Two brushed gold chronographs with the latest facelift and latest-generation movement join the Royal Oak’s 50th anniversary celebration.
Far from being a radical overhaul to celebrate its 50th anniversary, the Royal Oak Self-Winding Chronograph and Self-Winding Chronograph’s design evolution is a subtle continuation of Gerald Genta’s epic Spirit of the 1972 Royal Oak. The domineering octagonal bezel with eight exposed hexagonal screws, the tonneau-shaped case, the integrated bracelet and the string guilloche dial are all so sacrosanct, so deeply embedded in the identity of the Royal Oak that any normal No one would think of replacing it. Two 41mm self-winding chronographs with attractive brushed gold cases and Audemars Piguet for the 50th anniversary celebrations of the latest generation of integrated flyback chronograph calibre 4401. From May 2022 to July 2022, the 41mm frosted gold Royal Oak Chronograph will be available exclusively in Japan; in August 2022, they will be available worldwide.
The cases of these 41mm Royal Oak Self-Winding Chronographs are available in 18k white or yellow gold with a spectacular brushed finish. Frosted gold, also known as the Florentine finish, was introduced to The Associated Press by Italian jewelry designer Carolina Bucci. Commissioned by the Associated Press, Bucci created a special piece to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Royal Oak Women’s Watch, a watch recreated by Jacqueline Dimier in 1976, where Bucci placed her hammer on the watch surface and cause a stir. Using diamond-encrusted tools, artisans finely tap the case and bracelet to create tiny indentations that sparkle like diamond dust. However, the seductive texture that looked like it was covered in frost soon found its way into larger models of the 2017 Royal Oak Frosted Gold 41mm, followed by bolder versions such as this wild purple RO Chronograph .
One of the key design evolutions of the Royal Oak Time Date and Chronograph is the enlarged and polished bevel or chamfer, which can be appreciated on the beveled bezel on the dial and caseback. Given the grainy matte finish of these models, it contrasts with the bright polished bevels. Not only is the contrast evident, the chamfers also visually refine and reduce the size, making the 12.4mm thick case even slimmer. By the way, the sapphire caseback has also been revised to improve the fit with the case, making it more comfortable to wear on the wrist.
Similar to the non-brushed 41mm self-winding chronograph introduced for the Royal Oak’s 50th anniversary, the crown and pushers are screw-locked and are water-resistant to 50 meters. Another upgrade to the collection is a more pronounced taper for the integrated bracelet. The first link of the gold hammered bracelet where the case and bracelet meet is now trapezoidal when viewed from the side, with a noticeable reduction in thickness before the links begin to thin. The links are also thinner and lighter for more comfort.
panda dial
While these changes are invisible to most of us at first glance, eagle-eyed RO fans will notice that the hour markers and hands are now coordinated across the Royal Oak Self-Winding Time and Date and Chronograph models. If you compare them to the white 2021 frosted gold self-winding chronograph, you start to notice subtle differences. A key design feature of the new model is the Audemars Piguet signature in 24k gold, replacing the applied AP monograph and printed text of the earlier series. The new, more elegant signature comes from a chemical process called electrochemical growth, a feature used on code 11.59 and applied to the dial by hand. Naturally, the iconic Grande Tapisserie guilloché motif is used to adorn the dial and is picked in shades that match the yellow or white gold cases. Also of note is the date wheel that matches the color of the dial.
The dials of these brushed gold models differ slightly from other 41mm self-winding chronographs due to the contrasting panda-style chronograph. Both the platinum and gold models have black counters, and they all have snail-printed interiors. The applied gold hour markers and Royal Oak hands are treated with a luminous coating.
Caliber 4401
Originally appearing in the Code 11.59 collection in 2019, Caliber 4401 is AP’s in-house automatic integrated flyback chronograph movement. Unlike standard chronographs, flyback allows you to stop, reset and start the chronograph with one simple movement. This article reviews the movement in detail, equipped with a column wheel and vertical clutch, and offers a strong power reserve of 70 hours. The decoration can be seen from the sapphire caseback, and while the solid gold rotor does not commemorate the “50 Years” logo, it is openworked to reveal Côtes de Genève, circular graining and circular satin and polished chamfers.
Technical Specifications – Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Automatic Chronograph 41mm Brushed Gold
Case: Diameter 41mm x H12.4mm – 18k white or yellow brushed gold – Polished bevels and decorations – Turnlock crown and pushers – Anti-reflective sapphire crystal dial Front and case back – 50m water resistance
Dial: Grey or yellow dial to match case material – Grande Tapisserie pattern – applied yellow or white gold hour-markers and Royal Oak hands with luminous coating – Tonal date window at 4 o’clock – Black chronograph with Snailed – 24k Gold Hand Appliquéd Audemars Piguet Signature
Movement: Caliber 4401 – Automatic Internal Integrated Flyback Chronograph with Column Wheel and Vertical Clutch – 4Hz/28,800vph – 381 Parts – 40 Jewels – 70 Hours Power Reserve – Hours, Minutes, Small Seconds, 30 minute and 12 hour chronograph counter and date
Bracelet: Integral 18k White or Yellow Brushed Gold – AP Foldover Clasp
Reference: 26240BC.GG.1324BC.01 Platinum
26240BA.GG.1324BA.01 Gold