Audemars Piguet SIHH 2016 Watch That Sounds Like Guitar

Last SIHH, Audemars Piguet wowed visitors with their path breaking Royal Oak Concept. Today, the concept has transformed into reality. That too, in just twelve months! Their latest unveiling this SIHH 2016 is the Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie wrist watch, an acoustic genius. The pioneering minute repeater has taken acoustic performance of wrist watches to a whole new level of clarity. It is all thanks to three brilliant inclusions in the movement that led to unprecedented sound quality; elevating the timepiece to a fine music instrument. Just what a minute repeater aficionado needs to add to his/her treasure chest.

News Points

1. Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie is Audemars Piguet’s highlight at the SIHH 2016
2. The wristwatch is devised as a musical instrument (guitar) to get unprecedented sound for its minute repeater
3. The new Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie features a unique gong structure, a new case construction and redesigned striking regulator for its remarkable tonal clarity and harmony
4. The Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie looks sleek and futuristic thanks to its titanium case and beautiful openwork dial that reveals the unique movement

What gives the Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie that perfect chime

• A unique gong structure. A new method for pre-preparing the steel is used for the gong structure. Through a rigid scientific process, performance targets are devised according to the material, its length and rigidity. It immensely helps the watchmaker to use the right steel to craft the gongs. The result is a perfect blend of pitch, tone and harmony. A sound unique to the just the Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie.
• A new case construction. In traditional minute repeaters, the gongs are fixed to the mainplate. In Audemars Piguet’s newest innovation, the gongs are attached to a new device. The gongs transmit vibrations directly to a material spread beneath the movements that functions as a soundboard. This improves the vibration-to-air system, making the sound quality, tone and amplification significantly richer.
• A redesigned striking regulator. The regulator sets the pace of the striking sequence of hours, quarters and minutes. The new anchor system is flexible and works as a shock absorber. Noise is hence eliminated and the sound emitted is bright, pure and crystal clear.

A watch or a music instrument?The Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie is not just a watch. It is designed to match the sound of an instrument of music, akin to an acoustic guitar. Its gongs act like guitar strings, the gong stud becomes the guitar bridge and the hammers are the guitar player’s. Just like how the strum of the guitar travels its way through the body of the guitar via the bridge, the gong of the 2016 Royal Oak launch resonates through the marvellous movement. The sound is sheer music. Moreover, the time spent waiting for the gongs to strike between the hour and minute chiming is reduced by up to 50 per cent. This makes the tempo remarkably sharper.

Other interesting features of this futuristic 44mm timepiece are its sleek super-light titanium case and bezel. The satin-brushed dial with black counters and white gold luminescent hands is striking. The highlight is however the openwork dial that reveals the visionary technology nestled within. The groundbreaking movement is hand decorated, bevelled and polished painstakingly by master craftsmen at the Audemars Piguet workshops. Ticking strongly inside is hand-wound Manufacture Calibre 2937, a minute repeater on two gongs and a tourbillion. The black rubber strap with titanium folding clasp makes a fitting finish.

Audemars Piguet’s innovative endeavours led to the chiming watches sound study programme. Started in 2006, this highly ground breaking programme took place in collaboration with the EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne). The superlative new launch is a result of this commendable effort and research.

*Words by Anushya