Posts filed under Audemars Piguet
SIHH 2014: Audemars Piguet Redesigned Royal Oak Offshore 42mm Line. Macros and Side-by-Side Shots Next to the First Offshore.
SIHH 2014: Audemars Piguet Reinvents the 42mm Royal Oak Offshore as ref. 26470. Live Pictures and Pricing.
A while back we heard from Francois-Henry Bennahmias that the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Rubber Clad would not be discontinued but reinvented. Well, today we finally saw the result from such reinvention not only for the now long gone Royal Oak Offshore Rubber Clad but also for the whole Royal Oak Offshore 42 mm line. The result a new redesigned case with ceramic pushers, ceramic crown, a more robust crown guard, display case back, a revamped dial layout with méga tapisserie, thinner numbers and very nicely done rubber straps with a very similar look to the strap on the Royal Oak Offshore Diver. The new reference number is now 26470 with six new models in total.
More pictures and details to follow. Sticker Prices:
Stainless steel 42 mm Royal Oak Offshore on Hornback alligator $26,000 USD, Stainless steel 42 mm Royal Oak Offshore Navy on rubber strap $25,600 USD, 42 mm Royal Oak Offshore 18K Rose Gold on strap $40,700 USD and 42 mm Royal Oak Offshore 18K Rose Gold on matching bracelet $69,200 USD.
For more info on Audemars Piguet SIHH 2014 novelties click here.
News: Presenting the New Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Doha Boutique Limited Edition. An Offshore with Satin-Brushed Slate Dial.
In celebration of the new Audemars Piguet Doha Boutique opening in Qatar, Audemars Piguet is delighted to unveil a very special version of its Royal Oak Offshore sports watch in the form of a limited edition model specifically designed to honor Qatar and only available at Audemars Piguet Doha Boutique. This new watch features a titanium case measuring the traditional 42 mm in diameter of the Royal Oak Offshore and is fitted with black ceramic bezel. Beyond that, this particular version of the Royal Oak Offshore becomes even more special than most because each of the 100 examples of this limited edition features a satin-brushed, slate grey dial with contrasting anthracite counters for recording elapsed times of 60 seconds, 30 minutes and 12 hours. The luminescent Arabic numerals and main hour and minute hands are satin-brushed, and two of the chronograph indicators and the central seconds hand are lacquered in a vibrant red.
Another small, red detail found at the five o'clock position on the tachymeter scale further identifies this particular version of the Royal Oak Offshore. Turning the watch over, meanwhile, reveals Audemars Piguet's characteristic winding rotor through a sapphire crystal display back surrounded by a titanium border.
Each watch will be delivered on a grey alligator strap designed to complement its unique dial design and will be supplied in a special presentation box.
For more info on Audemars Piguet click here.
Technical Specifications of the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Doha Boutique Limited Edition ref. 26219IO.OO.D005CR.01
Calibre:
Selfwinding Manufacture calibre 3126/3840
Function:
Chronograph, hours, minutes, small seconds, date
Case:
Titanium case, black ceramic bezel, titanium caseback, numbered XXX/100, black rubber pushpieces and screw-locked crown, water-resistant to 100 m, diameter 42 mm.
Dial:
Satin-brushed slate-grey dial, anthracite counters, satin-brushed Arabic numerals, hands with luminescent coating, center seconds hand and hands of the counters at 9 o’clock and 6 o’clock painted in red. “Audemars Piguet” printed in white at 3 o’clock. “SWISS MADE” printed in white at 6 o’clock. Anthracite inner bezel with “135” printed in red.
Strap:
Hand-stitched “large square scale” grey alligator strap with titanium AP folding clasp.
Quantity:
Limited Edition of 100 pieces
Réf : 26219IO.OO.D005CR.01
Rare Bird: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Tour Auto 2012 Limited Edition. Only 150 Pieces Ever Made and One of Our Favorite Offshores.
Last year while visiting New York City, we stopped by the Audemars Piguet boutique to shop around and work on one of our boutique reviews published here. After looking around for a while we spotted one of our favorite Royal Oak Offshores on display, we are talking about the ultra rare and hard to find Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Tour Auto 2012 Limited Edition ref. 26208ST.00.D305CR.01. This watch launched by Audemars Piguet in 2012 to celebrate the 21st edition of the Tour Auto Optic 2000 rally was launched in a limited series of only a 150 pieces with a very special presentation box that contains a watch display case shaped like a vintage automotive air filter.
Now, the main difference between this watch and the previously released Royal Oak Offshore Tour Auto 2008 —Limited Edition of only 100 pieces ref. 26184ST.00.D003CU.01— is that the dial on this newer reference is white opposed to black on its predecessor. Image below courtesy of: TempoInverso.com
The Tour Optic Auto 2000 2012 race was held from April 16th thru the 21st and is Organized by Peter Auto for the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile —FFSA— with licenses from ASA Tour Auto. For an entry fee of €8,300 entrants get five days of competition driving all the way from Paris to a southern destination in France that is typically Nice or Biarritz. The rally race is open to 200 cars which —or the model of which— have participated between 1951 and 1973 in the Tour Optic Auto race. In 2013, the race —22nd Tour Auto Optic 2ooo— took place from April 22nd thru the 27th and for the first time, the finish line was in the southwestern French city of La Rochelle. Audemars Piguet has been the official timekeeper of the competition since 2006, reason why they decided to launch this special watch.
