lot 39

Audemars Piguet

Quantieme Perpetual Jules Audemars

Estimate CHF 25 000 / CHF 30 000
Starting bid CHF 25 000

Hammer price CHF 47 000
Total bids 24
Buyer’s premium will not be charged

Specification

CasePlatinum case 950 with sapphire caseback, limitation number 41/90
BraceletBlack Alligator leather strap with original platinum 950/1000 folding clasp
DialDark blue dial applied indices, leap year and month indication at 12 o'clock, date indication at 3 o'clock, moon phase indication at 6 o'clock and week day indication 9 o'clock
MovementRhodium plated, ultra thin, automatic movement, with skeletonized and engraved rotor
Cal.2120/4
Ref.26000PT.OO.D028CR.01
Movement No.550528
Case No.G38540
D=41 mm

Condition report

Case:Good, small signs of wear
Strap:Very good, small signs of wear
Dial:Very good, mint condition
Movement:Very good, all functions wokring properly
Amplitude (Dial on top/Lift angle 52):Approx 320 degrees
Accuracy (Dial on top):Approx + 8 sec/day

Details

A very rare, elegant and attractive limited-edition complicated and ultra-thin platinum wristwatch of the famous Swiss watch brand Audemars Piguet, founded in 1875. Production period: 2008 to 2009. Case in platinum 950, diameter 41mm, thickness 9.15mm, ‘Tuscany’ blue sunburst dial with calendar, sunken sub-dials, sapphire caseback with ‘Jules Audemars Quantième Perpétuel’ depiction and case number engraved on the rim, perpetual calendar correctors at 2, 4, 8 and 10 o’clock. Ultra-thin caliber 2120/2802, self-winding, skeletonized and hand-engraved rotor with an inertial segment in 21k yellow gold, power reserve of up to 40 hours. Functions – indication of time in hours and minutes, perpetual calendar with indication of date at 3 o’clock, day of the week at 9 o’clock, month and leap year at 12 o’clock, moonphase at 6 o’clock. Audemars Piguet black leather strap, Audemars Piguet ‘AP’ platinum 950 double folding clasp. Limited edition of 90 pieces.

Lot essay

In 1977–1978 Audemars Piguet launched its first self-winding perpetual calendar wristwatch, one of the earliest wristwatches of serial production with a perpetual calendar complication, starting with reference 5548. It was powered by the ultra-thin self-winding caliber 2120/2800. The basic automatic movement is based on a movement-blank supplied by Jaeger-LeCoultre, while the calendar module is based on a kit from the Dubois Dépraz factory. Both are long-term partners and suppliers of Audemars Piguet. In 1993, the caliber was upgraded with the addition of a leap year indicator. This new caliber was designated 2120/2802, and exactly this version of the caliber is used in the present example. 

According to our knowledge, this reference is the only perpetual calendar from the Jules Audemars classic watches collection that is made of platinum 950.

With a thickness of 3.95mm, it remained the thinnest perpetual calendar movement with a central rotor of the automatic winding system until 2018, allowing the brand to produce remarkably thin and elegant classic or sporty wristwatches with a perpetual calendar complication. This is especially significant given the complexity of the function of the perpetual calendar itself. In 2015, the movement was updated again, this time with the addition of a week-of-year indicator. The new caliber 5134 replaced the previous version and currently is used in the perpetual calendars of the Royal Oak and Code 11.59 collections.

The present reference was introduced in 2008 in honour of the 30th anniversary of Audemars Piguet’s first self-winding perpetual calendar wristwatch. According to our knowledge, this reference is the only perpetual calendar from the Jules Audemars classic watches collection that is made of platinum 950. All other – and very few at that – models produced under the reference 26390 were equipped with an 18k rose gold case. Therefore, the present platinum execution with a ‘Tuscany’ blue sunburst dial is unique, which undoubtedly increases the value of the present lot as a collectible item, especially when we consider that this model is a limited edition.

Reasons to bid

The Jules Audemars Quantième Perpétuel 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Ref. 26000PT.00.D028CR.01 would be an excellent purchase for the collector who desires an attractive, very rare and complicated mechanical wristwatch from a world-renowned traditional watch brand, one of the undisputed leaders in the haute horlogerie watch market. The undoubted advantage of the present watch is the combination of the outstanding aesthetic characteristics of its caliber 2120/2802, one of the best self-winding perpetual calendar movements of the era, and the splendid and elegant classical design, which is particular to Audemars Piguet watches. The platinum Ref. 26000PT appears extremely rarely in auctions, which is explained by the limited production of this model. Therefore, this watch is perceived as an extremely promising collectible. At the same time, it is well suited for both casual and formal wear as a comfortable high-end self-winding and practical complicated daily wearer.