On Wednesday, Audemars Piguet plans to introduce the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph RD#5 — an antidote to multifunction mechanical watches that require a manual, or an experienced watchmaker standing by.
“Even if the wearer makes a mistake, the RD#5 doesn’t break,” said Ilaria Resta, the Swiss watchmaker’s chief executive, in a video interview before the release.
The RD#5 is the first example of the brand’s signature Royal Oak “Jumbo” design with a self-winding movement; a chronograph, or stopwatch; and a flying tourbillon, designed to offset the effect of gravity on timekeeping. (“Flying” refers to a visual trick that makes the whirring device appear to float through a window on the dial.)
And the 39-millimeter titanium timepiece, the fifth watch in a series showcasing the work of the brand’s research and development division, is powered by the new Calibre 8100, an ultrathin movement with three new patents (price on application).
The innovation is in how the chronograph is activated. The company’s engineers said the force required to depress the watch’s pushers had been reduced to 300 grams from about 1.5 kilograms, and the distance they travel to 0.3 millimeters from 1 millimeter. These activate what the brand called its “instant jump minute counter,” which moves the chronograph minute hand forward once a minute rather than the gradual movement of other models.
Despite being four millimeters thick, or the rough equivalent of two stacked nickels, the movement has a 72-hour power reserve, a good span for an ultrathin watch with such complications.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The post A Watch That Its Maker Says Won’t Break appeared first on New York Times.