Fitted with the traditional Royal Oak Offshore 42 mm case, this watch in stainless steel features a beautiful white Méga Tapisserie dial with contrasting colors inspired by the French flag with blue chrono counters at 6 and 9 o'clock, white running seconds register at 12 o'clock, blue Arabic numerals, white gold hands with red luminescent coating and a white tachymeter flange with red scale. If you like blue and red, this is perhaps the most appealing and beautiful dials on any Royal Oak Offshore launched to date.
To round out the spectacular look of the watch, Audemars Piguet decided to carefully engrave the case back with the Tour Auto logo and pair the watch with a hornback alligator strap in blue with red contrasting stitching. This watch just like most other Offshores is fitted with a deployant buckle.
The Royal Oak Offshore Tour Auto 2012 is as rare as it gets and one Offshore that is extremely hard to find. On our way out we just couldn't get it out of our head. If you are ready to get a very special limited edition Royal Oak Offshore chronograph that is not the Rubens Barrichelo II reviewed here and that everyone wants, then this is the one. Now, if you can find a Royal Oak Offshore Gentleman Driver Limited Edition that would be a very close contender to this one, if not even superior.
Sticker Price $34,200 USD. For more info on Audemars Piguet click here.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi Team Limited Edition. A Beast in Rose Gold and Forged Carbon.
The other day, we ran into one of our favorite discontinued limited edition Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore models and decided to work on this quick review for our readers that are AP fans. Alinghi’s victory at the America's Cup in 2003 inspired Audemars Piguet to design an innovative chronograph watch —the Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi Polaris— with a special new movement featuring a regatta flyback function, the first of its kind to date.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi Team Limited Edition ref. 26062OR.OO.A002CA.01 is a beast of a watch and one that you rarely run into in the wild. This watch of which only 600 pieces were made in rose gold, 1300 in forged carbon and 107 pieces in platinum —all three models with a forged carbon bezel. The Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi Team is fitted with an 18k rose gold case measuring 44 mm in diameter and 14.65 mm in thickness, a forged carbon bezel, a robust oversized ceramic crown, rounded ceramic pushers, and a black rubber strap with rose gold pin buckle. As expected, the case construction is very solid just as on any other Royal Oak Offshore and the solid case back is a work of art featuring a delicate relief motif of the 'Alinghi Team' in action and secured with special head screws not commonly present on other timepieces in the Offshore collection. As it is common with AP watches, the chamfers are to die for and just mesmerizing.
While the strap is very nice and supple —with a similar texture to the strap on the Rubber Clad—, unfortunately we can't say the same about the sharp special screws on the exterior of the buckle. These screws dig so much into the back of the wrist that it's almost impossible to wear this watch comfortably considering the top heavy 18k rose gold case.
The black dial with 'grande tapisserie' on the center and concentric circles pattern on the perimeter, features rose gold Arabic numerals, red chronograph seconds hand, red surrounds, the 'Alinghi Team' logo at 3 o'clock right next to the 10-minute regatta countdown aperture, a 20-minute register at 9 and a 6-hour chrono-register at 6 o'clock. The chrono and seconds hands are shaped like a ship's prow while the minute and hour hands are skeletonized with luminous material on the tips. The beating heart inside this watch is the automatic Audemars Piguet calibre 2326/2848 composed of 366 parts, fitted with 50 jewels and which provides a power reserve of 40 hours while beating at a frequency of 28,800vph. Even when most of the owners of this watch really don't use the watch for its intended purpose or even care about how the regatta functions work, we will explain it here for those that care.
During a regatta there are four warning signals that are given by the officials before the sailboats can cross the start line. Once the first warning signal is given 11 minutes before the crossing of the start line, the countdown should be started on the watch by pushing the top pusher —stop/start—, when the second warning signal is given ten minutes before the official start, the bottom pusher —flyback/reset— should be pressed advising the crew that there are only ten minutes left until the start of the race. When the third warning signal is given, the regatta aperture and the register at 9 o'clock will show that there are 5 minutes remaining. One minute before the official crossing of the start line, the regatta aperture shows the number one and the team knows that there is one minute left before the fourth warning signal is given announcing the beginning of the race. When the fourth signal is given, the regatta aperture will show the number ten and the wearer should then press the bottom pusher to start recording the length of the race without needing to stop the chrono thanks to its flyback function.
As mentioned before, the case back is a real treat for the eyes and one can stare at it for hours. The artists at Audemars Piguet really captured the spirit of the 'Alinghi Team' in action with an amazing level of detail on the relief.
On the wrist, the watch feels impressive and provides unparalleled wrist presence wearing way bigger than its actual size because of the protruding crown guards. While this massive watch is very sporty, the precious metal on it gives it enough elegance for it to be worn with a suit or even a tuxedo. For those of you wondering what happened to the partnership between AP and Alinghi, all we can tell you is that their partnership ceased a while back and now Hublot had become their official timekeeper. Go figure why?
Last known Sticker Price $61,100 USD. For more info on Audemars Piguet click here and for the Alinghi team here.
Experience: Chivas Regal 18 Pininfarina. A Partnership Between Two Perfectionists and a Great Limited Edition.
Chivas Regal 18 Pininfarina was launched earlier this year throughout the world but it is still scarcely available throughout the U.S. market. This limited edition, product of a collaboration between two perfectionists, will satisfy your luxurious palate to the fullest.
