Audemars Piguet has just launched the iconic Royal Oak design in 34mm size with a completely new automatic mechanical movement despite Covid-19.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 34mm – 1mm also makes a difference
Since its birth in 1972, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak has developed into a diverse collection, conquering both men and women who love high-end watches. Starting with a size of 33 mm and a Quartz movement that is suitable for ladies because of its elegant design, fits the wrist and the machine is convenient to use. Next is the 37mm size, which has many versions to conquer both genders.
Sizes 39 mm and 41 mm are used in many versions to conquer men, along with complex and super complex features, partly because the larger cross-section allows these mechanical functions to be included. without much affecting the characteristic thinness of Royal Oak. It has been a long time since Audemars Piguet added a new size to this legendary Royal Oak collection, which is the recently released 34mm Royal Oak version.
The 34 mm Royal Oak with self-winding movement becomes the smallest automatic watch in the collection. Even though the difference is only 1mm, in the world of high-end watches, every small detail has meaning. An increase of 1 mm helps the automatic mechanical movement fit comfortably in the Royal Oak case. And for artisans, they also have to find a way to build a completely new automatic machine to fit this diameter.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 34 mm has become the choice for individual ladies who want to increase their size because previously they were confused between the too small 33 mm line and the mid-sized 37 mm line. Besides, the 34 mm version also promises to attract ladies as the automatic mechanical movement has never appeared in women’s Royal Oak versions.
For men, the 34 mm Royal Oak can serve those with small wrists or those who prefer neatness. Compared to the Royal Oak ref.4100, a model considered large for men in the 70s and 80s, the difference in size compared to this 34 mm version is insignificant.
The new collection of the Swiss watch company includes 4 designs on steel materials, mixed steel and rose gold, with dial tones from silver, blue with smooth or diamond-encrusted bezels. All 4 versions use the AP caliber 5800 automatic mechanical movement, oscillating at a frequency of 4 Hz with a date window at the three o’clock position.
Royal Oak symbol in Audemars Piguet history
Two childhood friends, Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet, were born, grew up and became watch artisans in Le Brassus village – the cradle of high-end Swiss watchmaking. In 1875, they jointly founded the Audemars Piguet brand, specializing in producing aesthetically perfect, technically complex watches.
Up to now, this legacy has been passed down through 145 years of history by the descendants of both families and descendant artisans, continuing to create unprecedented milestones in the high-end watch industry. After four generations, Audemars Piguet remains completely independent in the hands of the two founding families, a beautiful story of friendship, rare in the watch world and also an illustration of the temperament of the people of Le Brassus.
In the early 20th century, Swiss watches still followed a fairly classic and traditional trend, until the “Quartz crisis” appeared in the early 70s. Affordable battery-powered electronic watches came from The Eastern part of the world has taken over and shaken up the Swiss watch industry, putting them in a position to innovate.
In fact, many brands have closed down, dismantled and sold off their mechanical machines as well as a series of handmade tools. Not an exception, Audemars Piguet is also surrounded by difficulties and facing pressure. At that time, CEO Georges Golay of Audemars Piguet said that switching to Quartz was not a long-term direction. He was anxious to find a version that could serve Italian collectors because this is a very strong market in both terms. Economy and style.
Italians have many unique cultural features, from the way they eat, dress, and wine to fashion, racing cars, sports, and yachts on the Mediterranean. There needs to be something groundbreaking, pioneering, new and attractive enough to conquer collectors in this country. Capital has influence on a world scale. CEO Golay assigned this article to famous designer Gerald Genta with a deadline to submit the drawings so urgently that it was just one night.
Inspired by a diver’s helmet in Lake Geneva and a night of drinking too much Espresso, burying himself in sketching under pressure, Gerald Genta created a painting called Audemars Piuget Royal Oak. A watch with an octagonal design on the bezel decorated with screws and metal bands attached to the watch body using a variety of polishing and dulling techniques and a dial decorated with Tapiserries motifs.
The new design lies on the boundary between luxury and generosity, suitable for the wearer when driving a yacht on the coast of Capri (Italy), sipping a glass of champagne and enjoying life.
The Royal Oak ushered in a new school of elegant sports watches during that period, leading elite collectors such as King Juan Carlos of Spain or legendary Italian Agnelli to pioneer ownership. . Not long after, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak became an icon in the Swiss watch industry, becoming one of the most recognized designs today, continuing the proud legacy of the Audemars and Audemars families. Piguet.