Audemars Piguet presents the Royal Oak “Las Vegas Strip” Collection
If America is a country for dreaming big, then Las Vegas is the place where dreams – with a little luck – can come true. Inspired by this city, Audemars Piguet, the world’s most daring and audacious luxury watchmaker, presents the Royal Oak Las Vegas Strip Collection.
Renowned for its unique designs and unparalleled technical achievement, Audemars Piguet has taken the spirit of the Las Vegas Strip and translated it into a vision of bold and sophisticated creativity. The Royal Oak, originally conceived by Audemars Piguet in 1972, was a revolution. The world’s first luxury stainless steel sports watch, with its iconic octagonal bezel, has become one of the world’s most admired and desired timepieces.
Now, destined for a fortunate few, Audemars Piguet presents four superb paragons of the watchmaker’s craft.
Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars
Luxury Swiss watchmaking maison Audemars Piguet revealed the fruits of its research and development labors at the recently concluded Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie. The watch itself is a time-only proposition, with power reserve indication (56 hours), but it is a horological masterpiece.
This is actually visible, since the escapement assembly (at 4 o’clock in the image) is meant to function dial-side. Given that it operates at 43,200 vibrations per hour and features the double balance spring direct-impulse escapement (revealed to the world in 2006), the visible action of this escapement is a treat.
With this series-production watch, Audemars Piguet demonstrates both the stability of their balance assembly and the necessary improved shock resistance. No information is available at present on the rate of the watch.
This is a massive 17 2/3 lignes movement, with the open three-dimensional aesthetic showing off the true scale of the engine. It also confirms the brand’s commitment to producing large watches, with this model cased in platinum 250 at 46mm. Given the current real estate of this movement, calibre 2908, it will be interesting to see how the brand executes a chronograph or perpetual calendar display.
