Hand-wound chronometer with small seconds at 6 o’clock and power-reserve indication, high frequency movement (43,200 vibrations per hour) with Audemars Piguet escapement and double balance spring. 950 platinum case, white dial, blue strap.

Here is a remarkable & truly fascinating watch for those lovers of complicated watches.

Hand-wound chronometer with small seconds at 6 o’clock and power-reserve indication

High frequency movement (43,200 vibrations per hour) with Audemars Piguet escapement and double balance spring.

This gorgeous rare Grand Compliaction can be compared to Audemars Piguet’s complicated watches such as some of their minute-repeater or tourbillon pieces. This gorgeous COSC certified chronometer from Audemars Piguet’s Jules Audemars collection certainly looks the part. First introduced at the Basel Fair, the ChronAP is powered by the in-house Calibre 2908, a high-frequency movement that beats at 43,200 vibrations per hour and features a lubrication free escapement.

Striking Symmetry
One of the first things to strike you about the dial is just how attractive it is to look at. At first I thought it was just the clean lines and good use of contrasting color but then I realized what was really attracting my eye was the perfectly symmetrical layout. The effect is subtle at first but once you become aware of it, it is almost overt and you can’t but help admiring how balanced everything feels.

I think the AP designers and engineers have been especially clever here, finding ways to incorporate the key components of the movement, namely the escapement and double barrel spring, into the dial layout without making them the primary focus of attention. It’s almost a subtle acknowledgement that whilst this piece has been designed largely to showcase the technical prowess of the high-frequency Calibre 2908, its owner still wants to be able to read the time easily and look good doing it.

The indications are relatively simple, with hours and minutes shown on the top sub-dial, whilst seconds are shown on the bottom. To maintain the sense of symmetry a power-reserve indicator placed at seven o’clock counter-balances the placement of the AP escapement at four o’clock, and keeps you apprised of how long before the 90-hour power reserve runs out.

The movement itself is manually wound and as I mentioned before is a COSC certified chronometer, meaning that it is not only visually appealing but also highly precise. The finishing on both the dial and the movement itself is extremely well done, without being excessive and the attention to detail is evident everywhere you look.

the most striking thing about the new Jules audemars watch with AP escapement is the design. with no covering dial, the outstanding mechanics of the calibre 2908 are shown in all their glory, with a with gold mainplate engine-turned by hand or treated with an nac galvanic finish. the watch’s three-dimensional aesthetic leads the eye straight to the small seconds display, then to the hours and minutes and the two barrels. The escapement is the nerve centre of the new calibre and appears to reach out from the plate in a bid to stamp its unique authority on the watch. Everything fits into a generous case in 950 platinum with sapphire crystal and caseback so that these impressive mechanics may be admired to the full.

The new hand-wound design with its 267 components represents a return to the roots of watchmaking. The AP escapement boasts exceptional frequency and bears the hallmark of an ongoing quest for accuracy. The small seconds display is placed firmly in the foreground to provide clear proof of the philosophy behind the timepiece.