In Depth Audemars New Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin For the Middle East

The sport watch trend began gaining attention during the 1970s, amidst the Quartz Crisis, as Swiss watchmakers sought innovative ways to compete against the influx of affordable, mass-produced quartz watches. This era saw the introduction of Audemars Piguet’s iconic Royal Oak in 1972, a groundbreaking luxury sport watch designed by Gérald Genta, featuring an integrated bracelet.

Over the decades, Audemars Piguet has showcased its exceptional craftsmanship by incorporating highly sought-after complications into the Royal Oak collection. Among the latest offerings is the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin 41mm Middle East Edition, unveiled just days ago. This exquisite timepiece combines the collection’s bold aesthetic with watchmaking’s most enduring calendar complication, the perpetual calendar.

The watch features a titanium case, offering remarkable durability, 30% stronger than steel, and excellent corrosion resistance. However, the standout innovation lies in its use of Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG), a first for the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin. This palladium-based alloy, utilized for the bezel, caseback frame, and bracelet studs, was developed by Audemars Piguet and first introduced in 2021, Ref. 15202XT. 

BMG is a solid non-crystalline material, scientifically defined as an amorphous alloy presenting a glass transition. Originally developed in 1960, BMG alloys, often based on zirconium and copper (though also formulated with titanium, iron, or platinum), exhibit a glass-like atomic structure that is irregular, incredibly strong, and elastic. This unique composition grants BMG exceptional corrosion resistance, as well as extraordinary properties such as extreme strength at low temperatures and high flexibility at elevated temperatures, making it a groundbreaking material in modern watchmaking.

With a 41mm diameter and an astonishingly slim 6.2mm thickness, the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Middle East Edition technically represents Audemars Piguet’s thinnest case to date. Ultra-thin watches are a hot topic in horology, and this release sets a new benchmark for the brand. For context, the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar John Mayer Edition measures 9.9mm thick, while the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin stands at 8.1mm. This makes the Middle East Edition, alongside the recently unveiled full gold variant, share the slimmest Royal Oak case ever crafted. The back of the watch is engraved with the phrases “Special Edition” and “Create the Extraordinary,” a result of the brand’s collaboration with a group of watch collectors from the UAE who participated in the “Create the Extraordinary” workshop held in Dubai in June 2022.

The dial comes in a smoked ivory hue, elegantly complemented by white gold Eastern-Arabic numerals and white gold luminescent hands. The rhodium-plated subdials display the month and leap year indicators at 3 o’clock, the date at 6 o’clock, and the day indicator at 9 o’clock, accompanied by a subtle day/night indicator below. At 12 o’clock, the moon-phase display features an ivory-colored moon that harmonizes beautifully with the dial.

At the heart of the watch beats the self-winding Calibre 5133, introduced in 2018, which remains one of the world’s thinnest automatic perpetual calendar movements at an incredible 2.89mm thickness. Audemars Piguet achieved this milestone through two patented innovations. The cam disc for the end of the month is integrated into the date wheel, while the cam disc for the month is unified with the month wheel. Additionally, instead of layering the perpetual calendar functions across three levels, all functions are ingeniously positioned on a single plane. 

The Calibre 5133 offers a power reserve of 40 hours and operates at a frequency of 19,800 vph (2.75 Hz). The rhodium-toned oscillating weight is adorned with an intricate arabesque motif inspired by traditional Middle Eastern patterns, adding a touch of culture. This beautifully detailed rotor is visible through the sapphire crystal caseback, giving us a chance to admire the artistry and craftsmanship that define this exceptional movement.

The watch features a titanium bracelet with BMG studs and a titanium AP folding clasp. The price is still upon request.

For more information you can visit Audemars Piguet’s official website.