To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Royal Oak, fake Audemars Piguet yesterday presented the new generation of one of the watches I absolutely love the most: the 39mm Extra-Flat Royal Oak “Jumbo”, which now features the new automatic movement. ultra-thin from the Manufacture, the Caliber 7121. We are talking, as fans know, of one of the most iconic watches of at least the last 50 years. Indeed, we are talking about a now legendary watch (born from the pencil of that genius who was Gerald Genta), the Royal Oak and a particular model that in turn has become legend within legend: the extra-flat Jumbo. The new collection that I present to you today includes four models in steel, platinum, rose gold and 18-karat yellow gold. The four timepieces are also equipped with the “50-years” oscillating weight made for the Royal Oak’s anniversary, coordinated with the tone of the case. For the first time since 1972, the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Flat features a new automatic movement with hours, minutes and date, the Caliber 7121, which marks the debut of the new “Jumbo” reference 16202. This mechanism replaces Caliber 2121 , the thinnest automatic movement with central rotor and date indication of its era (3.05 mm), first introduced on the Royal Oak in 1972 and retired at the end of 2021. The new movement, which measures 3.2mm thick, it was specifically designed and manufactured by fake audemars piguet engineers and watchmakers to fit the extra-flat 8.1mm “Jumbo” case without altering its aesthetics and thickness. In addition, the adjustment shaft is now equipped with a quick date corrector. It took five years of development to make the new Caliber 7121, which, thanks to its new structure, is equipped with more energy than its predecessor. The wider barrel gives it more power, making it more accurate for a longer period of time. It is also equipped with a contemporary central oscillating weight, mounted on ball bearings, which uses two inverters, developed in-house to ensure bidirectional winding. Its balance wheel is equipped with inertial blocks that have been inserted directly into it to avoid unnecessary friction. In addition, Caliber 7121 features a patented extra-flat, energy-efficient date setting mechanism. All this guarantees the replica watches a power reserve of at least 55 hours. The new models of the “Jumbo” Extra-Flat timepiece feature the skeletonized oscillating weight specially made for the Royal Oak’s anniversary in 22-karat gold, with the “50-years” logo and the engraving of the Audemars Piguet signature. For the occasion, the oscillating weight is coordinated with the color of each case, a feature usually reserved for complicated timepieces. Similarly to the case, the oscillating weight has been finished with an alternation of satin finish and polished bevels. The “50-year” oscillating weight will be fitted to all Royal Oak anniversary models throughout 2022. The steel “Jumbo” version has retained the aesthetics of the original 1972 Royal Oak. The steel case and bracelet, hand-finished with satin and polished bevels, they are embellished with the watch’s iconic Petite Tapisserie pattern dial and the Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50 (“midnight blue, cloud 50”) hue. The blue hue was achieved by immersing each quadrant in a galvanic bath. Mix formulation is important, but duration and temperature are both critical. If the craftsman removes the dial too soon, it will turn purple, if he removes it too late, it will turn black. A thin layer of paint mixed with a few black drops (No. 50) was then applied to the dial to protect it. The term “nuage” refers to the cloud effect that creates the drop of black color when it enters the protective liquid paint. Similar to the 1972 Royal Oak, this new “Jumbo” model has kept the original indexes and baignoire or “tub” hands, which allow the luminescent material to be poured for optimal readability. The dial also kept the AP monogram applied in polished gold at 6 o’clock, as well as the wording “AUDEMARS PIGUET AUTOMATIC” printed at 12 o’clock. The “SWISS MADE” indication, which replaced “SWISS” around the mid-1960s 80, remains positioned at 6 o’clock, with the words SWISS and MADE on both sides of the index to balance the dial. The sapphire crystal caseback reveals the new extra-flat movement and the oscillating weight made for the anniversary, here in rhodium-colored 22-karat rose gold to match the color of the watch’s steel case and bracelet.
