Audemars Piguet (AP) continues its milestone anniversary celebrations by launching the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph RD#5 “150th Anniversary.” A result of 5 years of development by AP, the Royal Oak RD#5 boasts several horological innovations, and is the first Royal Oak to feature a flyback chronograph with a flying tourbillon. It is the final edition of the brand’s RD series that began in 2015.
“Audemars Piguet has always embraced a challenge. With our latest innovation – the RD#5 – the aim was to offer enthusiasts a complicated watch that is both comfortable and easy to use. Ultimately, a timepiece suited for today’s lifestyle that pays homage to the original “Jumbo” with its aesthetic simplicity. The tremendous work carried out by our teams reflects the collective strength that has defined our brand for 150 years.” – Ilaria Resta Chief Executive Officer, Audemars Piguet.
Key Features
Functions and Operation
Central hours and minutes. Flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock. Chronograph functions: Central flyback chronograph. 12-hour counter at 3’clock. Instant jump minute counter at 9 o’clock.
Crown at 3 o’clock features an integrated push-piece with a visual indicator for winding and time setting. Push-piece between 1 and 2 o’clock to start / stop chronograph. Push-piece between 4 and 5 o’clock to reset chronograph.
“With this innovation, Audemars Piguet has reinterpreted the chronograph to enhance its ease of use. The RD#5 can store energy when the chronograph is activated and release it upon reset – enabling, for the first time, short-travel, low-force push-pieces for enhanced smoothness and unmatched comfort. To achieve a sensation comparable to tapping a smartphone, we had to completely rethink how chronograph functions are engineered.” – Lucas Raggi Chief Industrial Officer, Audemars Piguet.
Dial
Blue Petite Tapisserie dial in “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50.” Matching blue counters with a snailed finish. Bathtub hour and minute hands and applied hour-markers made from 18K white gold, rhodium-toned, and coated with luminescent material. Chronograph hands are made from titanium. Rhodium-toned inner bezel.
Movement
Powered by the new Calibre 8100. An automatic movement, it features a flyback chronograph with a vertical clutch, column wheel, a patented reset mechanism, and a flying tourbillon. Diameter: 31.4 mm or 14 lignes. Thickness: 4 mm. Parts: 379. Jewels: 44. Frequency: 21,600 vph or 3 Hz. Power reserve (minimum guaranteed): 72 hours.
“The new Calibre 8100 not only features a flying tourbillon but also introduces an innovative vertical clutch system. This design combines traditional and friction clutches, allowing the clutch wheel to move vertically, which reduces unnecessary rotations and limits jumps. The calibre also features a column wheel that ensures smooth operation of the start and stop functions. For resetting, a patented system stores energy until it reaches a tipping point, then releases it all at once, ensuring the hands return to zero quickly and with precision. On the back of the watch, Audemars Piguet’s teams have developed a peripheral oscillating weight in platinum, reducing thickness and providing an unobstructed view of the movement’s refined finishes, such as the hand bevelled chronograph bridges, sharp inward angles, and satin finish. With a 72-hour power reserve, this robust chronograph easily adapts to modern lifestyles, including various sporting activities, without the risk of deregulating.”
Case and Bracelet
Case middle and crown are made from titanium. Bezel, push-pieces, function selector chip on crown, and caseback are made from Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG).
“Discovered in the 1960s, BMGs are metallic alloys that, when rapidly cooled, take on properties similar to glass, such as high strength and an amorphous structure. Composed of over 50% palladium, Audemars Piguet’s proprietary BMG offers exceptional resistance to wear and corrosion, along with a distinctive reflective sheen.”
Diameter: 39 mm. Thickness: 8.1 mm. Both dial and caseback feature a glare proofed “glass box” sapphire crystal. These are flat on the outside but hollowed inside – “to create additional space for the rotation of the hands as well as for the movement and its oscillating weight.” Water resistant up to 20 metres. Integrated bracelet is made from titanium with BMG links. It is fitted to an AP folding clasp.
“Entirely reimagined to meet our clients’ expectations, the RD#5 brings together all the hallmarks of a refined chronograph: a world-first in the touch-sensitive push-pieces, an instantaneous jump minute counter, remarkable thinness, and meticulously designed ergonomics and legibility.” – Giulio Papi, Director of Watchmaking Design, Audemars Piguet.
Our Thoughts
The pace of change and innovation is typically slow in horology. Things stay the same for decades. Yet, this is part of the charm of luxury watches, whose aesthetic design and movement codes go back in time, often a century or two. Audemars Piguet – though no stranger to this trend – is among the most disruptive of watch brands. The introduction of the Gerald Genta designed Royal Oak in 1972 is testament to this.
With the new Royal Oak RD#5, AP has answered questions no one asked. Whether it is the design of the push-pieces with their shorter trave time or the flyback chronograph’s patented reset mechanism, the brand has created an epic watch. One that will be much talked about in industry and collector circles, and might send other brands – especially AP’s Geneva and Glashütte peers – back to the drawing board. In time, its innovations are destined to filter down to the brand’s regular production pieces.
In addition to being a horological test bed for AP, the Royal Oak RD#5 is a fitting finale to the RD series, which is now “expanding and cross pollinating” to the new AP Fabrication Laboratories, or Fab Labs. Expect the next set of horological innovations to be born at FAB Labs. Exciting times ahead for the brand as they look ahead to their next 150 years.
Please click here to read about the brand’s recent investment in Inhotec SA, and here to read about the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon featuring stone dials. Click here to read about their new Calibre 7138 – a next generation perpetual calendar movement and another example of the brand’s disruptive and innovative spirit.
Additional Details
Name: Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph RD#5 “150th Anniversary”
Reference: 26545XT.OO.1240XT.01
Price: Upon request.
Limited to 150 pieces.
Please visit the brand’s website and Instagram page for more information.
