surface, and below that whether it is day (in white) or night (in black as on this visual). The 4 o’clock pusher enables quick and easy adjustment. Facing the AP logo appearing at noon, the H-N-R letters at 6 o’clock indicate the crown operating  mode : time adjustment, neutral or winding.


Brice Lechevalier is editor-in-chief of GMT and Skippers, which he co-founded in 2000 and 2001 respectively. He has also been CEO of WorldTempus since it joined the GMT Publishing stable, of which he is director and joint shareholder. In 2012 he created the Geneva Watch Tour, and he has been an advisor to the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève since 2011. Also closely involved in sailing, he has published the magazine of the Société Nautique de Genève since 2003, and was one of the founders of the SUI Sailing Awards in 2009 and the Concours d’Elégance for motor boats at the Cannes Yachting Festival in 2015.

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