150 years of Audemars Piguet, a chronograph that redefines what “precision” feels like.
A Milestone in Motion
Royal Oak - Extra-Thin Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph (RD#5)
26545XT.OO.1240XT.01
150 years of Audemars Piguet, a chronograph that redefines what “precision” feels like.
This isn’t just a new chronograph. It’s Audemars Piguet’s way of celebrating a century and a half by rewriting the rules of timekeeping.
As someone who has always admired how AP challenges tradition, this new chronograph stopped me in my tracks, literally! It doesn’t simply build on the past; it questions what a chronograph can be in the modern era of watchmaking.
Why 150 Years Matters
What Makes It Stand Out
Audemars Piguet has never been afraid to challenge convention and to mark their 150th anniversary, they’ve done it again. Rather than simply refining the Royal Oak design, they reimagined one of the most intricate complications in horology: the chronograph.
The chronograph has always been one of the most complex and emotionally charged movements. It measures not just time, but moments, laps, milestones, life’s fleeting seconds. AP didn’t just perfect it; they remastered it.
Heritage Meets Innovation
Design and Materials
At first glance, it looks unmistakably Royal Oak, the iconic octagonal bezel, the slim 39 mm “Jumbo” proportions, and a deep midnight-blue dial featuring the signature Petite Tapisserie pattern. But look closer, and innovation reveals itself everywhere.
The titanium case gives the watch lightness and strength, while the integration of a flying tourbillon and a flyback chronograph maintains the sleek, slim architecture of the classic Jumbo. Two box-shaped sapphire crystals, front and back, let light dance through the movement, creating a sense of depth and transparency. A new, more contemporary AP logo font adds a modern touch to this masterpiece.
It’s still a Royal Oak at heart but one evolved for the next generation.
The Reinvented Crown
A small change can completely alter how we experience a watch. Here, AP introduced a co-axial function selector built directly into the crown, replacing the traditional “pull-out” mechanism.
With a gentle twist, you can switch between winding and setting the time. A red ring appears to signal that the crown is active, a beautifully intuitive detail.
It’s functional, elegant, and a quiet revolution in user interaction.
This subtle yet significant change transforms the way the wearer connects with the movement, making something purely mechanical feel seamlessly natural.
The Pushers: A New Sensation
Chronograph pushers have long required force, that distinct click many of us associate with starting or stopping the mechanism. But the RD#5 changes that completely.
The pushers now require 25 times less pressure to activate. The sensation is as soft and fluid as turning the volume up or down on your phone. It’s one of those small but transformative details that makes you smile the moment you feel it. This is mechanical ergonomics perfected, precise, refined, and beautifully responsive.
Inside the Masterpiece — Calibre 8100
This is where Audemars Piguet’s 150 years of innovation shine brightest. The new Calibre 8100 isn’t an evolution of the chronograph, it’s a rethinking of how one should feel, function, and flow.
The Reset Mechanism Revolution
Traditionally, a chronograph reset depends on two parts: the hammer and the heart-shaped cam. The hammer strikes the cam to bring the chronograph hands back to zero. It works, but often feels stiff or mechanical.
In the RD#5, AP reinvented this principle. They introduced a completely new system of racks and pinions that drive the chronograph’s kinetic chain, storing energy and releasing it on command. The reset is sharp, smooth, and instant. A retrograde mechanism controls the jump of the chronograph’s minute and hour counters. All hands reset simultaneously through a single release component.
It’s a reset that feels alive, immediate, precise, and satisfying. The difference is subtle but unforgettable.
The Hybrid Clutch System
The Calibre 8100 also debuts a unique clutch that blends the best features of horizontal and vertical systems. Here, coupling happens through toothed wheels rather than friction discs.
The geometry of these wheels ensures an instant, smooth connection while keeping the mechanism incredibly compact. Which is essential for maintaining the Jumbo’s thin 8.1 mm profile.
In short, it delivers the precision of a modern racing chronograph in a case as refined as a dress watch.
The Tourbillon and Peripheral Rotor
Borrowing from the RD#3 concept, Audemars Piguet built the chronograph mechanism within the diameter of a peripheral rotor. This ingenious construction keeps the movement thin and beautifully symmetrical.
The peripheral rotor winds around the calibre and can be admired from both sides through sapphire crystals. The result is a breathtaking view, motion, architecture, and artistry, perfectly balanced. It’s not just mechanical excellence; it’s visual poetry.
What It Means for Watchmaking
Audemars Piguet didn’t just release a new chronograph, they redefined what one could be. They challenged the rules of traditional design, broke them, and rebuilt them with purpose.
This isn’t complexity for the sake of complexity. It’s complexity made invisible, transformed into effortless simplicity of use. Smooth pushers. A silent crown. A seamless reset. All inside a 39 mm titanium case that feels timeless and futuristic at once.
It’s an engineering statement and a love letter to the art of watchmaking.
My Take — Admiration in Motion
When I first learned about the RD#5, I felt pure admiration, not just for its technical brilliance, but for its courage. In a world where perfection already exists in so many forms, Audemars Piguet dared to start again from zero.
Every detail feels deliberate: the soft press of the pusher, the fluid glide of the crown, the midnight-blue dial shimmering beneath the crystal. It’s mechanical art made human.
If this is what 150 years of mastery looks like, it’s also a promise that the next century of watchmaking will be defined not by nostalgia, but by fearless innovation.
Over to You
What do you think about this new era of chronographs where mechanical art meets ergonomic beauty?
Would you like to see Audemars Piguet expand this concept into other models, or should this masterpiece remain a once-in-a-century creation?