Marginal Profit – The world of Auto Holloggery advances on small steps. Mechanical watchmaking is already a miracle as it lies in a private universe where functionality is not a survival tool that is essential. Still, major traditional watchmakers continue to push technical boundaries. Looking at three new permanent calendar clocks, two Royal Oaks and one code 11.59, you don’t get a sense of evolution. However, a thorough examination of the dial will tell you something is going on. Dive into the new Audemars Piguet Caliber 7138, you’ll see that the 422-part “QP” movement, which holds five patents, is about huge leap forwards rather than small profits.
When you say that the new Audemars Piguet Caliber 7138 is a constant calendar movement that can be operated using the crown, you’ll say that this is not novelty. And you’re right. In 1985, IWC introduced Da Vinci, the first permanent calendar designed by Kurt Klaus. The orthodontics on the side of the case aren’t that clean and it’s not a pleasure to operate them. Klaus designed the system so that the crown could be used to adjust the calendar, but there was a downside. There was no “rewind” function. As a result, if you overshoot something during setup, you will need to get an IWC and recalibrate the movement.
In front of the new Audemars Piguet Caliber 7138
The Vatican mathematical genius and watch restorer Ludwig O’Exlin, devised the QP in 1996, marking the 150th anniversary of Ulysse Nardine, adjusting the dates back and forth via one crown. However, the watch didn’t have the traditional perpetual calendar layout, but there was no moon face indicator. The same can be said about the QP introduced by H. Moser & Cie in 2005. Again, this is a QP operated by Crown, but Andreas Strehler, the independent watch maker who created the watch movement, could not make anything traditional. Audemars Piguet created a system for one crown and put it in a traditional QP with MoonPhase indicators and several functional design adjustments to improve readability.
Julio Papi at home
There’s a lot to say about perpetual calendars, but “operational and easy to read” is not a commonly asked explanation. Five years ago, AP Technical Director Giulio Papi began working on a new QP movement. Papi is a bit legendary. He is half of Renaud et Papi, a well-known complex movement manufacturer founded in 1986. Both he and Dominque Renaud worked at the Associated Press before establishing the workshop, continuing to create great complex moves for almost every major Auto Holographic brand. In 1992, the AP was at the helm of CEO Georges-Henri Meylan, buying 52% of the company, and Renaud et Papi became Audemars Piguet Renaud et Papi (APRP).
Today, there are no more APRPs. Renault left, and in 2018, AP acquired Papi. But Papi never left. He’s back on the AP. “I’m not a trophy or an ornament,” said Papi, a well-known and well-known watchmaker, just before explaining how the new caliber 7138 works within the special room of Lubrassos’ huge new AP manufacturing. “I’m here to tackle something interesting.” One particular topic that Papi is particularly interested in is ergonomics. This mechanical complication wizard wants to keep things simple. The proof of this is code 11.59 Ultra-Contication Universelle Rd#4. At first, the watch looks like a chronograph, but careful examination revealed that it is characterized by over 40 functions, of which 23 are complications. Papi wanted this watch to be easy to read and work. The same principles are the foundation of the new QPS.
It’s all in the “gearbox”
Giulio Papi is legendary, but AP’s research and development director Lucas Raggi also needs to mention Lucas Raggi, who played a major role in the development of the new caliber 7138. This is an intuitive and easy to use movement that allows for all adjustments via the crown.
The crown has four positions that adjust all functions. The first position is to wind the clockwise. In the second position, the crown sets the date and the year of jumping by turning it clockwise and counterclockwise. One small click pulling out the crown will be placed further in the third position. Now you can manipulate your time in two directions. Push the crown back with just one click to reach the fourth and final positions. The crown is currently located at position 2′. This allows you to set the clockwise and the moon phase counterclockwise.
Just turn the crown
The system works intuitively and easily, but that’s because of its complex mechanisms. Driving is an innovative lever and wandering wheel that fuses with different calendar wheels at 2′ and 2′ positions. One patent protects the crown correction system in this 2′ position. The second patent is for correction of the month and date via the crown. If you make a mistake while setting the watch, you can continue to turn the crown until you reach the desired setting.
What’s extremely encouraging is that there is no risk of damage. This movement protects you from being misguided and even tells you when it wants to be left alone. The 9 o’clock sub-dial will show you that there is a correction zone marked red between 21 and 3 hours, indicating that you cannot set the clock. However, if you are unaware or particularly stubborn and continue to pull the crown and start spinning, the date will not move. The good thing is that you don’t damage your movement either.
Aesthetics and ergonomics
The red warning signal brings us to the readability of this new QP, which has a traditional look. “In addition to making this high complication easier to use, we also worked on the overall aesthetic, combining high readability with timeless refinement,” says Lucas Raggi. First, you may find that AP has abolished the American way of displaying calendar functions (day, month, date) and chose the European way (day, date, month). As a result, there is an indicator for the 9 o’clock day, a date of 12 o’clock, and a 3 o’clock indicator. Just like with previous perpetual calendar models, week numbers are still printed on the inner bezel.
The indication logic is new and improved, but I wonder why no one has thought of it before. Like real life, Calibre 7138 ensures that everything starts with “1” and the week begins on Monday. So, in the three new QPS, the first week of the year (“1”) appears at 12 and similarly. The “Monday” (Sunday) and “1” (date) were all set at 12:00, marking the start of this week and the first day of the month.
Easier reading interval
Another readability upgrade is displayed on 12 subdials showing the date. The numbers are more evenly spaced, which increases readability. AP has developed a dating wheel with 31 special teeth to achieve this. The wheels are different in size, and have teeth shaped teeth that allow you to move your hands correctly along the numbers. Not only do the teeth have different sizes, they also have different shapes and depths. There’s a lot going on with the 3 o’clock sub-dial too. This subdial indicates both the moon and the leap year. The 9 o’clock sub-dial also shows multiple signs. It also serves as a 24-hour indicator and shows the aforementioned uncensored zone.
26494bc.oo.d350kb.01
26674st.oo.1320st.01
26674SG.OO.1320SG.01
Some models received ergonomic treatment of Ardmer’s Piguet. First, there is a 41mm x 10.6mm cord 11.59 in 18K white gold (26494bc.oo.d350kb.01 /€109,800). Next are two 41mm x 9.5mm Royal Oak models. 26674st.oo.1320st.01 (109,800 euros) and 18K Sand Gold Ref. 26674SG.OO.1320SG.01 (CHF 130,000Ex. VAT). Finally, there are also three corresponding “anniversary” limited editions of 150. Find out more about these three QPs and all the other first semester novelties here.