Pininfarina, the acclaimed auto designer that has worked for Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Peugeot and Rolls Royce amongst other car brands and that has also dabbled into the waters of watchmaking in a special partnership with Bovet, has now decided to join forces with one of the top whiskeys in the world in order to create this special edition that gets the best from both brands and blends into a unique experience for watchlifestylers that like the finer things in life. The video below will tell you more about the essence of Pininfarina.
Click on the video only if you are of legal drinking age in your country.
In this special partnership, Paolo Trevisan —Design Manager of Pininfarina Extra— wanted to create something that represented the essence of both brands and we think he did pretty well. A perfect symbol of collaboration. Liquid shaped by air. Pininfarina’s mastery of aerodynamics, combined with the peerless whisky of Chivas Regal 18. Uniting and embodying the passions of both icons, it is the inspiration behind three limited edition expressions of their partnership. Trevisan paid a visit to Chivas' home Strathisla to meet Master Blender Colin Scott, where the two shared their vision for the exclusive Chivas 18 by Pininfarina. Here's a video that explains the design process behind this limited edition. Just fascinating and inspiring.
Click on the video only if you are of legal drinking age in your country.
This partnership is perfectly executed in three different amazing products. The first one —named Limited Edition One— is a gorgeous drop-shaped blue container lined with wood, the second one —Limited Edition Two— is a larger individually numbered drop-shaped container that contains a bottle of whisky, two drop-shaped glasses and where the top part of the container can be used as an ice bucket and lastly the third one called the 'Mascherone', which is a special order free standing wooden and aluminum sculpture display. To round out the special edition, Pininfarina also created a specially designed bottle of Chivas 18 with Pininfarina’s design notes visible on the metalized crest and the Italian company’s logo, proudly emblazoned on the capsule and neck wrap to reflect the streamlined metallic finish of a classic car.
The 'Mascherone' standing display was inspired by the original wooden frame that was used to design cars in the old days and is a sculpture where the product is properly displayed around wood and blue aluminum. The Chivas Regal 18 Mascherone by Pininfarina marks the pinnacle of their partnership. Hand assembled in Cambiano by Pininfarina, it features an oak internal structure and clad in aluminium. Mirroring the elegant precision of Pininfarina's celebrated automotive innovations, only five of this collector's pieces will be on display globally and individual pieces will be made to order on request. A light, found at the base, brings this artistic piece to life. Here's a video that talks about the beauty and story behind the 'Mascherone'.
If you are a whisky drinker and someone that enjoys life to the fullest always searching for the ultimate luxury, this limited edition won't disappoint you. Now, if you really want to go for the whole nine yards, you can place a special order for one of the 'Mascherones' and continue to live life to the fullest. One thing we know, is that the 'Mascherone' will look great inside your beautiful home at the New York by Gehry on 8 Spruce Street.
Sticker Price for Limited Edition 2 $500 USD. For more info on Chivas Regal 18 click here and for Pininfarina here.
News: Pre-SIHH 2014 Audemars Piguet Presents the Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon.
Bright, white, sleek and powerful, the Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon to be presented for the first time at the SIHH —Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie— 2014 in Geneva is a watch for avant-garde collectors and connoisseurs that brooks no compromise in either technical or aesthetic terms.
Its sculpted titanium case middle and integrated rubber strap combine with a white ceramic bezel to frame the highly architectural array of tourbillon carriage and second ‘GMT’ time-zone display inside —case and movement in perfect harmony. New for 2014, however, is the flash of pure white center-stage: an intricately machined upper bridge made of white ceramic —only possible now, thanks to Audemars Piguet’s ongoing advances in materials science.
The Concept evolution
The Royal Oak Concept was first unveiled in 2002 as an avant-garde, 30th-anniversary tribute to Audemars Piguet’s legendary octagonal Royal Oak – designed by Gérald Genta as the world’s first luxury watch in stainless steel.
The Concept’s ultra-hard Alacrite 602 case was more rounded to highlight Genta’s signature octagonal bezel and its eight hexagonal screws. The dial was left off, exposing the advanced micro-mechanics ticking within. All these revolutionary design codes have persisted throughout the Concept series, from 2008’s Royal Oak Carbon Concept Tourbillon and Chronograph – an ultra-light timepiece that was the first to combine a forged-carbon case and movement mainplate – to the Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon of 2011, with ultra-light, ultra-resistant titanium case and black-ceramic octagonal bezel, push pieces and crown.
This year’s Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon features a white ceramic bezel, crown and push pieces instead of black, all heightening the contrast with the titanium case middle. However, in typical, trailblazing style, the Manufacture has now gone one step further and incorporated ceramic into the movement itself, replacing the blackened upper bridge of Calibre 2913 with white ceramic. As a result, the new Calibre 2930 is visually transformed, its dazzling, hourglass-shaped bridge further enlivened by the double symmetry of the tourbillon bridges and GMT display.
Materials know-how
White ceramic is about nine times harder than steel, meaning the manufacture of the Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon’s bezel, push pieces, crown and especially its intricately shaped upper bridge was a complex and lengthy process.
Ceramic is an almost totally scratch-proof composite material that can be scratched only by diamonds, calling for the use of special milling-cutter machines equipped with diamond-tipped tools. Treating the roughed-out surfaces and edges to a polished or satin-brushed finish represents a daunting technical challenge, due to ceramic’s inherent resistance to abrasion. It takes around 8 hours to make the Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon’s bezel, compared with 45 minutes if it were steel, calling upon all the savoir-faire of the watchmakers and engineers. As well as giving an exceptionally smooth final appearance, ceramic has a practical purpose, displaying extreme resistance to wear.
