Sihh 2018

[epic]

I think AP will announce a full ceramic 41mm Royal oak Chono bracelet model in this upcoming SIHH 2018. Maybe with/without in house movement...

Looking forward...

Cheers

[mspeed76]

That would be absolutely sick.

Never warmed up to the 44mm standard pushers

Definitely hoping for some ceramic / cermet bezels.. and forged carbon/ceramic cases

[conkers]

Originally Posted by P2725TMB

I’m there Thursday 18th. We arrive on the Wednesday for dinner and then a private viewing on Thursday morning before lunch and free time afterwards. That’s a pity, it would’ve been nice to have met.

Sorry to miss you. Do enjoy it!

[vacano]

Can’t wait for next week. I will be checking the live coverage on Hodinkee

[benlee]

Originally Posted by epic

I think AP will announce a full ceramic 41mm Royal oak Chono bracelet model in this upcoming SIHH 2018. Maybe with/without in house movement...

Looking forward...

Cheers

Insider's information? I hope they don't. That will be very dangerous for my bank account!

[AK797]

Originally Posted by benlee

If my memory serve me right, the RB ROOs are 42mm and have similar large pushers.

The RB2 pushers and crown are a fair bit bigger.

[GB-man]

Originally Posted by jschmidtdmd

The 42mm line will be completely revamped. It sounds like the inclusion of a 42mm concept will also happen.

I personally am hopeful for an in house chrono movement, or one that just works.

I have owned MANY 44mm ROO over the years and most have had issues. Currently I just have the new RG. It hasn't gone down yet.....but I am not holding my breath.

A 44 style sized down to 42 with in house would be killer. Anything would be better than the current DD module.

[goog53]

I cant see AP doing full ceramic on other models than the PC unless it is more complicated. I would love to see a CE 15202 or 15400 but taking into account it takes 30hrs to finish the bracelet vs 6 hours in SS they will need to reserve full ceramic for higher priced models so they can maximize profits. This is not a knock on APs SS or Gold Perpetuals but the fact of the matter is they can all be had at very deep discounts because an AP PC is just not a popular model compared to other options in their catalog. All of the sudden they release an all ceramic watch and throw the PC complication in there and people go crazy for it (Myself included LOL)

[SMD]

Originally Posted by edo

Something interesting in 42mm ROO range?



AP posted a pic of RO with Schumi Laptimer ref. number but I'm not sure that they will put a in-house chrono in RO just one year after redesign... maybe some sort of RO Schumi special edition...

I think there was a video where François said it would first be introduced in the JA line. So possible it comes this year but I doubt it.

[2nastie]

Getting exciting. Let’s see what comes out in the 42mm range. Right now the Diver is the heavy favorite for my next AP!

[rossi46]

Rebirth of the 39mm non-Jumbo???

[Tay821]

Originally Posted by rossi46

Rebirth of the 39mm non-Jumbo???

I like that the 39 is reserved for the jumbo

[epic]

Originally Posted by benlee

Insider's information? I hope they don't. That will be very dangerous for my bank account!

Just my guess
But i hope it will become a reality in few weeks time :thumbs:


cheers

[davyhk]

so confuse >.< exciting about the new model but worrying about my pocket at the same time

[conkers]

Do remember it is the Offshore 25th anniversary, so you would expect a certain focus within the releases on that model.

[GB-man]

I wonder why they leaked the beast remake and the other two editions of 50 so early

[P2725TMB]

Originally Posted by conkers

Do remember it is the Offshore 25th anniversary, so you would expect a certain focus within the releases on that model.

I’m anticipating so. Hope there’s something RG there I want.

[Oz33]

I would love to see an updated 39mm RO using the 3120 movement, with maybe increased water resistance to 100m.

I have my name down for a 15202, but it seems crazy to me that good examples of the 15300 on the secondary market are now offered at a similar price to the new 15400's and AP don't look to capitalise. I've tried the 15400 and unfortunately it's just too big for me.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Oz33

I would love to see an updated 39mm RO using the 3120 movement, with maybe increased water resistance to 100m.

I have my name down for a 15202, but it seems crazy to me that good examples of the 15300 on the secondary market are now offered at a similar price to the new 15400's and AP don't look to capitalise. I've tried the 15400 and unfortunately it's just too big for me.

FWIW there are threads here where the 15202 WR has passed well in excess of 100m on a pressure test.

IMO they are always going to list the WR low regardless of what it is capable of as 100m or 150m is just going to encourage people to think its a tool watch and it isnt.

50M is already sufficiently OK for swimming and i guarantee almost no one does as there are better watches for that.

[Oz33]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

FWIW there are threads here where the 15202 WR has passed well in excess of 100m on a pressure test.

IMO they are always going to list the WR low regardless of what it is capable of as 100m or 150m is just going to encourage people to think its a tool watch and it isnt.

50M is already sufficiently OK for swimming and i guarantee almost no one does as there are better watches for that.

Thanks - I've seen the posts as I'm a bit of a lurker. Guess is would just like the added assurance on the AP back up. I have a PP Aquanaut and that's measured up to 120m and I don't think it's considered as a tool watch.

Having always appreciated the RO and becoming ever more eager for 'the call'; I guess it's more something I need to reconcile. As you say I certainly wouldn't attempt to swim with it on.

[PJ S]

Originally Posted by goog53

I cant see AP doing full ceramic on other models than the PC unless it is more complicated. I would love to see a CE 15202 or 15400 but taking into account it takes 30hrs to finish the bracelet vs 6 hours in SS they will need to reserve full ceramic for higher priced models so they can maximize profits. ...

