Audemars Piguet has been a leader in the manufacture of complications since 1881, and the brand has continued to impress us with their audacious creations underpinned by traditional watchmaking at its finest. Fusing the two great icons of Audemars Piguet’s heritage, the Royal Oak model and the ultra-thin automatic perpetual calendar complication, the present Royal Oak Quantième Perpétuel epitomizes the refined aesthetics, technical complexity and perfect ergonomics that serve as the essence of the Manufacture's long history of watchmaking.
In recent years, Audemars Piguet has redefined its perpetual calendar complication by introducing various unique interpretations. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the renowned Indonesia retailer, ‘The Time Place’ in 2019, the present timepiece was crafted in a limited edition of only 20 pieces in platinum. The movement is adorned with a special skeletonized 22K pink gold rotor unique to this edition which is pierced and engraved ’20 Years The Time Place’ visible through the transparent case back.
The classic salmon dial has always been highly regarded by connoisseurs, and it has been employed on wristwatches since the early 19th century, with some of the most important timepieces in the history of watchmaking revered for their sumptuous salmon dial. The magnificent salmon dial on the present timepiece is extremely well-executed. Graced with the delicate “Grande Tapisserie” pattern, the dial glimmers in shades of alluring salmon under different lighting. The dial is further coupled with silver inner bezel with matching sub-dial rings, white gold applied hour-markers and Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating, culminating an irresistible dial with great depth and texture. Along with the traditional calendar functions, the watch is presented with weekly indication and a beautiful astronomical moon phase display, depicted by a photorealistic moon on an iridescent blue background.
The timepiece is further powered by the in-house automatic calibre 5134, introduced in 2015. The movement is built upon the renowned original caliber 2120 launched by Audemars Piguet in 1967, which is still the thinnest full-rotor automatic winding movement in the world. It beats at a steady frequency of 19,800 vph, and boasts a power reserve of 40 hours, with a water resistance of 20 meters.
When this celebrated match of salmon dial and platinum case finds its expression on a Royal Oak, the wearer is struck by the aesthetic power of the icy tonality of platinum, and the weight of material conveys on a physical level the importance of this timepiece. Offered in well-preserved condition, the present example is a phenomenal timepiece not to be missed by our esteemed collectors.