Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher ref. 26221FT
What happens when a watchmaker pushes the boundaries to celebrate the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time? This. The AP Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher happens
Motorsport and Watches
Ever since the proliferation of partnerships between brands in the watchmaking and motorsports industries in the 1960s, customers worldwide have been graced with wonderfully functional chronographs that are still icons to this day. At the mere mention of these industries in the one sentence, you may already have pictures of Rolex Daytonas, Heuer Monacos and several other watches scrambling through your mind. You see, the link between these two industries requires virtually no introduction. Each has had a long-lasting impact on one another and will continue to forge on as allies for a long time to come.
While it is easy, and increasingly common, for brands to cash in on this rich heritage using throwback designs, historical movements and nostalgic imagery, it is another story to flip the script and create something truly revolutionary. This is where Audemars Piguet comes in and does exactly that, with their Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher ref. 26221FT.
Racing Credentials
Having been partnered with some of the great race drivers like Pablo Montoya and Rubens Barrichello II, it was no surprise when AP announced their partnership with Michael Schumacher in 2010. Already established as one of the greatest drivers ever, it was a match made in heaven given his and AP's credentials in their respective fields. However, unfortunately, Michael was the victim of a freak skiing accident in December 2013 that left him in a medically induced coma, and which he is still recovering from.
As with the ruthless nature of business, Michael's commercial sponsors recoiled from their positions over the months following the accident due to his condition, except for one – Audemars Piguet. Thankfully, with the blessing of Michael's family, AP designed and released a watch in 2015 to celebrate their association with the all-time great, giving us the Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher – arguably the ultimate chronograph.
The Concept's Concept
Before we try to understand just how incredible this watch is, I should explain that the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept collection is not for the faint-hearted. Released in 2002 for the Royal Oak's 30th anniversary, the Concept collection exists to push just about every horological boundary that stands in conventional watchmaking. Combining the most cutting-edge movement technologies with practically space-age engineering and material science, the Concept collection is effectively Audemars Piguet's vehicle to showcase what their impressive R&D division has been up to. In essence, the collection acts on the same premise as concept cars in the automotive industry, ironically enough.
The Watch Itself
As mentioned, the Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher ref. 26221FT is arguably the ultimate chronograph, in terms of both mechanics and aesthetics. Starting with what we can see, the Laptimer comes in a forged carbon case with a glare-proof sapphire crystal in both its dial and in its titanium caseback.
Featuring the octagonal bezel that ties every Royal Oak together in titanium, the Laptimer's aesthetic is dominated by the blend of dark materials that fill its unique profile – until you spot the subtle hint of gold from the side. Standing as a celebration of Michael's career, the Laptimer's pushers and crown are constructed of 18ct pink gold. A tribute to Michael's heritage as one of the greatest in the business, this classy hint of gold evokes fittingly royal imagery without hindering the utilitarian design behind the Laptimer.
What Makes it Special
While the story behind the Laptimer, and what it signifies, certainly makes it a special watch in its own right, it would be unlike Audemars Piguet to forgo giving a piece like the Laptimer a truly special movement. Proudly on display behind an openworked black dial, the Laptimer features the incredible AP calibre 2923 movement.
Fitted with its eponymous laptimer function, the cal. 2923 has a patent on its design thanks to its use of not one, not two, but three column wheels – two of which drive the laptimer complication. An incredibly complicated upgrade to the already complicated split-second chronograph, the laptimer complication can be operated via the pushers at two o'clock, four o'clock and nine o'clock. When one of the two chronograph hands are stopped, say at the end of a lap; the other resets and restarts immediately, allowing you to time consecutive laps.
Aside from that, the Laptimer can be used as a conventional split-second chronograph for those times you aren't racing around the track and just need to record two separate events that start at the same time. With only its running seconds subdial at nine o'clock and 30-minute register at three o'clock, the Laptimer's openworked dial is a clean and legible piece of design that tops off an otherwise out of this world timepiece.
Incredibly Cool and Hard to Get
Much like all cool things, the Laptimer is not exactly an easy watch to get. Given it was a limited edition of 221 pieces, symbolising the number of F1 World Championship point-winning races Michael has under his belt, the Laptimer is as exclusive as it is incredible. With it representing AP's and Michael's collaborative efforts, the Laptimer is an astonishing testament to the longstanding tradition of the amalgamation of motorsport and our beloved horology.
Specifications
Watch name: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher ref. 26221FT
Reference number: 26221FT.OO.D002CA.01
Case size: 44 mm
Thickness: 19.3 mm
Material: Forged Carbon
Crystal: Glareproofed sapphire crystal
Water-resistance: 50 m
Movement: Calibre 2923
Functions: Laptimer chronograph with double central second hands, flyback, 30 minutes counter, small seconds, hours and minutes
Winding: Hand-Wound
Frequency: 4 hz 28800 vph
Power reserve: 80 h
Strap: Black rubber strap with titanium AP folding clasp
Availability: Limited edition of 221
This piece is available for purchase on Wristcheck. Click to view.
