Discover the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked 150th Anniversary 26585XT, celebrating 150 years of the brand and Calibre 5135
Audemars Piguet presents the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked “150th Anniversary” limited edition, marking the final appearance of Calibre 5135, which has powered the brand’s 41 mm openworked self-winding perpetual calendar wristwatches for nearly a decade.
The watch combines titanium and Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG) for the case and bracelet, creating a striking contrast with the dial’s vintage aesthetic, inspired by a pocket watch from the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet. Design elements introduced for the anniversary also appear in other models released this year.
Building on the expertise of the brand in perpetual calendars, Calibre 5134 was launched in 2015, adapting the perpetual calendar movement to a larger 41 mm case diameter while maintaining a thin 4.5-mm profile.
Combining the ancient art of openworking with cutting-edge technology, Calibre 5135 was released in 2019 to power the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked in black ceramic ref. 26585CE, revealing the movement’s refined decorations from both the front and the back of the watch.
This movement, operating at a frequency of 2.75 Hz (19,800 vibrations/hour) with a 40-hour power reserve, takes its final bow in a limited edition dedicated to celebrating the brand’s 150 years of fine watchmaking.
The design codes of its dial are inspired by a historical openworked perpetual calendar pocket watch (ref. 25729) exhibited at the heart of the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet.
The inner bezel and subdial surrounds reinterpret the contrasted aesthetic of the original pocket watch by featuring a rich blue hue that has been slightly darkened to harmonise with the deep colour of the matching bathtub hands in 18-carat white gold, filled with luminescent material for optimal readability.
The hour-markers are executed in a silver-grey shade and in a refined round shape to mirror the ones made of brilliant-cut diamonds on the historical timepiece. The white typeface used for the perpetual calendar’s numerical and alphabetical indications has been revisited to enhance the vintage aesthetic.
At 6 o’clock, the moon-phase display showcases a disc decorated with a photographic representation of the Moon as seen from Earth. Based on a NASA image, this realistic depiction is transferred onto the disc using sapphire metallisation. As the mechanism advances, the aperture on the dial presents the eight phases of the 29.5-day lunar cycle, visible from both the northern and southern hemispheres.
Self-winding Calibre 5135 accounts for the varying lengths of months and accurately displays the date, including leap years. If kept fully wound, the perpetual calendar will remain precise until 2100, when a manual adjustment will be required to align with the Gregorian calendar.
The case of reference 26585XT measures 41 mm x 9.9 mm and is crafted from titanium, with BMG used for the bezel, caseback frame, and bracelet studs.
Discovered in the 1960s and initially used in microelectronics and golf equipment, BMG exhibits exceptional hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance due to its amorphous structure. It also offers a distinctive brilliance, setting it apart from conventional metals.
Audemars Piguet first combined titanium with BMG for the one-of-a-kind Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin (ref. 15202XT) created for Only Watch 2021, which introduced palladium-based metallic glass to watchmaking. The material later appeared in the Royal Oak “Jumbo” ref. 16202XT.
Design elements celebrating Audemars Piguet’s 150th anniversary in the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked “150th Anniversary” ref. 26585XT.OO.1220XT.01 include a signature in the moon-phase display at 6 o’clock, inspired by historical documents, along with engravings of the commemorative “150” logo and “1 of 150 pieces” on the caseback frame. Price available on request. audemarspiguet.com
Suggested reading:
- The history of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
- The history of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
A power reserve of 40 hours is really low for a perpetual calendar. You can’t even leave it in a drawer over the weekend!
ReplyDeleteYes, while this movement was probably nicer than the new one, they really needed to update it
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