WOTW: Tom Kim’s Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Openworked in Black Ceramic

Viktor Hovland made 10 birdies to shoot the course report 61 at Olympia Fields to win the BMW Championship. Hovland fought off some large names on Sunday however walked away with a two-stroke victory over Scottie Scheffler and Matt Fitzpatrick. Whereas celebrating his win, Viktor was carrying a really particular, extraordinarily uncommon Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar on his wrist.

WOTW Specs

Title: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar
Reference: 26579CB.OO.1225CB.01
Restricted: No, Restricted Manufacturing
Date: 2019
Case: White Ceramic
Bezel: White Ceramic
Dial: Blue “Grande Tapisserie”
Dimension: 41mm
Motion: Calibre 5134, 38 Jewels
Energy Reserve: 40 Hours
Glass: Saphire Crystal
Waterproof: 20 Meters
Bracelet: White Ceramic Royal Oak
Worth: $93,900 (~$285,000)

Audemars Piguet is not any stranger to pushing the bounds of watch design, that’s how the Royal Oak got here to life. Again in 1972, now legendary watch designer Gérald Genta, created the Royal Oak for Audemars Piguet to fight the “quartz disaster” that was taking on the watch world. The primary Royal Oak was too large, too costly, and it most likely saved the Swiss luxurious sports activities watch market. AP has pushed the bounds with design and supplies for his or her watches over time by utilizing titanium, carbon fiber, and ceramic. Audemars Piguet doesn’t checklist this Royal Oak as a restricted version, however extra of a restricted manufacturing mannequin that solely AP’s high shoppers get entry to.

Audemars Piguet has been making a Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar since 2015 however launched this ceramic model in 2019. And this isn’t the primary white ceramic watch that AP has graced us with, they’ve been working with the fabric for 10 years. Viktor’s uncommon Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar has a 41mm case that’s produced from White Ceramic with an identical ceramic crown on the proper aspect. There aren’t too many exterior items of the watch that aren’t ceramic, however the caseback is produced from chrome steel and comprises a sapphire crystal window to view the mechanical motion. Eight screws maintain the caseback in place and seal the case for a 20-meter water resistance ranking.

The completely iconic octagon, Royal Oak, can be crafted from White Ceramic and is held down with 8 hex screws. A fantastic darkish blue dial is handled with AP’s Grande Tapisserie sample of raised squares which might be additional textured for a novel however basic look. White subdials encompass the dial to inform the month, day, date, moon part, and even when it’s a bissextile year. White gold hour makers and most important arms are polished for a mirror-like end and crammed with a luminous materials for studying in low mild.

The guts of this flashy piece is Audemars Piguet’s Calibre 5134 motion. The 5134 is self-winding and provides 40 hours of energy reserve. A complete of 374 elements are used to construct this very sophisticated perpetual calendar. Most perpetual calendars are designed to maintain correct time and date capabilities till the 12 months 2100. On March 1st of 2100, a perpetual calendar should be adjusted by a watchmaker with the intention to sustain with a bissextile year change.

A gold rotor is seen by way of the case again and winds the watch whereas 38 jewels preserve it operating easily. AP’s Royal Oak bracelet is crafted from white ceramic and completely completed with a mix of brushed and polished hyperlinks. Ceramic may be very onerous to get excellent and Audemars Piguet is understood to be among the best at getting it proper. The opposite most important, non-ceramic, piece of the watch is the chrome steel folding clasp. The metal is blackened and polished for a clear look and options the AP emblem on the skin.

This piece was solely offered by way of Audemars Piguet boutique shops and provided to their greatest shoppers. In the event you have been fortunate sufficient to have that relationship with a boutique you can have been provided a White Ceramic Perpetual Calendar for $93,900. However most of us aren’t on that checklist and for us, it is vitally onerous to get a watch that can value a large quantity on the secondary market. Anticipate to pay round $285,000 for one now, which is down from the excessive of virtually $500,000 a 12 months or so in the past.