Similarly, the titanium used for the case middle and sapphire surround is ultra strong, comfortable to wear twice and as light as steel – advantageous for a watch of such generous 44mm proportions. Further demonstrating Audemars Piguet’s deeply entrenched knowledge of high-tech metals and materials, the inner flange circling the dial is made of lightweight aluminum, hardened by anodization.
This daring cocktail of ceramics and metals is just the latest chapter in Audemars Piguet’s ongoing quest to push the envelope when it comes to materials science —a quest that started over 40 years ago with the Manufacture’s most daring move of all, using steel in a luxury watch for the very first time.
Technical tour de force
The defining characteristic of Audemars Piguet’s Concept watches has always been the coherence of case and movement. The ultra-modern ‘engine’ is seamlessly integrated within its ultra-modern ‘chassis’, whose techy aesthetic perfectly complements and showcases the exposed micro-mechanics.
An impressive feat in its own right, the Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon’s hand-wound Calibre 2930 features a twin barrel ensuring 10-day power reserve, tourbillon and second time-zone ‘GMT’ display.
Its timekeeping is regulated by a 3Hz (21,600vph) escapement, rotating inside a tourbillon carriage every 60 seconds, compensating for the effects of the Earth's gravity when the watch is oriented vertically for any length of time.
The tourbillon cage comprises 85 components, yet only 0.45g in weight. An experienced watchmaker spends almost three days assembling its 85 components, including two full days to install the cage, while the full workings will require over two weeks of work. Audemars Piguet is still one of the few manufactures to have mastered all the intricacies of this complication, with over 25 different movements featuring a tourbillon. Each component is beveled, polished, assembled and balanced by hand.
The GMT display provides an instant reading of the time in a second time-zone. It is adjusted using the push piece at 4 o’clock (one press adjusts the time by one hour). The indication of the second time-zone, based on 12 hours, comprises two superimposed discs, making it easy to tell the time. The first, on which the figures are inscribed, completes one turn in 12 hours. The second, just below, completes a turn in 24 hours and has 2 colored areas: a white half for daytime and a black half for night-time. This makes it easier to read the figures.
Audemars Piguet’s proprietary parallel double barrel system ensures the Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon runs for as many as 10 days before it needs to be manually wound again, generating a constant force during some 237 hours of autonomy, enhancing timekeeping precision.
The energy from Calibre 2930’s two 10-day barrels is fed into the geartrain at the same time via a single pinion bridging the two. This is a far gentler means of transmitting energy than the usual system of two series-linked 5-day barrels. It also reduces pressure in the gearing, the friction in the barrels is used to offset torque variations, and it gives increased running precision, greater power reserve and enhanced reliability.
The Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon also features a selection indicator mechanism. According to the position of the winding stem, the hand positioned on the dial at 6 o’clock indicates the function selected. The H, N and R indications correspond to the three positions of the winding stem, meaning time-setting, neutral and winding respectively.
For more info on Audemars Piguet click here.
Technical Data
Movement
Calibre 2930, hand-wound manufacture
Total diameter: 35.60mm (15 ¾ lines)
Thickness: 9.90mm
Number of jewels: 29
Number of parts: 291
Power reserve: 237h
Frequency of balance wheel: 3Hz (21,600vph)
White ceramic upper bridge
Finishing: hand-finished bridges and mainplate, hand finished cut-out parts, polished angles, hand-drawn file strokes on upper surface and matt finish beneath.
Case
Titanium case
Glareproofed sapphire crystal and caseback
White ceramic bezel
Screw-locked crown and white ceramic push piece
Water-resistant to 100m
Display
Openworked
Second time-zone indicator at 3 o’clock
Crown position indicator at 6 o’clock
Tourbillon at 9 o’clock with black anodized aluminum bridge
White gold Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating
Black anodized aluminum inner bezel
Bracelet
White rubber strap with titanium AP folding clasp
Function
24-hour GMT display
Day and night indicator
Functions selection
Hours and minutes
Reference
RO 26580IO.OO.D010CA.SDT
Experience: SIAR Mexico 2013. The Fascinating and Sleek Audemars Piguet Suite.
We are continuing our live reporting straight from Mexico City bringing you these images of the Audemars Piguet suite at the Four Seasons Hotel. Opposed to Baselworld or the SIHH, the brands are located within small rooms in a very private setting. Of all booths at the SIAR Mexico 2013, the Audemars Piguet suite is perhaps the most fascinating one and a true treat to the eyes. The design is modern, sleek and minimalist replicating the new look and feel of their boutiques. The suite is composed of three rooms fully decorated with wood, Mies Van der Rohe Barcelona chairs, Hans J. Wegner chairs and the most beautiful screens with images from the Vallée de Joux and the manufacture. Every corner is filled with the Audemars Piguet essence and portraying the values of this haute horlogerie manufacture.
For more info on Audemars Piguet click here.
Experience: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore LeBron James. The Launch Party in Miami.
Finally, we get to share with you the fascinating party that was hosted by Audemars Piguet in Miami this past Friday, September 27, 2013, honoring the launch of their new Royal Oak Offshore LeBron James Limited Edition ref. 26210OI.OO.A109CR.01.
