December 2, 2020: The Swiss Haute Horologerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet launched the timeless Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon in titanium, stainless steel and 18 carat pink gold, all complemented with a refined dial design.
The full titanium reference presents an elegant sandblasted slate grey dial, with snailing in periphery, offers an alternative to the Royal Oak’s trademark “Tapisserie” pattern. The dial’s grey shades and white gold hour-markers and hands subtly echo the flying tourbillon making its rotation at 6 o’clock.
The stainless steel version adorns a refined smoked blue “Tapisserie” dial while state-of-the-art sunburst motif evolves from the flying tourbillon cage at 6 o’clock.
The 18 -carat pink gold model provides a contemporary contrast with a smoked grey sunburst “Tapisserie” dial enriched with pink gold hour-markers and hands. The flying tourbillon cage adds a delicate glimmer of pink gold which illuminates the pink gold case and bracelet.
Michael Friedman, Head of Complications, said, “The Royal Oak Tourbillon first made its debut in 1997 for the 25th anniversary of the Royal Oak. This latest evolution featuring the flying tourbillon and selfwinding mechanism reintroduces this modern classic with updated aesthetics for the new decade.”
Each timepiece has 24 carat gold Audemars Piguet signature as a first in the Royal Oak collection, achieved through a chemical process akin to 3D printing known as galvanic growth. Each letter is connected with thin links almost invisible to the eye.
The collection is powered by Calibre 2950, the Manufacture’s latest generation of selfwinding movement combining a flying tourbillon with a central rotor, released in 2019.
The hand crafted flying tourbillon cage provides a beautiful view of some of the watch’s regulating components enabling its rotation. The caseback also reveals the movement’s refined decorations such as “Côtes de Genève,” satin-brushing, snailing and hand-polished chamfers, as well as the dedicated openworked oscillating weight in pink gold or rhodium- toned pink gold.
