Small wonders, grand visions

[SINGAPORE] As Audemars Piguet (AP) blows out the candles for its landmark 150th anniversary, it is doing so by looking through the smallest of lenses.

While the luxury watch industry has long been captivated by oversized statements, the Manufacture is currently hosting 150 Years of Refined Elegance at AP House Singapore – an introspective showcase that explores its pioneering spirit in miniaturisation.

Apart from highlighting some of the smallest timepieces ever created by the brand, the exhibition also explories the stylistic evolution of its most iconic feminine designs; and how its ladies’ watches have continually pushed the creative boundaries of modern fine watchmaking.

This pursuit of miniaturisation can be traced back to the early 20th century when watchmakers were challenged to create movements small enough to be worn as pendants, brooches, or rings. 

AP’s technical evolution through the decades is a testament to this obsessive quest: from a minute-repeater movement just 18 mm in diameter in the early 1900s to a 15 mm opus in 1921, and the baton-shaped Calibre 5/7 SB in 1927.

The pinnacle of this era was the ultra-thin Calibre 17SVF#5, which measured a mere 1.32 mm thick; and this spirit of innovation continued through the 1970s when designer Jacqueline Dimier conceived a 29 mm version of the Royal Oak, eventually leading to today’s 23 mm Royal Oak Mini.

Big on innovation

The modern pinnacle of this technical journey is the debut of the first-ever 38 mm Perpetual Calendar models within the Royal Oak and Code 11.59 collections. Formerly reserved for 41 mm cases, this complication has been re-engineered for smaller dimensions using the brand-new Calibre 7136 and Calibre 7138.

Both build on the patented innovations of Calibre 5133 launched in 2018 in the Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin RD2, which integrated all the perpetual calendar functions on a single level within the movement. 

In a significant leap for ergonomic elegance, AP has now completely eliminated the traditional correctors typically found on the side of the case. Instead, a simpler, intuitive correction system controlled entirely via the crown has been developed. 

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This innovation makes the watch easy to adjust anywhere without the use of tools and reduces the risk of breakage. Not only that, it also allows the timepiece to maintain a slender, uninterrupted case silhouette while ensuring the complication is easy to set.

Forever elegant

AP’s mastery of miniaturisation is further expressed in a limited-edition trio of the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon, also in a refined 38 mm case. These pieces revive a 1960s tradition of natural stone dials, featuring wafer-thin layers of vivid ruby root from Tanzania, deep blue sodalite from Brazil, and rich green malachite from Zambia.

To fit the flying tourbillon – a complication typically reserved for larger watches – into this smaller frame, the Manufacture utilised the Calibre 2968, measuring just 3.4 mm thick. The titanium tourbillon cage was redesigned with a peripheral drive to reduce width while maintaining the graceful, floating appearance of the mechanism above the stone backdrop.

Drawing on generations of expertise, the 38 mm Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon timepiece sets a new standard for miniaturisation, demonstrating that technical savoir-faire and ergonomic elegance are not mutually exclusive, but rather two sides of the same coin. 

By fitting these complex movements into smaller cases, AP proves that high complications are no longer bound by size or gender, making them more versatile and wearable for everyone.

150 Years of Refined Elegance is now on at AP House Singapore (Raffles Singapore, Bar and Billiard Room), 11am to 8pm daily. Book your visit here: https://www.audemarspiguet.com/com/en/stores/ap-house-singapore.html