It was an unforgettable evening filled with glamour, celebrities, watchlifestylers, journalists, bloggers, VIP guests, influencers, amazing timepieces, good music, great food, champagne and some very nice signature cocktails.
Some of the celebrities at the party included LeBron James and his wife Savannah Brinson, Scott Disick —one of Audemars Piguet biggest fans— and Kourtney Kardashian, former NY Giants defensive end Michael Strahan and Audemars Piguet golf ambassador Belen Mozo amongst others.
During the evening we not only had the chance to admire some of the most beautiful timepieces in the Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore collections that were on display, but we also ran into some of the most fascinating timepieces in the wrist of some of the guests. Top sightings include a Royal Oak Offshore Grande Complication in Titanium —number 1 of 3— with custom engraved rotor with the owner's initials, a Royal Oak Offshore Pride of Mexico in gold and one in stainless steel, a Royal Oak Jumbo 5402ST A-Series, a Royal Oak Extra Thin Tourbillon, a Royal Oak Offshore Scuba, a few Royal Oak Offshores Michael Schumacher Limited Edition in gold and platinum, a Royal Oak Offshore Carbon Alinghi and of course the brand new LeBron James Limited Edition, but this time outside the display showcase.
Guests from all over the world enjoyed this formidable party and became integral part of this unforgettable celebration. Highlights of the night include the video that was played in synchrony with LeBron's arrival at the party and François-Henry Bennahmias words while greeting him upon his arrival.
Now, enjoy the rest of the pictures!
Audemars Piguet, thank you for including us in this amazing event.
Introducing: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore LeBron James Limited Edition. A Photo Essay.
First of all we would like to thank Audemars Piguet for including us amongst the select group of journalists and guests that attended this fascinating event on Friday September 27, 2013 down in Miami, Florida. The press conference just like any other event organized by Audemars Piguet was flawlessly executed in a very posh and elegant way.
At the press conference we enjoyed remarks from François-Henry Bennahmias —CEO Audemars Piguet—, Xavier Nolot —CEO Audemars Piguet North America— and NBA Miami Heat star LeBron James a.k.a. King James, followed by a brief Q&A session.
As you will appreciate in the pictures, a nice selection of Audemars Piguet watches were on the wrists of the attendees as well as several Lanvin Captoe sneakers to complete the ultimate watchlifestyler look.
Following the press conference, a few of us were treated to a nice selection of appetizers and drinks at acclaimed restaurant Juvia —located at the same 1111 Lincoln Road structure where the press conference and the party took place— right between the press conference and the party. Juvia is a place where the best elements from the French, Japanese and Peruvian cuisines intertwine in a symphony of flavors and creations that are out of this world.
More coverage on the amazing party that followed the press conference tomorrow.
For more info on Juvia click here and on Audemars Piguet here.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Presents the Royal Oak Offshore LeBron James Limited Edition. Live Pictures from Miami.
Today, September 27, 2013, Audemars Piguet unveiled the new Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph LeBron James Limited Edition at a very posh press conference and party —at the iconic 1111 Lincoln Road structure in Miami, Florida— that we were able to attend in order to bring you this amazing live pictures. The venue were the event is taking place is an amazing open space envisioned by Robert Wennett and designed by Herzog & de Meuron in the heart of Miami beach that is the perfect setting for such global launch.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph LeBron James ref. 26210OI.OO.A109CR.01 will only available in 600 limited edition pieces. This new Audemars Piguet watch is fitted with a 44mm case in 18K rose gold with titanium bezel, black ceramic crown with rose gold inlay, black ceramic push-pieces, diamond-set push-piece at 2 o'clock, rose gold and grey rubber push-piece guards, display case back engraved with the legend "Royal Oak Offshore Limited Edition LeBron James" —and LeBron's signature imprinted in blue on the sapphire crystal— and a gorgeous large square scale grey crocodile strap with 18K rose gold pin buckle.
This watch is fitted with a gorgeous grey 'Méga Tapisserie" dial with grey chrono registers, rose gold applied Arabic numerals, rose gold minute and hour hands, white hand for the running seconds and blue hands for the chronograph hands.
More coverage to follow with images and video from the press conference and all the eye candy from the cocktail party that followed the press conference.
Sticker Price $51,500 USD. For more info on Audemars Piguet click here.
Macros: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Rubber Clad. A Treat to the Eyes.
The legendary Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Rubber Clad needs no introduction. This amazing and iconic timepiece that we've seen in the wrists of dozen of celebrities and AP lovers was launched back in 2002 and since then, it has seen very few changes. A watch that in the words of François-Henry Bennahmias —during his interview with TimeZone— will continue to live for a little while and then we'll see it re-imagined. We only wonder what it will look like when Audemars Piguet decides to do so.
For now, enjoy the eye-candy as we get ready to bring you some big news from our friends from Le Brassus later today. We will be reporting directly from Miami where a private event will be taking place and we'll bring you full coverage here and via our social media platforms of some big news from the brand. For those of you already wondering, we cannot tell you what it will be, but one thing we are certain is that it is not a re-imagined Rubber Clad.
Featured here, the now discontinued Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Rubber Clad ref. 25940SK.OO.D002CA.02 —with silvered dial and grey chrono registers— and the newer version of the same watch but in rose gold ref. 25940OK.OO.D002CA.02. The stainless steel version of the Rubber Clad is still available as ref. 25940SK.OO.D002CA.03 but with black dial and silver chrono registers.
For more info on Audemars Piguet click here.
