Messages: 2262 Location: Washington, DC
Registered: May 2007
Stopped by the 57th Street boutique...
Mon, 11 June 2012 19:01
I'm NYC on business I took the opportunity to swing by the Audemars Piguet boutique on 57th Street. The staff is very pleasant and I had a chance to spent 30 min with the watch maker showing me around. There are a lot of nice pieces in there that I can talk about but it was game over when I get to see the new Ref 15202 ST, aka Jumbo.
At first one is a bit taken back how thin and light it is, which is of course because of the Cal 2121 movement, the thinnest automatic movement in the world with a center rotor. The movement is stunning through the display back. But what really makes this watch stand out is the dial. It is mesmerizing! Personally, I find the micro-tapiserie (hey, spelled that way so it wouldn't get caught by TZ's automated filter) much more compelling than the regular tapiserie on the 15300/15400 or the mega-tapiserie on the Royal Oak Offshore line. The blue/grey color of the dial as a vintage vibe and I was told is ever so slightly different in each batch. To really finish off the vintage feel the Audemars Piguet name is printed directly on top of the hobnails instead of a square plate on the other Royal Oaks.
I really had to control myself not to pull out the Amex right away and walk out with that piece. It is just such a compelling design icon, for sure my favorite AP in the whole line up now that I've had to handle it in person. I played around with a few other pieces, took a look at the new 15400, Trulli, Rubberclad etc but they all felt unrefined compared to the sporty elegance of the Jumbo. Everything is just right about the Jumbo in terms of size, proportion, size of dial/hands/hour markets/date window. And the lack of a constantly moving second-hand just adds to the balance and sheer elegance of the piece. It is a reference I would truly to honored to own and wear.
One last little bonus, while I was there Sebastien Leon Agneessens came in to talk business. Sebastien is the very talented designer behind the 40th anniversary exhibition currently on world travel. I might have overheard a thing or two but I'll leave that off the internet... ;-)
- 1point4