That's if you believe the numbers you've mentioned, which I don't.
It doesn't take all that much longer to brush ceramic with diamond grit paper than it does steel on a buffing wheel – and there's minimal (if any) polishing required since ceramic parts come out of the mould already in a smooth and high gloss state.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by PJ S

That's if you believe the numbers you've mentioned, which I don't.
It doesn't take all that much longer to brush ceramic with diamond grit paper than it does steel on a buffing wheel – and there's minimal (if any) polishing required since ceramic parts come out of the mould already in a smooth and high gloss state.

AP themselves confirm the numbers.

Chadi Gruber, Audemars Piguet’s head of product development. “We did exactly the opposite: we decided to adapt the ceramic to our Royal Oak codes.”
Which is easily said, but according to Gruber required hundreds of hours of research to develop, and the labour intensity only goes up from there. For instance, while it takes four hours to produce a stainless steel case, for ceramic you can add another 10 hours on top. For the steel bracelet, six hours are needed to machine, polish, hand-finish and assemble it, but in ceramic it takes 30: practically a working week for a single bracelet.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/wa...ak-worth-wait/

[AshAP]

Originally Posted by PJ S

That's if you believe the numbers you've mentioned, which I don't.

It doesn't take all that much longer to brush ceramic with diamond grit paper than it does steel on a buffing wheel – and there's minimal (if any) polishing required since ceramic parts come out of the mould already in a smooth and high gloss state.

The idea that AP would intentionally mislead their clients by inventing stories of required processes that in fact don’t exist is ridiculous.

[PJ S]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

AP themselves confirm the numbers.

Chadi Gruber, Audemars Piguet’s head of product development. “We did exactly the opposite: we decided to adapt the ceramic to our Royal Oak codes.”
Which is easily said, but according to Gruber required hundreds of hours of research to develop, and the labour intensity only goes up from there. For instance, while it takes four hours to produce a stainless steel case, for ceramic you can add another 10 hours on top. For the steel bracelet, six hours are needed to machine, polish, hand-finish and assemble it, but in ceramic it takes 30: practically a working week for a single bracelet.

Which is significantly different from what Mike stated.
6 hours to manufacture a complete bracelet still seems a bit long, based on my estimation of numbers produced annually.
AP makes 40k watches (never mind servicing or warranty repairing) of which at least 60% are from the RO & ROO lines.
Of those 24K, I'd presume 8-9K are ROs & ROCs, which equates to between 18-22 need to be made each day, over the working year.
Doesn't seem much, but that's just dedicated staff & stations/equipment for bracelets alone – allowing for cover in the event some are off sick, etc.

I'm struggling to see 30 hours to fabricate a full ceramic bracelet, given GP can put out a full ceramic bracelet too, at the price it does.

[PJ S]

Originally Posted by AshAP

The idea that AP would intentionally mislead their clients by inventing stories of required processes that in fact don’t exist is ridiculous.

Is it really?
They have a vested interest in justifying that watch' price tag, which the movement alone can't do.
Given the APSC standard explanation for faulty ROOCs is "dry movement", I'd say keeping the absolute truth from becoming common knowledge is second nature to them, as it is with many other brands.
We know, or should do by now, that a lot of this industry is predicated on smoke and mirrors – but many simply choose to ignore that, in case it bursts their rose-tinted bubble.
But if somehow it does take AP 30 hours per ceramic bracelet, then I'll happily accept my slice of humble pie.

Anyway, we're off topic, so let's return to speculating what'll materialise in the next week and a bit.

[LAFLARE]

Originally Posted by PJ S

Which is significantly different from what Mike stated.
6 hours to manufacture a complete bracelet still seems a bit long, based on my estimation of numbers produced annually.
AP makes 40k watches (never mind servicing or warranty repairing) of which at least 60% are from the RO & ROO lines.
Of those 24K, I'd presume 8-9K are ROs & ROCs, which equates to between 18-22 need to be made each day, over the working year.
Doesn't seem much, but that's just dedicated staff & stations/equipment for bracelets alone – allowing for cover in the event some are off sick, etc.

I'm struggling to see 30 hours to fabricate a full ceramic bracelet, given GP can put out a full ceramic bracelet too, at the price it does.

Assuming you're talking about this GP ceramic model, I had a chance to try this on during NYE weekend. To be honest, the excitement diminished rather quickly during the transition from the case display on to my wrist. Not quite what I excepted from pictures, it looks only decent in person and was surprisingly so light that it put me off. At a 36K sticker price, I was expecting so much more love and attention built into the watch (case and bracelet, etc).

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by LAFLARE

Assuming you're talking about this GP ceramic model, I had a chance to try this on during NYE weekend. To be honest, the excitement diminished rather quickly during the transition from the case display on to my wrist. Not quite what I excepted from pictures, it looks only decent in person and was surprisingly so light that it put me off. At a 36K sticker price, I was expecting so much more love and attention built into the watch (case and bracelet, etc).

i agree. Nice watch and its somewhat fairly priced considering what it is, but its lacking something to me too. Ive seen the SS version though, not the Ce. I like the watch but not enough to spend money buying it despite the fact its way less than an AP openworked.

[LAFLARE]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

i agree. Nice watch and its somewhat fairly priced considering what it is, but its lacking something to me too. Ive seen the SS version though, not the Ce. I like the watch but not enough to spend money buying it despite the fact its way less than an AP openworked.

They had the SS there as well. I jumped on the Ce the second I saw it sitting in the case but after the disappointment I didn't even bother with the SS. From my short tangle with the GP, AP's just seem like they put so many more hours into each of their watches. For that price I could think of several other watches off the top of my head.

[conkers]

A shame about that GP as it seems to be a very good looking Watch and well priced.

[robbonds]

THAT GP for $36k looks very nice...at least in pics