Experience: Two Classic Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshores Meet for Lunch at Freds at Barneys. A Photo Essay.
This time we headed over to Freds at Barneys New York for lunch. This hidden gem is one of our favorite restaurants in the city and a perfect place to talk about watches, enjoy some great food and shop at the store on your way out.
Barneys New York started their business back in the early 1920s when Barney Pressman opened his very first store in the lower Manhattan area. Today, the Barneys New York flagship store is located on Madison Ave. between 60th and 61st streets. Barneys is also present in some of the most upscale areas of cities like Beverly Hills, Boston, San Francisco, Dallas, Las Vegas and Scottsdale. The New York, Chicago and Beverly Hills locations are the only stores that have restaurants within. The restaurant is named after Fred Pressman —Barney Pressman's son.
Barneys New York store in Chicago is located half a block away from the famous Gold Coast Triangle on Rush Street between Oak and Elm —catty corner from some of our other favorite stores like Hermès, Prada and Barbour.
Now, enjoy the photo essay and the watch eye-candy. An image speaks more than a thousand words. Oh, and by the way, next time you stop by Freds, make sure you order the 'Linguine Vongole' as it's our absolute favorite dish.
For more info on Barneys click here.
News: Audemars Piguet Ambassador LeBron James Visits 'La Manufacture' in Le Brassus.
Press Release
Audemars Piguet ambassador, crowned NBA champion as well as world’s Most Valuable Player for the second year running, LeBron James paid a one-day visit to the Manufacture in Le Brassus.
His visit included the Audemars Piguet Museum followed by a tour of the 'Manufacture des Forges' where he spent time in various ateliers including the Specialties and Grande Complication. “Visiting the Audemars Piguet Manufacture in Le Brassus for the first time was an amazing experience. It is such a beautiful place and I really enjoyed learning and seeing firsthand how the watch is made from beginning to end,” said LeBron after his visit.
LeBron James has written one of the most impressive pages in basketball history over the past couple of seasons, with consecutive regular-season MVP awards, consecutive NBA titles as well as NBA Finals MVP trophies bracketing two Olympic gold medals. He has become the third player in league history after Michael Jordan and Bill Russell to win back-to-back Finals MVP and regular-season MVP awards.
LeBron James perfectly embodies Audemars Piguet’s brand philosophy “to break the rules, you must first master them”. Striving for perfection and passionate for the game, he constantly reinvents and raises the bar for himself. A keen devotee of Haute Horlogerie, LeBron wears a Millenary 4101.
For more info on Audemars Piguet click here.
News: Audemars Piguet Launches New Female Advertising Campaign. Just Brilliant.
Press Release
Audemars Piguet is launching its new global advertising campaign dedicated to women. The Audemars Piguet woman and her spirit of independence captured in a
powerful new image and selling line. The campaign features stunning images of supermodel Anouck Lepère and introduces a new brand line “There are exceptions to every rule” reflecting the spirit of independence cherished by the brand and its customers. It is the complementary feminine interpretation of the powerful brand campaign launched last year featuring the tag line: “To break the rules you must first master them” and will run alongside the current product and institutional campaigns starting September 2013.
“Audemars Piguet appeals to strong-minded, independent women, who appreciate
progressive beauty, craftsmanship and heritage. These values keep driving the brand’s vision through time, they are the soul of Audemars Piguet and we feel this new advertising campaign captures the essence of our brand” said Francois-Henry Bennahmias, CEO of Audemars Piguet.
Audemars Piguet has been developing timepieces and movements dedicated to women since 1883, and has consistently treated women to exceptional creations designed to mirror their attitude and femininity. Today, Jasmine Audemars, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors, is the only woman heading a major watch manufacturer. She incarnates the values of the brand and stands for the bold spirit of independence and female empowerment expressed in the new campaign.
According to Tim Sayler, Audemars Piguet Chief Marketing Officer: “Audemars Piguet’s modernity is again at the center of this new advertising campaign. We wanted to portray the Audemars Piguet woman with her unique sense of beauty and elegance, and especially her strong character and attitude. She appreciates our history and craftsmanship, but is clearly a woman of today and tomorrow who defies convention and likes to follow her own path. Just like our watches, the Audemars Piguet woman is exceptional in every sense. We think this iconic image also represents an exception in the world of female watch advertising.”
For more info on Audemars Piguet click here.
Experience: Fauchon Champagne. From Our Favorite Gourmet Store in Paris.
Any watchlifestyler that has been to Paris and reads our content knows Fauchon very well. Fauchon is the quintessential luxury gourmet food store in Paris with its flagship store located in the heart of the 8th arrondissement right at the Place de la Madelaine. This store is just two short blocks away from the Hermès flagship on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and two doors down from the Alain Figaret boutique —this designer carries the Audemars Piguet Tour Auto apparel during the time the Tour Auto Optic 2000 Race takes place.
Last time we stopped by Fauchon, we decided to bring with us a few bottles of their champagne for a rainy day back home. Without a doubt, Fauchon is our favorite gourmet food store in Paris and a must visit for anyone that enjoys the good life.
Fauchon carries everything from carry-out prepared dishes to bread, 'pâtisserie', chocolates, truffles, charcuterie, 'fromages', gourmet canned foods, caviar and any other edibles of the highest quality. To sum it up, the best of the best is sold at Fauchon.
