From Little Acorns: Audemars Piguet Unveils Three Smaller-Sized Perpetual Calendars

Turning 150 is a tremendous accomplishment, but instead of going BIG, Audemars Piguet is celebrating its milestone birthday with three scaled-down takes on the perpetual calendar (also called a quantième perpétuel; hence, the QP abbreviation).

Yes, the Le Brassus-based haute horlogerie brand is doubling down on smaller sizing with a trio of 38mm QPs within the Royal Oak Selfwinding and Code 11.59 ranges.

Of course, Audemars Piguet would never mark such an auspicious anniversary by simply shrinking its existing models. Following the launch earlier this year of three astronomical references, the brand seems set on redefining the ergonomic standards of its complicated timepieces.

Hopefully, the following details will help answer your AP QP Q&As.

The perpetual calendar is often called one of the most poetic complications in watchmaking. Basically, it must calculate the correct number of days in every month, while taking leap years into account. A high-end calibre should also be able to run these numbers without adjustment until the year 2100, which is the next time the Gregorian calendar will skip a leap year (something it does every 400 years).

A perpetual calendar is a highly complex mechanism, but it is also practical (especially if you plan on living to be 400 plus). Thus, the ability to produce a QP is a badge of honor – one usually reserved for the most prestigious of watchmakers. That is why perpetual calendars are considered a rare bird for most collectors.
 

We often talk about the transformative power of wearing a watch; wearing a QP can show that you are savvy about savoir faire (i.e., the appreciation of all the technical skills required to create and assemble an example of haute horology). Likewise, sporting a watch by a prestigious Maison like Audemars Piguet also signals status – that you have the connections (and money) to be able to access desirable timepieces.

That being said, these new Audemars prove that people also have the power to transform a watch. These scaled-down QPs meet the recent demand for smaller models but without sacrificing the visual impact or the precision of the calibre (we’ll get to that later).
 

Of the three new models, the new Code 11.59 QP ($110,900) feels the most formal.

Its polished 18-karat pink gold case takes advantage of the collection’s complex architecture to create movement through the play of light. And the soft green dial’s impact is amplified by hand-engraving designed in collaboration with guilloché specialist Yann Von Kaenel.

The Code 11.59’s display is further elevated by 18-karat pink gold and luminescent hands that provide an elegant contrast to the white calendar indications. A green alligator strap completes the look.

The two Royal Oak editions are sportier in appearance. The first – Ref. 26684ST.OO.1356ST.01 ($110,900) – features a stainless-steel case and bracelet with a light blue PVD Grande Tapisserie dial.

Snailed counters, Rhodium-toned hour markers, and luminescent-coated 18-karat white gold hands highlight readability, even in low-light conditions. Indications printed in black on the counters and around the polished grey bezel add the finishing touches.
 

The second Royal Oak – Ref. 26684OR.OO.1356OR.01 (price on request) – is a limited-to-150-pieces anniversary edition in 18-karat pink gold with a matching bracelet and beige Grande Tapisserie dial.
 

These fine finishes animate the appearance of all three editions, but it’s AP’s mechanical expertise that brings these QPs to life.

To successfully create a highly complicated watch in a more comfortable size, AP’s goal was to harmonize elements both visually – all three editions are anchored by a blue moon phase display at 6 o’clock – and mechanically by equipping them with the brand-new Calibre 7136 (in the Royal Oaks) and the recently introduced Calibre 7138 (in the Code 11.59).
 

These innovations also strike a balance between celebrating the brand’s 150-year-old heritage while also embracing its present and future audiences.

For more information about all of the brand’s latest QPs, check out the Audemars Piguet website.