During a fair that saw Audemars Piguet launch the CODE 11.59 collection and will be long remembered for the harsh comments of collectors, enthusiasts, and journalists alike that have then followed, the brand confirmed it is not going to increase its production volumes any further, but it will change the product mix instead.
We expect therefore Audemars Piguet to reorganize the current collections, reduce their quantities and leave room to the new CODE 11.59 collection, something that will undoubtedly affect the Royal Oak collection, and its long list of product codes, too.
No mention was made, in the official press release, to any new Royal Oak Jumbo, yet Audemars Piguet released a new version of its coveted reference 15202, the Royal Oak Jumbo Extra–Thin. Super classy, yet almost provocatively inspired by the Seventies, the Royal Oak Jumbo Extra–Thin is the quintessential Royal Oak and featured seven variants before the SIHH 2019 officially broke cover.
If the titanium and platinum Jumbo with smoked blue dial presented last year, has been among the most highly sought-after Royal Oak Jumbo ever released, the 2019 white gold Jumbo with the pink gold dial looks even more attractive.
Audemars Piguet has unveiled a new Royal Oak Jumbo Extra–Thin featuring a pink gold dial and Petite Tapisserie motif. The dial is not any hot news in the brand’s history.
Audemars Piguet already launched a similar dial design when it celebrated the Royal Oak‘s 20th Anniversary back in 1992, but the differences between those two timepieces are not so negligible. The “Audemars Piguet” lettering on the dial has a different font, and the AP logo is now applied and positioned close to the white gold baton hour marker placed at six o’clock.
On top of that, in comparison to the commemorative limited edition watch, the date window is the same color as the dial, although I think the font’s style and size look weird, and not in line with the overall dial’s clean and geometric design. Some call it a salmon dial, but I am afraid I have to disagree. Hands-on, it has hues that tend towards champaign rather than salmon.
The 39mm case is in white gold, and the combination with the dial makes it today the most attractive mix ever seen, in my opinion. Again, if designers had removed the date window, this Jumbo would have been perfect from any angle. Once on the wrist, it confirms the pluses of the Jumbo version that make the 41mm version look hefty, in comparison: it is incredibly comfortable and has a rare mix of class and sportiness that makes it perceive very much like the original version.
Just 8mm thick, the Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin Pink Gold Dial is powered by the 2,75Hz manufactured caliber 2121 with 40 hours of maximum power reserve (not so much though, yet not the reason why you actually buy this watch) and has been produced in just 75 pieces each of them priced at $55,400 which, as you might guess, have all gone already.
(Photo credit: Horbiter®)
Gaetano C @Horbiter®
