Audemars Piguet 150th Héritage Pocket Watch

Audemars Piguet has introduced a series of new products featuring unique pocket watches. It is a universal perpetual calendar equipped with an independent mechanical calculator that displays the solar, lunar and lunisolar cycles on one clock.

The idea for this watch originated in late 2023 during a conversation between Audemars Piguet CEO Ilaria Resta and legendary watchmaker Giulio Papi. In 20 months, he created a caliber that was used in the new product. It is based on the RD#4 wristwatch mechanism, which combines 23 complex functions. The automatic winding was removed from it, but 8 additional functions were added.

It is important to note that this is the first Audemars Piguet pocket watch since 2011. In terms of complexity, they surpass such historical brand rarities as the 1899 Universelle model and the 1921 Grosse Pièce model.

Let’s start with the case. It is expected to be massive – 50 x 23.4 mm, while comfortable enough to carry in your hand. To maximize the comfort of the future owner, prevent accidental operation and ensure symmetry when closed, the buttons were moved from the upper part of the case to the center. 3D modeling and real-world testing were used to improve tactile feedback.

An inconspicuous button at 6 o’clock opens the hidden back cover. Unlike most pocket watches, it opens 180 degrees, revealing a mechanism and a universal perpetual calendar. The inner side of the back cover serves as a sapphire soundboard, improving the acoustic characteristics of the model. The case is decorated with hand-engraved portraits of the founders of the Audemars Piguet house and an emblem in honor of the brand’s 150th anniversary.

The main dial of the watch is made of 18K white gold and is covered with translucent blue Grand Feu enamel. The Roman numerals on the hour scale are hand-engraved. The same can be said about the rose gold hands, which echo the bridge of the floating tourbillon and provide excellent readability due to the clear contrast with the blue background of the dial.

The split chronograph hand is made of white gold. The second dial is made in the same style as the first one. The background is blue enamel with the same engraving as on the hour scale. The readings are displayed on titanium discs.

The aforementioned model mechanism (caliber 1150) has compact dimensions of 34.3 x 8.8 mm. It is assembled from 1,140 components, operates at a balanced frequency of 21,600 pcs/hour and provides a minimum of 60 hours of power reserve.

It may be difficult to calculate the functions in the mechanism. There are 40 of them in total, including 22 complications. However, if you take into account the universal calendar, which stands alone, you get 47 functions, including 30 complications, which makes this model probably the most complex Audemars Piguet watch.

The list of major complications includes:

• Big fight, small fight and minute repeater
• Chronograph with instant reset function, half-instant minute counter and sliding clock counter
• Soaring tourbillon
• Semi-Gregorian perpetual calendar, designed for up to 2399
• An astronomical indication of the Moon and an accurate indication of the phases of the Moon.

The watch is controlled using 3 buttons in the crown area. The button at the 2 o’clock mark starts and stops the chronograph, selects the battle modes (small battle, big battle or silent mode) and activates the minute repeater in the extended position.

The button at the 3 o’clock mark controls the factory, two-way date correction, time setting and activation of the split function. The button at the 4 o’clock mark resets the chronograph readings and moves the month forward and backward, automatically returning to the neutral position after each use. Additional correctors for days of the week and phases of the moon are marked with appropriate engravings and hidden under the back cover of the case.

The main feature of this model is a universal calendar located inside the back cover of the case and operating independently of the main mechanism. As a reference point, it includes the Gregorian calendar with 8 complications and 17 indicators and provides a panoramic overview of astronomical and cultural cycles.

The dial displays:

• Year, leap years, months, dates and days of the week
• Moon phases and lunisolar dates
• Solstices and equinoxes

Nine major cultural holidays based on the solar, lunar, and lunisolar calendars, including Christmas (Sol Invictus), Ramadan, Diwali, Easter, Vesak, Rosh Hashanah, and Chinese New Year. The calendar is operated using a bi-directional wheel on the back cover of the case. One revolution of the wheel puts the system through one metonic cycle in 19 years, synchronizing the lunar and solar rhythms. The movement covers the period from 1900 to 2099 and maintains accuracy regardless of the power reserve of the watch.

The watch comes with a handmade platinum chain. The model exists in two platinum copies, but 8 more copies in white gold are planned for release. The estimated cost of the platinum version is CHF 2,500,000, the white gold model is estimated at CHF 2,350,000.

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