Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Self-Winding Ultra-Thin
Based on the record-breaking RD#2, Audemars Piguet’s most emblematic ultra-thin perpetual calendar returns in a limited run of 200 pieces this year. And this time - in full titanium
This month, with a slew of releases ranging from new ceramic Offshores to the staggeringly complicated Code 11.59 ‘Universelle’ dropping faster than you can click ‘Page Refresh’, one could be forgiven for missing the new ultra-thin Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar. After all, this 41mm complication - presented here in full titanium - follows closely in the footsteps of the RD#2: a concept watch originally released in 2018 by AP, which went on to evolve into a non-tapisserie iteration (that also happens to be one of the thinnest perpetual calendar wristwatches of all time).
In that spirit, the Ref. 26586TI can be considered the latest evolution of the RD#2 design. Unlike its predecessors (both of which used varying amounts of platinum) this wafer-thin perpetual calendar is a strictly titanium affair. Indeed, the only peripheral components that aren’t machined from the titular space-age metal are the screws: set into the octagonal Royal Oak bezel, they’re made in classic fashion in white gold.
Unshockingly, for those who loved the production-grade version of the RD#2 released in 2019, the new titanium perpetual calendar serves up even more of a good thing. The case’s overall proportions remain aligned with the previous 41mm format, the notable exception being thickness - where the Ref. 26586TI has shed yet another 0.10mm. Still one can’t deny that the tension in the watch’s various measurements evoke the timeless simplicity of the modern ‘Jumbo’ - certainly a good thing.
In conjunction with the case and bracelet construction (now practically all titanium) one gets the feeling this watch is poised to become a contemporary classic. Going beyond superficial similarities to the 2019 model - like the accented red date and moonphase in aventurine - the biggest visual departure is the dial color, which AP has taken to describing in all the relevant press material as “smoky blue”.
Embellished with a radial brushing effect, it ensures the area closest to the centre of the dial is lightest in color, darkening gradually as your eyes wander towards the rehaut. As far as gradients go, this appears extremely well-balanced in the metal - evident in the wrist shots taken by Austen, our Founder & CEO, several days ago.
At a clip then, what we’ve got our mitts on is another elegantly styled Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar, made in dimensions that shall appeal to a huge swathe of different watch collectors and remain wearable for decades to come. Mechanically, the Ref. 26586TI is almost a blow-for-blow remake of 2019’s RD#2, but the original calibre used to power the latter watch (calibre 5133) was already such an impressive exercise in space reduction that we’re compelled to revisit a couple of key talking points.
Grounded in the architecture of the legendary calibre 2120 (originally supplied by Jaeger-LeCoultre), the 5133 rethinks a lot of the conventional wisdom associated with that calendar movement in order to keep excess height to a minimum. The barrel is made using a ‘floating’ construction: meaning that the reverse of the dial simultaneously functions as a mainplate, obviating the need to fix pivots on both sides.
Meanwhile, for the perpetual calendar mechanism, AP’s watchmakers opted for a wide, rather than stacked approach; spreading out the various cams and wheels so that the resulting movement is significantly thinner than what would be achievable using a conventional modular construction. (I’m still amazed the brand somehow even managed to fit in a rolling track and fully sized rotor.)
The downside - such as it is - to this virtually unprecedented form factor is that the Ref. 26586TI lacks both the power reserve and stable amplitude of the simpler self-winding Royal Oaks that AP offers. Naturally, serious students of complicated watchmaking will have little trouble digesting this watch’s 40-hour power reserve and comparatively low amplitude; as the new ultra-thin titanium calendar achieves the purpose of its existence with flying colors. No reinvention necessary.
Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Self-Winding Ultra-Thin photography by Laurent Xavier Moulin/ Wristcheck
