CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT

Audemars Piguet's revolutionary Calibre 7138 features an "all-in-one" crown that simplifies adjustments and eliminates the need for fiddly correctors

- Wong Kim Hoh Features Editor

GENEVA - In February 2025, a troupe of international watch journalists gathered at The Arc, Audemars Piguet's (AP) sleek new manufacturing facility in the picturesque village of Le Brassus, nestled in Switzerland's Vallee de Joux.

The setting was perfect for a theatrical launch of the Swiss brand's 150th anniversary celebrations. A lively pantomime unfolded, complete with stunning stage props that mirrored the celestial beauty of the skies above Le Brassus and a dynamic cast of dancers and performers.

At the helm were chief executive Ilaria Resta and heritage and museum director Sebastian Vivas, who wove a captivating tale of AP's journey and how it navigated wars, economic storms and the quartz crisis to become a horological powerhouse with annual earnings of over US$2.5 billion (S$3.36 billion).

The celestial backdrop was chosen to highlight the star of the celebration — the revolutionary Calibre 7138 self-winding perpetual calendar movement. This game changer features an "all-in-one" crown that simplifies adjustments, eliminating the need for fiddly correctors and specialized tools.

A horological marvel which debuted in the 18th century, the perpetual calendar is an intricate astronomical complication which boasts a mechanical memory that can track 48-month cycles. It automatically adjusts the varying number of days in each month, including leap years, making it incredibly accurate.

Remarkably, the mechanism requires manual adjustment only once every 100 years to stay in sync with the solar calendar.

More than just a new movement, the Calibre 7138 is a reimagined classic complication that blends user-friendly design with AP's rich history of astronomical watchmaking.