AUDEMARS PIGUET AUTOMATIC TOURBILLON, REF. 25643BA.OO.A003XX.01

AUDEMARS PIGUET AUTOMATIC TOURBILLON, REF. 25643BA.OO.A003XX.01

„World’s Smallest Tourbillon Automatique” Audemars Piguet, Genève, „Tourbillon Automatique”, No. 98.  Made circa 1987. Very fine, thin, self-winding, rectangular „galbé”, 18K yellow gold gentleman’s wristwatch with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator and oscillating weight.

In 1986, Audemars Piguet launched the worlds first automatic tourbillon wristwatch. In doing so, they created one of the worlds smallest and lightest tourbillon movements. It was the first tourbillon to have a titanium cage. In a conscious effort to keep this model thin, Audemars Piguet integrated the case into the movement. The case back is the base plate for the movement. The watch features a symmetrical design due to the watch having a back wind crown. The dial has a an aperture at 6 o’clock revealing an „AP” which is the movements winding weight. The dial features the exposed tourbillon movement at 11 o’clock and the dial design is of sun rays reminiscent of an Egyptian relief. Considering the history of this model, and the complication, this is an important timepiece in Audemars Piguet history and a great opportunity for a collector to own one.

Case: Three-body, solid, polished and brushed, stepped bezel, small teardrop lugs, backwinder, sapphire crystal.

Dial: Yellow gold with embossed „Sun Ray” pattern, gold dot indexes for the hours, apertures for the visible tourbillon regulator with polished steel bridge at 11 and at 6 for the oscillating WEIGHT with the initials „AP”. Black oxidized gold feuille hands.

Movement: Cal. 11”’, hand engraved, 32 jewels, straight-line lever escapement with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator with titanium cage, monometallic balance, self-compensating flat balance spring. This watch, the first model of self-winding wristwatches ever made with a tourbillon movement is the thinnest and smallest in the world. The movement, only 4,8 mm. thick obliging Audemars Piguet to use the back of the case as the back plate. For the first time in the history of horology, it was possible to realize a tourbillon cage in titanium, a very light, yet strong and resistant metal.

Dimensions: 36 x 29 mm.

The present watch, the world’s first automatic watch with tourbillon, features what was the world’s smallest tourbillon cage at the time of manufacture and the first tourbillon cage to be made from titanium. Watch has very low number (98) so it is first year of production of this reference.

Accompanied by a fitted box with carton box, Extract from Audemars Piguet Archives, yellow gold Audemars Piguet buckle, yellow gold Audemars Piguet endlinks for strap, Audemars Piguet service box and correspondence.

Audemars Piguet Tourbillon Automatique comes after independent service in 2019. It is in perfect condition, tourbillon and automatic movement work perfectly.

This watch has become a highly sought-after collector’s piece.