Introducing: New Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked Variations
Some watches are more emblematic of their manufacturers than others. The Royal Oak is certainly the brand hero for Audemars Piguet. The opening of calibers, however, is equally characteristic of the Maison from Le Brassus. So it is no exaggeration to say that an openworked Royal Oak is about as AP as it gets. The brand has recently added three new references to the lineup in steel, yellow gold, and black ceramic.
Join me for a look at these three new additions to the Royal Oak Openworked collection.
Audemars Piguet’s track record in openworked movements
While the Royal Oak is probably the first thing to spring to mind when thinking of Audemars Piguet, openworked movements may be a close second. The brand first explored the opening-up of watch movements as early as the 1930s. However, it wasn’t until the 1970s that a new generation of AP watchmakers lobbied to revive the craft.
Ref. 5442 — Image: Amsterdam Vintage Watches
A dedicated new workshop was opened, and AP’s then-CEO Georges Golay set the first target — to make 100 openworked versions of caliber 2120. A whopping 150 hours of work went into each caliber to carefully open it up as far as humanly possible. The first watch housing this openworked movement (ref. 5442) was sold in late 1973. It took until 1976 to produce another 30 examples, making these early watches exceedingly rare. Things accelerated from there, resulting in 300 openworked watches produced in 1978 and a dozen specialized craftspeople occupying the workshop by 1984.
It wasn’t until 1981 that the craft made it to the Royal Oak collection. However, this wasn’t quite in a wristwatch just yet. The pendant/pocket watch (ref. 5710BA) was the first to receive an openworked caliber. Then, in 1986, the perpetual calendar reference 25636 with an openworked movement debuted. The 1990s then saw many more versions emerge, finally resulting in the collection we have today.
What’s new?
Today’s three new references are — if I am going to be blunt about it — new colorways of existing models. There is already an extensive range of 41mm and 37mm Royal Oaks housing the openworked caliber 3132. Rose gold with a rainbow gem-set bezel? It’s there. Black ceramic with an ominous anthracite movement? AP’s got you! Steel with a diamond-set bezel? There’s that too!
Today’s versions are, by comparison, relatively simple. They are, however, all about contrast. The 41mm steel and black ceramic versions now come with rose-tone calibers. The yellow gold version, on the other hand, now features a dark gray caliber.
The movements now stand out more prominently against the cases, focusing all attention on the openworked piece of art inside. It is surprisingly effective. The watch almost takes the role of a display case, putting the caliber front and center.
Specs of the new openworked references
All three new versions come in the 41mm Royal Oak case with the matching integrated bracelet. The case measures 9.9mm thick and has a 50m water resistance rating. Its flat sapphire crystal comes complete with an AR coating to reduce glare. For the black ceramic and steel versions, the screws in the iconic bezel also match the color of the caliber inside.
The movement is, naturally, the star of the show here, but the openworking isn’t caliber 3132’s only party piece. It also offers two balance wheels and hairsprings mounted on top of each other on a shared axis. The resulting mechanism is said to improve accuracy. The caliber runs at 21,600vph and promises an autonomy of 45 hours. The 3132 is self-winding with — you guessed it — a skeletonized rotor.
The openworking includes ample anglage, with the notoriously hard-to-execute V-shaped angles neatly polished. Although many of the movement’s 245 parts are opened, this isn’t quite a see-through caliber. If you ask me, that is a good thing since I don’t love openworked watches that put my hairy wrists on display. Caliber 3132, instead, reveals its intricate inner workings in glorious detail.
Pricing and availability
The steel version (ref. 15407ST.OO.1220ST.02) is priced at CHF 66,500, while the yellow gold model (ref. 15407BA.OO.1220BA.01) comes in at CHF 88,000. The ceramic version (ref. 15416CE.OO.1225CE.02) shares this CHF 88,000 price, but this one is limited to 150 pieces.
What do you think of these new additions to Audemars Piguet’s impressive Royal Oak Openworked lineup? Let us know in the comments section below!
