Audemars Piguet - Royal Oak "Jumbo" 16202XT in Titanium and Bulk Metallic Glass

0 0 Saturday 2 September 2023 Edit this post

Audemars Piguet unveiled the Royal Oak “Jumbo” 16202XT in titanium and Bulk Metallic Glass, the latest iteration of the iconic model.

Following the launch of the Only Watch unique piece presented in 2021, this new 39 mm model introduces a case and a bracelet that combine titanium and precious metallic glass (or BMG, which stands for Bulk Metallic Glass) into the collection for the very first time.

The new high-tech material can be found on the bezel, caseback, and bracelet studs. Mirror-polished to reveal its high resistance to scratches, it creates a nice play of light in combination with a titanium case and the eye-catching smoked burgundy dial.

BMG, initially found in the 1960s and utilized in both microelectronics and golf, exhibits glass-like qualities such as amorphism and hardness when rapidly cooled. Among the numerous varieties of metallic glass available, Audemars Piguet opted to collaboratively develop its own palladium-based metallic glass, endowing it with exceptional resistance against wear and corrosion, alongside heightened brilliance.

The production process commences with the material being melted and poured into molds (for the bezel and caseback), shaping them into the desired preliminary form. Swift cooling follows to preserve its inherent attributes, encompassing hardness and elasticity. After removal from the molds, the components undergo machining to achieve their ultimate shape.

The smoked burgundy dial is decorated with a sunburst motif and features luminescent 18-carat pink gold hour-markers and hands, with the polished and applied AP monogram at 6 o’clock.

The date appears in pink tones on a dark burgundy background.

This new Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin model is equipped with the Calibre 7121 (you can read more about it here), a 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) self-winding movement introduced in 2022 to replace the Calibre 2121, which has powered the “Jumbo” models since 1972.

With a thickness of 3.2 mm, Calibre 7121 has been developed and produced by Audemars Piguet’s engineers and watchmakers to fit into the 8.1 mm case without altering the aesthetics or thickness of the watch. Furthermore, the crown is now equipped with a rapid date corrector. The power reserve is 55 hours.

Visible through the sapphire caseback, the Calibre 7121 and its 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight are beautifully decorated with finishes such as Côtes de Genève, circular satin-finishing, snailing, circular graining and angle polishing. The caseback also bears the “Pd500” hallmark, as BMG contains over 50% of palladium.