Antiquorum's continuing record breaking auctions are reflecting and establishing the booming market for rare & luxury timepieces. Besides the highest price achieved by the Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon for $1.2 million dollars at the recent New York auction, there was the fascinating Royal Oak Concept watch by Audemars Piguet. Produced in a series of 150 between 2002-2004, selling for $155,000, with nearly all pre-sold and nearly impossible to find nowadays. The June, 2007 price topped $232,000.
At the time one of Audemars Piguet’s most complicated watches and most innovative model. Entirely developed and built by AP’s subsidiary Renaud & Papi, the “CW 1” concept watch celebrates 30 years of “Royal Oak” history and breaks new ground with its highly unusual technical features;
- Instantaneous "Dynamograph" mainspring torque indicator.
- Electro-erosion formed titanium shock absorbers to protect the tourbillon cage - shock resistance to multiple G's (rumored to be 50) well beyond the shock tolerance of the human body.
- A clutch system with mode pusher and indicator to wind the watch or change the time.
- An innovative linear power reserve indicator, which is calibrated for the number of turns the barrel makes (one barrel rotation equals circa 6 hours of operation).
- The watch case is machined from Alacrite 602, a new super-alloy used in aero-technology and medical applications. It consists of 57% Cobalt, 31% Chrome, 5% Tungsten and trace amounts of Carbon, Silicon and Iron. The material is extremely hard (Vickers Rate of 430).
Detail of shock-absorbing Tourbillon suspension (left)and sub-second and crown function setting indicator (bottom)
(Remontoir / Neutre / Heures)
Related Posts;
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DeBethune Power Prototype 1
Sarpaneva Supernova
Patek Philippe Cobra
Audemars Piguet - Maserati Millenary MC12
Click to compare prices of other watches
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