Manufacture
Orangedial's detailed report on an Audemars Piguet 'Complicated Evening' provides a fascinating glimpse into the brand's heritage and technical prowess. His narrative, enriched with personal anecdotes and high-quality photography, brings to life the experience of engaging with vintage and contemporary AP complications. This post offers valuable context for understanding Audemars Piguet's commitment to haute horlogerie and its efforts to connect with collectors.
It is always a pleasant surprise to receive private invitation from AP. You know you will be in for something exciting, refined and fun! This time, it was a night full of technical content befitting the haute horlogerie status of AP, a night of relentless showcase of pinnacle mechanical timekeeping technologies from the 138 years old Swiss watch powerhouse.
The dinner venue was at a cozy Italian rstaurant called La Villa which is located just next to the AP Service Center. As ironic as it can be, the Italians were not the main casts of the day, but had to give way to the Swiss invasion...
~~ Menu of the Day ~~
Amuse-bouche:
Assorted vintage AP complications from the early 1900s' till the new millennium
AP started making complicated timepieces in the late 19th century. It was quite amazing to see some vintage perpetual calendars and miniaturized minute repeaters on display. I can only imagine how much patience the watchmakers must have to construct each and every one of those precision timepieces by hand in the era when light bulbs had not yet popularized.
Entrée:
A sumptuous multi-course Swiss cuisines complete with champagnes, wines and spirits
How can you better appreciate the finest Swiss Made timekeeping marvels after a long hard day of work? Of course not before feasting on some delicious Swiss cuisines and heightening the senses with some 'spirits'! AP sure knew what to do… Bon-appetit!
Main Course:
A gala buffet of AP Grand Complications, Minute Repeaters, Toubillons, Split-second Chronographs, Jumping Hours, etc.
Unlike most of the brand events which are largely marketing rah-rah, AP did it differently this time by bringing in their Head of Product Management Mr. Claudio Cavaliere to explain the history and technical details of the complicated watches at several intervals of the dinner. Claudio mingled around answering questions from curious guests, while Oliviero and other AP SG team members like Bindy, Jeremy, Teresa and Ilyia were busy entertaining customers and friends.
Oliviero was the host cum emcee of the night
Claudio and guests
Claudio explained the Grande Complication
Naturally, the highlight of the day was the showcase of many rare complications. It was really special and fascinating to be able to get up close and personal with so many dream pieces, some of them are priced in excess of half a million dollars! What a head-spinning buffet of beautiful openworks, crisp ding-ding tunes of the minute repeaters, graceful oscillation of the toubillons, glittering jewels endowing the ladies' timepieces, and the sheer weight of precious metals encasing those complicated movements. All these, together with the interactions with Claudio, brought the appreciation of the brand's technical prowess to a new level.
Sharing here are photos of some high-end pieces which I managed to capture under a dimly lit condition. There were more monster watches (in terms of complication and price, of course) such as the Millenary Carbon One, RG ROO Tourbillon Chronograph and Chronometer with AP Escapement being circulated around but I didn't manage to grab a shot of them. Let's make do...
Jules Audemars Openwork Minute Repeater with Jumping Hour
Admittedly, my most favorite watch of the night!
Royal Oak Equation Of Time in rose gold
Royal Oak Extra Thin Tourbillon in stainless steel
Royal Oak Openwork Perpetual Calendar in full platinum
Even the LeBron James ROO made an appearance!
A tray-full of high-end APs… There were a few more trays circulating around
A lady's Millenary with gorgeous dial and beautiful diamond bezel and lugs
An elegant rose gold lady's Jules Audemars
The ever-popular lady's ROO with diamond-clad bezel
Dessert:
Attractive quiz prizes and door gifts, all exclusively AP
Another interesting subevent was a quiz. Oliviero dished out a few trivial questions about AP that made everyone busy flipping any literature available on the table, or simply googling away on smartphones. All in the quest to win that solid Royal Oak wall clock! I'm most pleased to share with you some pictures of my winning prize! :clap:
All in all, it was an enjoyable evening.
My wife was still rather clueless about all the high complications after the dinner. But she left impressed nonetheless, with what she saw as "works of art".
As for me, I left the dinner totally satisfied with the technical engagement of the brand, great meal with a wonderful host and some new friends (especially Jeff and his daughter), and of course the fantastic quiz prize and excellent door gifts.
RO 14790 Tantalum/SS
One of Oliviero's humorous remarks before he brought on Claudio kept on lingering in my mind:
"You may have a lot of questions which I believe only Claudio can answer you, but there's one question I can answer you right now… There is NO DISCOUNT!".
As humorous as it can be, there certainly is no discount on AP's commitment in bringing on good products and winning customers' trust after 138 long years.
Looking forward to more excitement in the near future!
RO 15202 Extra Thin 40th Anniversary Jumbo
Thanks for reading!
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak "Jumbo" ref. 15202 is a significant reference within the Royal Oak collection, known for its close adherence to the original 1972 design. It maintains the distinctive slim profile and integrated bracelet that defined the initial Royal Oak, distinguishing it from other Royal Oak models that introduced different sizes or complications. This reference is particularly valued for its historical continuity and minimalist approach to the Royal Oak aesthetic.
This reference features a 39mm case, typically crafted from yellow gold, with a thickness of 8.1mm. It is fitted with a sapphire crystal and offers a water resistance of 50 meters. Powering the watch is the self-winding Caliber 2121, a movement known for its slimness and a power reserve of approximately 40 hours. The dial is presented in blue, complementing the yellow gold case and bracelet.
For collectors, the 15202 represents a direct link to the Royal Oak's origins, appealing to those who prioritize historical accuracy and understated design. Its production run from 2012 to 2019 makes it a sought-after reference among enthusiasts of the "Jumbo" lineage. The combination of its classic dimensions, integrated bracelet, and the Caliber 2121 solidifies its position as a key reference in the Audemars Piguet catalog.
That Jules Audemars Openwork Minute Repeater with Jumping Hour is probably my favorite AP, too. How lucky you were to handle it live. Thanks for sharing the special evening. respo
Looks like the box has been updated ;-) Leave it to AP, no stone ever goes un-turned. What was the question that won you the prize?
You guys have all the fun out there but we appreciate the virtual inclusion. Best Bill
And a huge congrats on winning the AP wall clock! You'll love it a lot as I have one hanging in my office, and it keeps great time. Cheers, Anthony
Thanks for sharing the pics of this event. All those complicated AP watches looks fantastic, and congrats on winning the AP RO clock. Regards, ED-209
and with an appropriate coverage by you. Thanks! Lots of superb watches as well, but the one I would like to try on my wrist ... one day ... the Royal Oak Openwork Perpetual Calendar in full platinum :-) Oliver
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