Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked Collection

Audemars Piguet recently unveiled a trio of 41mm Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked watches—with the art and intricacy of the self-winding Calibre 3132 featured front and centre. The new models, available in stainless steel, black ceramic, and 18-carat yellow gold are technical masterpieces, with two of these models boasting a new pink-gold tone for the movement, adding a rich play of light to the detailed open-worked architecture.

The three new 41 mm Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked models are crafted in stainless steel, black ceramic, and 18-carat yellow gold, offering a visually striking aesthetic. Each case and bracelet is meticulously finished with a combination of polished and satin-brushed surfaces, accentuating the geometrical design of the Royal Oak. The open-worked movement and inner bezel of the stainless steel and black ceramic variations are adorned with a new pink-gold tone, enhancing the intricate work of the components.

Pink-gold hexagonal screws on the bezel complement the movement’s hue, while 18-carat white gold hour-markers and hands provide clarity on the stainless steel version, and blackened rhodium hour-markers and hands enhance readability on the ceramic model. Additionally, the black ceramic reference is marked as a ‘Limited edition of 150 pieces’ on its titanium and sapphire caseback.

The 18-carat yellow gold reference stands out with its bold design, combining the bright precious metal with an anthracite grey open-worked movement. The matching inner bezel features a seconds scale and the “Audemars Piguet” logo printed in white, while yellow gold applied hour-markers and hands with luminescent material ensure visibility even in low light. The Calibre 3132 powers these new models, a self-winding movement equipped with a double balance wheel mechanism.

This patented innovation, introduced by Audemars Piguet in 2016, enhances precision and stability by incorporating two balance wheels and two hairsprings on the same axis, oscillating in perfect synchrony. Visible on both sides of the case, the double balance wheel offers a rare view of the watch’s inner workings. The open-worked bridges reveal parts of the gear train, showcasing geometries cut with advanced production technologies before being refined and decorated by hand. The polished V-angles reflect the high level of craftsmanship, achieved only through meticulous hand-finishing.

The open-worked oscillating weight, matching the case colour for the steel and yellow gold models, or harmonised with the pink gold movement for the black ceramic version, completes the contrasted aesthetic of these references. Openworking, a speciality of Audemars Piguet since the 1930s, involves removing as much material as possible from the mainplate and bridges to let light through, revealing the beauty of the mechanism without compromising functionality. This technique requires exceptional watchmaking skills and knowledge of materials and finishing techniques.

In the early 1970s, Audemars Piguet watchmakers revived the art of open working, which had fallen out of use after the 1950s. Under the guidance of Director Georges Golay, the artisans were tasked with creating 100 open-worked examples of the Calibre 2120, each requiring 150 hours of meticulous work. The first watch was delivered in 1973, followed by more in the following years. By 1984, the workshop employed a dozen craftspeople dedicated to this technique.

Initially, Royal Oak calibres were hidden inside cases, but the advent of quartz watches prompted the industry to showcase the beauty of mechanical movements. Openworking appeared in the Royal Oak collection in 1981 and found its place in the collection in the 1990s, a decade characterised by diverse Royal Oak models. Since then, the Royal Oak collection has included around fifty open-worked references, each reflecting the passion and expertise passed down through generations.