Audemars Piguet - Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Openworked 16204

The new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Openworked ref. 16204. Full details and price: ref. 16204ST €89,000 and ref. 16204OR €116,200

Following our overview article on the new 2022 Royal Oak collection launched by Audemars Piguet last January and the presentation of the updated “Jumbo” Extra-Thin ref. 16202, we can now go more into details with some of the other new models, like the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Openworked ref. 16204.

Available in either stainless steel or 18-carat pink gold, this sport watch houses the Manufacture’s new dedicated selfwinding Calibre 7124, the openworked derivative of the Calibre 7121 powering the 16202 reference. 

Measuring a mere 2.7 mm in height, this extra-thin selfwinding hour and minute movement guarantees more energy than its predecessor Calibre 5122 (3.05 mm), thanks to its larger barrel. Like Calibre 7121, Calibre 7124 is equipped with a contemporary slim oscillating weight mounted on ball bearings that utilises two reversers developed in-house to ensure bidirectional winding. 

Beating at the frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) with an autonomy of 57 hours, the balance wheel is fitted with inertia blocks that have been directly inserted within the balance wheel to avoid unnecessary friction.

In this movement, Audemars Piguet removed as much material as possible from bridges and plate, of course  without impairing its functions. This way, light passes through, revealing the mechanism structure and finishes.  

The preliminary geometries of the mainplate and bridges are cut through computer numerical control (CNC) machining, before being perfected by electric discharge machining (EDM). Each component is then finished and decorated by hand.

The sapphire caseback reveals the dedicated Royal Oak “50-years” oscillating weight celebrating the 50th anniversary of the iconic watch (whose complete history you can read here).

The 39 mm x 8.1 mm case and the bracelet of the two Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Openworked models are meticulously finished with an alternation of satin-brushed and polished surfaces.

The stainless steel version houses a rhodium-toned openworked movement with the 18-carat pink gold hour-markers and hands, as well as the pink-gold toned gear train and balance wheel, to offer a subtle contrast that improves readability.

The 18-carat pink gold version features slate grey openworked bridges and mainplate complementing them with pink-gold toned balance wheel and gear train as well as 18-carat hour-markers and hands.

Water resistant up to a pressure of 5 ATM (approximately 50 metres / 165 feet), the new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Openworked has a price of Euro 89,000 incl. VAT / US$ 90,400 excl. taxes in steel (ref. 16204ST.OO.1240ST.01) or Euro 116,200 incl. VAT / US$ 117,800 excl. taxes in pink gold (ref. 16204OR.OO.1240OR.01). audemarspiguet.com