SIHH 2019: Black ceramic Audemars Piguet Royal Oak tourbillon ultra-thin watch
SIHH 2019 did not disappoint watchmakers. They showed their latest technology and design to the public, as well as their latest complexity and mechanical skills. From Vacheron Constantin’s Traditionnelle Twin-Beat to A. Lange & Söhne’s new Zeitwerk Date, SIHH 2019 is full of surprises. The most controversial release is arguably Audemars Piguet’s Code 11:59 series. 2019 is the last year of their participation in SIHH, code 11:59 has undoubtedly caught everyone’s attention. This, in turn, has led to many other new versions of the brand getting attention without getting the attention it deserves. One of them is a black ceramic royal oak tourbillon ultra-thin watch.
Le Brassus watchmakers initially introduced the Royal Oak in a black ceramic case in 2017. AP has also manufactured Tourbillon Extra-Thin in many previous models, including the purple dial variant introduced at SIHH 2018. The limited-edition 100-piece case with strong blackness provides elegance and refinement for the ceramic satin polished case, which is 7 times harder than steel. The black Royal Oak Tourbillon Extra-Thin matches the titanium case back and folding clasp. It is the third replica Royal Oak in the series, which incorporates a ceramic case, bracelet and bezel. Contrary to the classic design of Swiss watchmakers, the original grid-shaped dial was replaced by a new corrugated “Tapisserie Evolutive”, which was extended from the tourbillon at 6 o’clock. The dial uses a simple but traditional hour and minute dial layout, but with a 60-second tourbillon. There is a spectacular case on the back, and the power reserve indicator and the internal mechanical device of the timepiece are displayed on the rear. Three-quarters of the plates are hand-made and made with hand-finished patterns of daylight Geneva stripes.
It is powered by the manual-winding movement “Caliber 2924 Manufacture” and has a 70-hour power reserve. The ultra-thin dimensions are 41mm x 9mm Royal Oak. Despite its thinness, it is not as thin as the Royal Oak “extra large” (thickness is only 8 mm). Nonetheless, considering that it has a tourbillon, 9 mm is still very thin.
With its stainless steel case, octagonal bezel, “tapisserie” dial and one-piece bracelet, the Royal Oak overturned the code at the time in 1972, and its due status became a truly modern symbol. Despite being a standard timepiece, the online cheap watch is composed of 216 independent parts, demonstrating the exquisite craftsmanship of Le Brassus watchmaker.
