2012 was the 40th Anniversary of the Royal Oak, which was marked with a worldwide tour of some 100 examples of the iconic watch. 2013 is the 20th Anniversary of the Royal Oak Offshore, and there are a number of notables in this year's releases. With the recent naming of company veteran Francois-Henry Bennahmias as CEO
...and demand at an all-time high, AP is focused on bolstering worldwide buyer experience. We may see a celebratory spotlight brought to the Offshore line in the coming years, but 2013 appears to be the year of a restrained number of models exemplifying core brand values, and answering to current product demand.
Two big releases this year come in ceramic. The brand has been interested in working in ceramic for some time, but it was not until the level of finishing achieved with the Legacy LE (the last of the Offshore series with Schwarzenegger) that encouraged them to bring the material to production models.
The Offshore Diver first appeared in 2010, in stainless steel.
A forged carbon version was introduced last year.
This year, we see the Offshore Diver in ceramic.
And for the first time, with exhibition caseback...and still rated to 300 meters
As well, a 44mm Offshore Chronograph in ceramic
The forged carbon equivalent models will fully transition to their ceramic counterparts, but all forged carbon pieces currently offered will continue production in 2013
We've seen one-off editions of the Offshore Perpetual before, including the limited Restivo. This year, we see a limited series of three pieces, with some new dial design elements.
In Titanium
In Rose Gold
And in Platinum
PT and Ti together
Since its founding in 1875, Audemars Piguet has made a Grande Complication every year. Even in the leanest years of a worldwide Depression, when in 1932 they produced exactly one watch, it was a Grande Comp. Every Grande Comp produced at Audemars Piguet is assembled three times before delivery.
First, the movement is assembled for functionality. Once all functions are tested, the movement is disassembled and then hand-finished. It is re-assembled and again tested for operation, as well as confirming the visual qualities of the finishing. It is disassembled again, more finishing is done, and the 648-part watch is at last fully assembled and tested once more. This entire process takes one watchmaker approximately six months.
For 2013, we see the skeletonized Grande Comp, which combines a Perpetual Calendar, Minute Repeater, and split-second Chronograph.
Also new for this year is a complication trio we have previously seen in the Jules Audemars line, and now in the Tradition model line. Audemars Piguet is possibly the only company to combine a Minute Repeater, Tourbillon and Chronograph, a combination requiring complex movement design due to the amount of space occupied by the Tourbillon.
This year's SIHH offered a remarkable number of releases in Ladies watches. Audemars Piguet and several other brands concentrated significantly on them, with a number of new pieces in both the Royal Oak and Jules Audemars lines.
Jules Audemars Ultra Thin with diamond set
Powered by the legendary 2120 movement
This 41mm piece has been offered for the past couple of years in both white and rose gold, and many of its buyers have been women.
Jules Audemars Automatic
With the superb 3120 movement
Several manual wind Jules Audemars pieces
Tradition with Mother of Pearl dial (also offered in Rose Gold without diamonds)
I want to thank everyone at Audemars Piguet for providing access to the 2013 Novelties, and for their tremendous support of the Timezone AP forum and site. I also want to thank Paul Boutros for his outstanding photos, and for his valuable time.
If you would like to read more about this year's AP Novelties, please click here.
Hope you enjoyed those!
Howard - Moderator...Audemars Piguet & Jaeger-LeCoultre
- boa2