In the field of advanced watchmaking, the tourbillon has always occupied an indicative position. The dazzling effect of the balance spring when it swings almost makes you forget that the watchmaker’s original intention to create it is for extreme precision. In 1801, the first tourbillon came out, which allowed the pocket watch to counteract the influence of gravity on the accuracy of the pocket watch when placed vertically in the pocket, and has since set a new benchmark for accuracy.
Swiss advanced watchmaker Audemars Piguet launched the world’s first self-winding tourbillon watch in 1986, and has since become a pioneer in the history of tourbillon watch development. This year ushers in the 50th anniversary of the Royal Oak series. Love Audemars Piguet launched a new Royal Oak 50th anniversary RD#3 ultra-thin self-winding flying tourbillon watch, including the “Jumbo” version with cloudy blue dial 39mm and the dark purple dial 37mm, which becomes the Audemars Piguet AP A milestone that has once again broken the limits of watchmaking craftsmanship.
The working principle of the tourbillon is to assemble the balance spring, escape wheel and pallet fork in a frame that is constantly rotating, and rotate once every 60 seconds, so that these sensitive parts are not in an upright position. for a long time, thus compensating for the travel time error caused by gravity. A small tourbillon is made up of hundreds of miniature parts, but weighs less than 1 gram. Due to its extreme complexity and finesse, the tourbillon has always been a complex craft that some master watchmakers are proud of.
Audemars Piguet AP took the lead in developing the first self-winding tourbillon watch in 1986. The titanium tourbillon that powers it is still one of the smallest (7.2 mm diameter) and lightest (0.123 g) tourbillons in the world. create a new development space for the entire advanced watch industry, and at the same time set off a wave of renaissance of the complex functions of the tourbillon.
The RD (Research Development) series is a conceptual creation, Audemars Piguet AP will take the lead in applying the most advanced functions and technologies to this series, including the Royal Oak Concept RD#1 Super Questionnaire released in 2015 and the Royal Oak Concept released in 2018. Oak Royal Oak RD # 2 series ultra-thin self-winding perpetual calendar watch Royal Oak RD # 3 series self-winding ultra-thin flying tourbillon watch released in April this year, following in the footsteps of the first two innovative masterpieces, set Combining innovative technology and exquisite design, equipped with the new 2968 movement, celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Royal Oak series in a slim form.
This watch is the first ultra-thin 39 mm “Jumbo” watch in history to be equipped with a self-winding movement with a flying tourbillon. Before that, the flying tourbillon was a complication exclusive to 41mm watches. In the “Jumbo” case with a diameter of 39 mm, Audemars Piguet AP engineers and watchmakers have overcome many technical challenges. The watch is equipped with the new 2968 movement developed by Audemars Piguet AP, which took five years to develop. The development team adapted the position of some parts, and successfully reduced the thickness of the movement to 3.4mm. The tourbillon is made of titanium, and the transmission is first moved to the outer edge of the movement. The combination of the two makes the tourbillon lighter and thinner, and the internal power transmission is more stable and smooth.
In September this year, the Royal Oak 37mm RD#3 series ultra-thin self-winding flying tourbillon watch was released, which not only benefits people with thin wrists, but also pays homage to Audemars Piguet’s tradition of producing masterpieces small size. scalar complex functions.
The watch is also equipped with the 2968 movement. Audemars Piguet AP engineers redesigned the entire structure of the movement to make the details of the tourbillon and movement more eye-catching. On the back, the hollow splint allows you to see the movement parts. At the same time, it focuses on the perfect symmetry of each part. ; On the front side, the geometric shape and the position of the balance wheel spokes have also been adjusted, so that you can have a panoramic view of the movement of the movement. The flying tourbillon appears to be suspended on the surface, giving you a more shocking visual experience.
The “Petite Tapisserie” small check pattern on the dial features a new inky purple color. This special color is made by CVD (chemical vapor deposition) coating technology to ensure that the color of the dial is bright and uniform, and does not fade for a long time; in addition, the 37mm RD#3 The difference between the self-winding ultra-thin flying tourbillon watch and the “Jumbo” version is that the hand-finished and decorated stainless steel case and chain enjoy the updated design of the Royal The Oak series was launched in early 2022. The increased bevel of the surface polish and the decreasing width of the band links give the watch a slim look while enhancing comfort.
