As part of its 150th anniversary celebrations, Audemars Piguet presents the new Royal Oak 'Jumbo' RD#5, an innovative tourbillon chronograph limited to 150 pieces.
Audemars Piguet celebrates its 150th anniversary with an exclusive new model: the Royal Oak 'Jumbo' Extra-Thin Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph RD#5. The Royal Oak 'Jumbo', as the first Royal Oak presented in 1972 designed by Gérald Genta was nicknamed, has always been synonymous with perfect proportions, with its 39 mm in diameter by 8.1 mm thick.
For the first time in its 50-year history, the Royal Oak 'Jumbo' houses a double complication: a flyback automatic chronograph and a flying tourbillon, a technical challenge that took five years of development by the R&D teams at Le Brassus. Limited to 150 pieces and made of titanium and Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG), The new Royal Oak 'Jumbo' RD#5 offers an enviable balance between lightness, durability and brilliance, embodying the essence of contemporary watchmaking innovation.
Calibre 8100: a 'new energy' for the chronograph
The company developed a new calibre for the Royal Oak 'Jumbo' RD#5.
The beating heart of the RD#5 is the new IWC-manufactured 8100 calibre (21,600 vibrations per hour, 72-hour power reserve), a completely redesigned movement (and with patented solutions) that represents a turning point in the evolution of chronographs. After more than 150 years in which chronographs have essentially kept the traditional hammer and heart-cam reset mechanism unchanged, Audemars Piguet has completely reinvented the reset system.
Indeed, the company's engineers have developed an innovative patented rack-and-pinion mechanism that replaces the traditional heart-and-hammer cam system, storing energy in the rack to keep the gear train under tension and eliminating the friction spring found in traditional chronographs. This approach not only reduces energy consumption, but also allows energy to be stored instead of dissipated. Another innovative aspect of the RD#5 concerns the ergonomics of the chronograph pushers. In traditional chronographs, the buttons typically require a stroke of 1 mm or more and a force of around 1.5 kilograms. The aim (achieved) was to reduce these values by drawing inspiration from smartphone buttons, which have a stroke of 0.3 mm and require 300 grams of force.
The new 8100 calibre stores energy when the chronograph is activated and releases it when the chronograph is reset, allowing for the first time short-stroke, low-force pushers. When the chronograph is reset, the stored energy is then released and the chrono seconds hand returns to zero in less than 0.15 seconds.
Royal Oak 'Jumbo RD#5: chronograph with flying tourbillon
The 39 mm titanium case is combined with a BMG (solid metal glass) bezel.
From an aesthetic point of view, The new Royal Oak "Jumbo" RD#5 features generously sized symmetrical counters positioned at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock on the dial in the shade "Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50", guilloché engraved with a "petite tapisserie" motif. The chrono minute counter is instant-jump, as is the chrono hour counter, two particularly popular complications. At 6 o'clock is the flying tourbillon. Note also the distinctive Audemars Piguet logo at 12 o'clock, inspired by an archive drawing.
Visible from the back side (made by BMG), the new 8100 calibre sports a platinum peripheral oscillating weight, which reduces thickness and offers an unobstructed view of the movement's refined finishes, such as the hand-bevelled chronograph bridges and satin finish. The integrated case and bracelet combine the lightness of titanium with the resistance of BMG (solid metal glass). In particular, Audemars Piguet's proprietary BMG is composed of more than 50% palladium, and offers exceptional wear and corrosion resistance, along with a characteristic reflective sheen. Also noteworthy is the presence of the function selector integrated in the crown. The latter has a coaxial pusher, with a red indicator, allowing two positions, one for setting the time and the other for winding the movement. Essentially, the crown is no longer pulled out, but by pressing the button one can decide to wind the watch or set the time.
Royal Oak RD#5: the fifth chapter in the 'RD' series
Audemars Piguet's 'RD' series debuted in 2015 with the RD#1.
The bezel, pushers and crown and bolts are made of BMG with a mirror finish, while the titanium case and bracelet links alternate between satin-brushed and polished bevels. The Royal Oak "Jumbo" RD#5 is thus part of a prestigious tradition of innovation, typical of Audemars Piguet's RD series, which started in 2015.
Each model in the series tackled specific haute horlogerie challenges: the RD#1 set new acoustic standards, the RD#2 reinvented the ultra-flat perpetual calendar, and the RD#3 with its ultra-flat automatic flying tourbillon. Finally, the RD#4 combined no fewer than 23 complications. With the RD#5, therefore, Audemars Piguet not only celebrates its 150th anniversary, but also opens a new era in the history of chronographs, demonstrating once again how technical innovation can be at the service of design and enhance the user experience.
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