The House of Le Brassus presents several new models, including three Royal Oak Chronographs in 38 mm cases, powered by the new IWC-manufactured chronograph calibre 6401, and a sumptuous pocket watch.
Audemars Piguet launches several new watches, including three Royal Oak watches in chronograph versions with 38 mm cases, powered by the new IWC-manufactured calibre 6401, and a sumptuous pocket model called the 150 Heritage. The self-winding Calibre 6401 that powers these new Royal Oak chronographs in 38 mm cases has been developed to ensure greater precision, reliability and aesthetic refinement.
This new automatic movement (28,800 vibrations per hour and 55-hour power reserve) marks an important technical milestone in the evolution of the Royal Oak and makes its debut in three models, one with a steel case and two others in rose gold, one of which is enriched by the presence of diamonds on the bezel.
All three of these new chronographs use an anti-reflective sapphire crystal back, a first for the 38 mm Royal Oak Chronograph, revealing the refined architecture and finishing of the calibre 6401. This innovation constitutes both an aesthetic and technical advancement for the Royal Oak collection with its 38 mm case, which retains the model's distinctive proportions.
Royal Oak Chronograph 38 mm: new manufacture calibre
Developed entirely in-house for five years, the calibre 6401 marks a new chapter in the tradition of Audemars Piguet chronographs.
Calibre 6401 replaces Calibre 2385, a movement that was introduced in 1997 and quickly became a mainstay of the Manufacture's offer for almost thirty years. Like its predecessor, the calibre 6401 is an integrated chronograph movement with column wheel and vertical coupling system. Audemars Piguet patented the coupling mechanism, simplifying its architecture to reduce the number of components and eliminate unnecessary play. Among other features, this calibre requires less pressure to activate the pushers.
This movement also features an instant-jump date display and a counter layout that has been redesigned for better readability. Calibre 6401 will also become part of the Royal Oak Offshore collection later this year, ensuring continuity and coherence to the brand's entire offering.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph 38 mm: three new variants
Models powered by the new calibre 6401 are available in steel, in pink gold and in pink gold and diamonds.
The layout of the dial has been modified to ensure greater symmetry and better readability, with the date window now positioned more centrally between the 4 and 5 o'clock hour markers. Unlike Calibre 2385, the chrono minute counter is now at 9 o'clock and the chrono hour counter at 3 o'clock, thus ensuring a better visual balance.
Maintaining the proportions of the previous model, the watch retains its 11 mm thickness to accommodate the new movement, without compromising fit or size. The iconic guilloché-engraved dial with Grande Tapisserie motif in the shade 'Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50' is paired with a steel case and bracelet, in homage to the original aesthetic codes of the Royal Oak.
The 18-carat rose gold variant with a dark grey dial and silver-plated counters presents subtle contrasts. The interplay between the warm shade of gold and the cool shade of grey enhances depth and legibility, while the rose gold hands and indices add a harmonious touch.
Finally, a third model uses an 18-carat rose gold case combined with a sand-blasted gold dial with silver-plated counters and a diamond-set bezel. The latter lends preciousness and charm to the delicate-toned palette. "The introduction of the calibre 6401 embodies our pursuit of mechanical innovation and our commitment to making movements that are as refined as they are impressive," said Lucas Raggi, Chief Industrial Officer of Audemars Piguet. For all three models, water resistance is guaranteed up to a pressure of 5 atmospheres.
Heritage 150: pocket model with 47 functions
These include the Universal Calendar, Grande and Petite Sonnerie, Supersonnerie, minute repeater and flying tourbillon.
The 150 Heritage pocket watch explores the cycle of time and marks a return to Audemars Piguet's origins in grand pocket complications. The new calibre 1150 is equipped with Universal Calendar: a mechanical computer visible from the back and independent of the movement, che linking of solar, lunar and lunisolar cycles on a single display.
The movement is based on the Calibre 1000 architecture of the RD#4 of 2023, which set a new standard in terms of complexity and ease of use in a wristwatch. In this case, all the activation mechanisms - crown buttons and correctors - have been completely redesigned to suit the compact format of the pocket watch and its intended use. As stated by Giulio Papi, Director of Watch Conception, the aim was not to achieve the greatest number of complications, but rather ergonomics of use.
Compared to the 1000-calibre, the 1150 has been converted to a manual movement for the pocket watch format and includes 47 functions and 30 complications (including the Universal Calendar), including Grande and Petite Sonnerie, Supersonnerie, minute repeater, flying tourbillon, semi-Gregorian Perpetual Calendar, split-seconds fkyback chronograph.
150 Heritage: only two examples in platinum
Later this year, however, Audemars Piguet will launch eight more variants in 18-carat gold.
Métiers d'art techniques further enhance the 150 Heritage. Starting with the entirely hand-engraved platinum case. The grouping of all the chronograph pushers and crowns in a small portion of the flank has left space for the depiction of commemorative motifs and scenes describing the history of Audemars Piguet, including portraits of its founders and the logo dedicated to the 150th anniversary.
The main dial is white gold in translucent blue Grand Feu enamel, with hand-engraved white gold Roman numerals resting on a trail of stars to evoke celestial rhythms. The Universal Calendar dial, on the back, boasts the same decoration. The watch comes with a handmade platinum chain and is produced in only two pieces.
However, in addition to the two exclusive platinum timepieces, eight other 18-carat white gold variants will be presented, each of which will reflect the same standards of craftsmanship and attention to detail.