Some of the Fauchon products are also sold in the delicatessen sections of the most upscale stores around Europe including Germany, Spain, U.K., Portugal and Denmark just to name a few. They also happen to be a purveyor of sweet and salty 'pâtisserie' for the Nespresso boutiques around Paris like the smoked salmon 'mille-feuille' in the photograph below.
The Fauchon Brut champagne is a dry champagne with a high level of acidity on the palate and with strong apple and pear aromas. This champagne is a perfect pairing to Beluga caviar, salty ripened cheeses or other savory foods. With its low content of sugar and high acidity it can cut through the fat of a savory quiche, a 'Saint Agur' cheese or a smoked salmon 'mille-feuille'. One great thing about this champagne is that it will bring back memories from those amazing nights at the Hôtel Costes in Paris.
Next time you stop by the Hermès flagship boutique in Paris, make sure you make a pit stop at Fauchon and pick up a bottle of champagne and one of their lovely desserts to enjoy them while you open that beautiful orange box in your hotel room.
For more information on Fauchon click here.
Experience: Davidoff Nicaragua. An Afternoon of Amazing Cigars, Watches and Craft Beers.
Davidoff Cigars unveiled its first Nicaraguan cigar line, Davidoff Nicaragua, at a New York City pre-launch event back on June 20, 2013 —so far the biggest cigar news this year. After a long wait, the Davidoff Nicaragua finally hit the stores. The Davidoff Nicaragua is a premium cigar made solely from Nicaraguan tobacco —wrapper, binder and filler— but still rolled in their factory down in the Dominican Republic.
Last week we finally had the opportunity to try this amazing cigar during a small get together at the most legendary cigar shop in Chicago, Up Down Cigar. A cigar and tobacco sanctuary founded by the iconic Diana Silvius almost 50 years ago.
Diana Silvius is perhaps the most renowned female cigar aficionada in the world, an icon in the cigar industry and the first woman to be featured on the cover of Cigar Aficionado magazine. Not only she was elected the first female president of the Retail Tobacco Dealer of America in 1991, but she's also known to be very close to Hendrick 'Henke' Kelner —who is to Dominican cigars what chefs Alain Ducasse and Joël Robuchon are to French cuisine— and the Fuente Family, whom she approached to asked them to help her develop her own line of cigars, now sold throughout the world as the Diana Silvius Diamond Vintage.
Really there could've not been better hosts than Diana —along with her close friends, staff members— and our dear friend Phil to throw such a fantastic evening with amazing cigars, craft beers, watches, fine rums and everything that the good life is about. To kick-off our editorial, here's a picture of Ms. Diana Silvius having a great time with us.
After our short preface, let us now walk you through our evening in the usual fashion, please come experience it with us.
As we walked to the back of Up Down Cigar where an intimate smoking garden is located, we were greeted with a nice Davidoff bag with a great assortment of cigars. Davidoff Gold Band Awards 2012, the Davidoff Robusto Collection box —included the amazing Robusto 100 made honoring Zino Davidoff's 100th anniversary of his birth—, Davidoff Belicoso Supremo and of course the newly launched Nicaraguan blend cigars.
After getting our cigars, we decided to start enjoying the evening with other watchlifestylers in the company of some amazing craft beers from Goose Island —Chicago's most famous brewery. Our friends from Goose Island shared a nice selection of limited edition Bourbon County stout beers —with an alcohol content of 14.3-14.5%—, their 25th anniversary ale and even the rare Halia a sour peach saison aged in wine barrels.
Our personal favorites were the Bourbon County beers and especially the coffee stout brewed with Intelligentsia coffee. Who would've thought that beers and cigars go that well together. Well, let's rephrase that, stout beers and cigars go well together.
Finally, after a few beers we decided to honor the new Davidoff Nicaraguan cigars and we started burning one. The first cigar we decided to try was a Nicaragua Robusto, that was spectacular from beginning to end. It started with some peppery notes that evolved into a smooth, creamy cigar very similar to the taste of Habanos like Romeo y Julieta or H. Upmann.
After trying the new Nicaraguan selection, we're not sure we can go back to the Dominican Davidoffs as much as we used to. This cigar was exceptional, with a few occasional burnouts but with a nice draw and a long and thick ash.
As the evening progressed, we gather around other 'watchlifestylers' to talk about watches, cigars and the good life. Some of the nice watches that were around us that evening including Tutima, Rolex, Panerai, Cartier, Audemars Piguet and Tag Heuer. We even ran into what we'll refer to as a 'questionable' Steve McQueen Explorer that of course we won't be posting here, regardless, it was a great crowd with some awesome timepieces.
As we were enjoying our first cigar, we decided to pair it with some Clément 'Rhum Vieux Agricole' —dry rum from Martinique. In 1887, Homère Clément pioneered a natural style of rum from fresh pressed sugarcane juice known today as 'Rhum Agricole'. Clément is available in seven varieties that include: Sirop de Canne, Première Canne, V.S.O.P, Cuvée Homère, X.O. Rhum, Créole Shrubb and Clément 10 Years. A fantastic rum than can almost compete with some of the best Cuban and Venezuelan rums but that will never be close enough to a Zacapa Centenario from Guatemala. Sorry Clément!
After finishing our second cigar outside, we finally headed inside the shop to smoke a third cigar and shop around. We always discover nice little goodies to take home as this shop is the only store in the city that carries Elie Bleu and Eloi products.
