For the very first time, the Jules Audemars collection is appearing in a titanium version. Presented in a special leather boxed set complete with a manual timer, this Jules Audemars Gstaad Classic limited-edition model will accompany the eponymous historical car rally from August 31^st to September 4^th. It has already made its mark on the history of exceptional watches models by serving as the inspiration for a one-of-a-kind model created for Only Watch 2011 in a pink gold Gstaad Classic version.

The Jules Audemars collection traditionally stands out from the other timepieces from the Manufacture Audemars Piguet because of its classic approach that it is sometimes enhanced by a vintage touch. Its round, elegant case has consistently hosted the finest complications. Its association with the Gstaad Classic Audemars Piguet rally now lends it a new dimension by interpreting tradition in a more sporting mode. It is once again the Grand Hotel Park, which houses the Audemars Piguet boutique offering the famous 500-piece limited series, that will host the some 200 drivers and co-drivers who come from around the world to take part in this loop-style race (which starts and finishes in the same place). These automobile enthusiasts will put their collector’s cars (built before 1976) through their paces in regularity tests covering several hundred kilometres on open roads, as well as in special timed events on closed roads. But first of all, competitors will have had to earn the right to compete. On the one hand, in order to be eligible, their vehicle must have an authenticity passport verified by the FIA, have undergone a recent technical check-up, and be equipped with an a fire extinguisher. And on the other, drivers and co-drivers must hold a permit (competition or regularity category) based on their experience and their physical condition. Such measures confirm that pleasure must go hand in hand with security ! At the previous edition, the race got off to a spectacular start with the participation of big names such as the former French Formula 1 racing driver René Arnoux and current Swiss Formula 1 racing driver Sébastien Buemi, who also happens to be an Audemars Piguet ambassador.

Audemars Piguet is involved in a long-running love story with the world of motor sports – witness the partnership between the Manufacture in Le Brassus and Maserati ten years ago. Which also explains why the living legend of Formula 1 racing Michael Schumacher agreed to join the family of Audemars Piguet ambassadors. Brand customers are also keenly aware of these ties, and many of them are fervent devotees of fine mechanisms. The design of Audemars Piguet watches is indeed inspired by the world of automobiles in terms of both colours and materials. In the case of the Jules Audemars Gstaad Classic, the hand-sewn chestnut brown leather strap with lozenge-shaped overstitching is immediately reminiscent of car upholstery. The light and resistant titanium featured in the case is eminently suited to drivers’ quest for performance. Entirely focused on their race, they must never need to stop and think about when to activate the chronograph, a consideration that led the Audemars Piguet engineers to create an immediately identifiable pink gold pushpiece for the start/stop function. The overall design of the chronograph radiates a vintage appeal attuned to the spirit of car rally circles. To encourage and reward the participants of the Gstaad Classic Audemars Piguet 2011, Audemars Piguet has enriched this 250-piece limited series with an even more exclusive 50-piece only version available exclusively from the Gstaad boutique. In this interpretation, the titanium chronograph comes in a leather presentation box echoing vintage driver’s trunks and equipped with a manual timer that can be fixed to the dashboard or worn around the neck. Collectors alert : ready, steady, go !

Summer 2011 brings a truly memorable launch: that of the new Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph, with an oversized case available in a choice of steel, forged carbon or pink gold versions. In keeping with the DNA of the line, the ceramic of the famous octagonal bezel – often copied but never equalled – features various adornments. In the first version, ceramic is combined with steel, in the second with forged carbon, and in the second with pink gold. Forged carbon is a material derived from the aeronautical industry that the Manufacture Audemars Piguet was the first to introduce into the field of Fine Watchmaking. The choice of ceramic for the bezel – the part of the watch most exposed to impacts and thus to scratching – is due to its excellent resistance and hardness. The level of finish deserves to be emphasised, since although the watch industry is becoming very fond of this material, it is rarely finished with such meticulous care. Diamond-tipped grinding wheels remove hundredths of millimetres of material in order to achieve the same refined details as on steel, but in this case the process involves numerous operations that are extremely delicate and time-consuming. The right-hand side of the case has been the object of particular care. The pushpiece guards form two separate elements secured to the case by four visible screws. The pushpieces themselves are composed of two parts : a base and a cap that serves as a contact surface. The complexity of the construction calls for a large number of operations, especially given the sophisticated finishes. The pushpiece guards are beadblasted and satin-brushed, while the base of the pushpieces is beadblasted and the cap is satin-brushed and polished. In other words, this model is about far more than just a change of size, since the entire case aesthetic has been rethought.

 

The sapphire crystal caseback reveals the new 22-carat gold monobloc oscillating weight reflecting the refinement of the Manufacture Audemars Piguet Calibre 3126/3840. Hand-assembled in the Le Brassus workshops, it not only boasts impressive reliability, but also exceptional quality of execution and finishing. Its cross-through balance-bridge ensures enhanced shock-resistance. Arranged in an elegant and harmonious manner, its bridges are meticulously bevelled and polished so as to reveal only sharp angles, while the jewel sinks are diamond-polished. The wheels feature bevelled spokes and diamond-polished jewel sinks. Even the screw rim and slots are bevelled. The hand-crafted decoration includes circular graining on both sides of the mainplate and bridges adorned with Côtes de Genève.