The new “Jumbo” collection includes a rose gold model and a yellow gold model, both embellished with the characteristic Petite Tapisserie pattern dial in new smoky shades. The 18-karat rose gold model is contrasted with smoky gray shades, while the 18-karat yellow gold version is illuminated with smoky yellow gold tones. The colors of the two dials were obtained by means of a galvanic bath. The smoky effect, obtained by meticulously vaporizing a colored paint on the periphery of the rotating dial, favors the sparkling moiré effect of the Tapisserie motif. The Petite Tapisserie motif is obtained through a complex manufacturing process based on an exclusive know-how that is no longer taught in watchmaking schools today. It is made up of hundreds of small truncated square-based pyramids, carved on the thin metal plate of the dial with an old guilloche copier machine that reproduces the motif of a matrix. Tens of thousands of rhombuses, whose four internal faces reflect light, are cut simultaneously in the thin grooves that separate the squares in a continuous “texture” that creates the appearance of a tapestry. This process requires extreme dexterity and precision. The two new watches are embellished with matching gold indexes, Royal Oak hands and AP monogram, all with the original Royal Oak aesthetic. In addition, through the sapphire crystal caseback, you can admire the corresponding oscillating weight of the anniversary in 22-karat pink or yellow gold. The first Royal Oak entirely finished in yellow gold was introduced into the collection in 1977 on the Royal Oak for women (ref. 8638) to meet the growing demand of the markets. Both the Royal Oak “Jumbo” (ref. 5402BA) and the so-called 35mm “Royal Oak III” (ref. 4100BA) received a yellow gold version a few months later. Less common at the time, rose gold appeared in the Royal Oak collection in the mid-1980s, before joining the “Jumbo” line in 2006, with the reference 15202.
Reserved for AP Houses, this elegant timepiece contrasts the hand-finished 950 platinum case and bracelet with a smoky green dial, the base of which is decorated with a soleil motif. This combination, introduced last year, was awarded the award for the best “Iconic” watch at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie in Geneva in November 2021. The vibrant green hue is achieved by adding drops of green to the protective paint of the dial. The smoky effect on the outer area of the dial accentuates the intensity of the color, giving it greater depth. The dial is enhanced by the traditional applied “Jumbo” indexes, the AP monogram at 6 o’clock and the Royal Oak hands in the shape of a baignoire, all made of white gold. These recall the oscillating weight made for the anniversary in rhodium-colored 22-karat rose gold, visible through the sapphire crystal caseback. Platinum made its debut in the Royal Oak collection in the 1980s, following the introduction of yellow and white gold. The first limited edition of the Royal Oak “Jumbo” in platinum appeared in 1992 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the watch and the creation of the fake Audemars Piguet Foundation. Other limited editions in platinum followed.
At the time of its launch in 1972, the Royal Oak designed by Gérald Genta for Audemars Piguet broke the aesthetic codes of the time. Its large hand-finished steel body, its octagonal bezel fixed with visible hex screws, its highly stylized integrated steel bracelet and its extra-flat self-winding mechanism ushered in the beginning of a new era of Alta Watchmaking, in tune with lifestyle changes. This unique sports watch was later nicknamed “Jumbo” for its 39mm diameter deemed oversized by the standards of the time – an affectionate nickname Audemars Piguet has kept over the years for its extra-flat 39mm self-winding models. . More than a design feature, the Royal Oak’s large dimensions are due to its function. It is the relatively large diameter of the Caliber 2121 (28 mm), combined with the unusual structure of the monocoque or “two-part” case that dictated such measures, because the eight hex screws had to be guided through the bezel, the seal and the case in the periphery of the movement.
During the Royal Oak’s first 20 years, there was only one 39mm extra-flat self-winding model, and most of the pieces were sold before 1982. After its revival in 1992 to mark the Royal’s 20th anniversary Oak, a wide variety of “Jumbo” models have emerged over the years in terms of case and bracelet materials and dial design. The launch of the Model 15202 in 2000 marked a turning point in the history of the “Jumbo” as it entered the third millennium. This model has more freely reinterpreted the original codes, notably with new dial colors, as well as the return of the sapphire crystal caseback (first introduced in 1992).