As we were smoking our third cigar, we ran into a beautiful Eloi cigar cutter from France that was a perfect match to he bezel on our Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 15400ST. We couldn't control ourselves and we had to buy it that night —soon we will be publishing a short review of this cutter for our Audemars Piguet fans.
As the evening drifted away and one thing lead to another, we left this sanctuary of the good life thoroughly satisfied with the new Davidoff Nicaraguan blend cigars. Available in three different sizes —toro, robusto and short corona—, this is a cigar that you need to try no matter what.
Sticker Price on the Eloi cigar cutter $395 USD, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and box of Davidoff cigars not included.
For more info on Davidoff click here, Goose Island Brewery here, Clément Rum here and Up Down Cigar here.
Experience: NoMI Lounge at the Park Hyatt Chicago. An Ideal Place for Food, Wine and Watch Talk.
For a long time, we've been looking to find the perfect place in Chicago where watchlifestylers can enjoy some inspiring food and wines under the right atmosphere and lighting conditions to have a good talk about watches. Look no further, NoMI Lounge is the perfect spot for a casual get together or just a place to enjoy a chill afternoon in the company of friends, family or your significant other.
Located inside the luxurious Park Hyatt hotel off of Michigan Avenue —right by the iconic Water Tower landmark— this is a place that won't disappoint you. As you walk into the hotel, you already know that you are in for a nice treat.
Perfect decor, exquisite lounge music very similar to the one at the 'Hôtel Costes', different seating areas depending on the mood you are looking for and a well stocked cheese ripening fridge welcome you. As you make your way in, you'll also find the nicely designed and perfectly stocked bar.
NoMI Lounge offers a great selection of signature and classic cocktails, food to share that includes a nice assortment of fresh seafood, sushi, cheeses, charcuterie, paninis, flat breads and other heavier dishes that are also meant to be shared. Surprisingly enough, they carry the coveted 'Jamón Ibérico de Bellota' from Spain that we love. After sitting down we ordered a few dishes, started sipping our 'rosé' —nothing fancy just a Domaine de Figueirasse— and enjoyed our conversation about watches and the good life.
Our food selection included some burrata with thyme and honey, a grilled flat bread with peaches, goat cheese and arugula, a sharp cheddar pimento spread with garlic aioli and the 'panisse' with goat cheese, rosemary and balsamic. We have not had 'panisse' since our last time in Paris. A 'panisse' is a chickpea flour cake that is fried in the shape of small rectangular logs with a texture very similar to that of fried 'polenta' that is very common in the south of France.
After enjoying the delicious savory food, we decided to order their assortment of cookies and candies, paired with a couple of glasses of Canadian Inniskillin Icewine. Perfect pairing for the little box of sweet treats. Glad the treat box included our favorite French macarons, almost as good as those from Pierre Hermé in Paris.
After a wonderful evening with great conversation, watches, fantastic foods and wine, another great day in the life of a watchlifestyler ends. The watches featured here are an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 15400ST.OO.1220ST.02 and Chanel J12 Automatic in 38mm ref. H0970.
Dear watchlifestylers: The next time that you contact us for a quick get together, you know where we will be meeting for a nice watch talk. Hasta pronto amigos!
For more info on NoMI Lounge click here. For more info on AP here and Chanel here.
Insider: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Survivor. The Most Revolutionary Offshore.
When it comes to Audemars Piguet watches, we all know that because of their exclusivity and limited production, we rarely see them in the wild. Now, how often do you come in contact with an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Survivor? Pretty much never. Well, here's one for your viewing pleasure.
This amazing timepiece was launched by Audemars Piguet at the end of 2008 as the limited edition Royal Oak Offshore ref. 26165IO.00.A002CA.01 in only a 1,000 pieces. It sold out almost immediately after its launch.
Without a doubt, this Royal Oak Offshore Survivor is the one that started the true evolution of the Royal Oak Offshore line into what it is today. Fitted with a blackened and perforated titanium case measuring 42mm in diameter with grooves on the profile of the case at 9, a grooved ceramic bezel and chrono pushers in ceramic with titanium guards, this watch is the perfect match to the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante Edizione Tecnica. This car is as revolutionary as this Offshore.
Even though this watch is extremely sleek and progressive in design and innovation, it still remains true to the Royal Oak Offshore nature and essence without compromise.
While the case construction appears massive and bulky, this watch wears true to its size. Just like the grooves on the case and bezel, the crown and hands are also very rugged making the watch look like a complex machine. The dial is pure perfection and very well balanced. The running seconds are on a silvered register that is fitted with a hand that has a red tip that adds the right amount of contrast.
The beating heart inside this revolutionary timepiece is the Audemars Piguet automatic calibre 3126/3840 with 59 jewels and a power reserve of 60 hours. To protect this amazing calibre, the watch is fitted with a nicely crafted and sturdy titanium case back with beautiful dimples on the center.
The rubber strap is slightly more flexible than other Offshore straps and quite comfortable. The watch is so light that it almost feels like its not on your wrist. The strap is fitted with a blackened titanium clasp very similar to the one on the Forged Carbon or Ceramic Divers. Its unmistakeable set of squared lines along the sides are the perfect match to the 'méga tapisserie' dial. The plots that connect the strap to the case have two small perforations to match the perforations on the case.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Survivor is a watch that, even after several years from its launch, still makes our hearts skip a beat with its beauty, uniqueness and overtly masculine design.
When found, the pre-owned sticker price ranges from $35,000-$42,000 USD.
For more info on Audemars Piguet click here.
