Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Watch

Audemars Piguet is one of the most prestigious fine timepiece manufacturers in Switzerland. Audemars Piguet or AP as they are known among collectors was founded in 1875 and continues to manufacture watches in the mountains outside Geneva. Audemars Piguet is one of the few remaining watch manufacturers that controls all their production in house from movements to cases and all the complications.


This article focuses on one of the most complicated watches produced by Audemars – the Royal Oak Tourbillon. The Royal Oak model was first developed by Audemars Piguet in the late 1970’s by the now famous designer Gerald Genta. The Royal Oak Tourbillon houses the Tourbillon movement in a rugged looking stainless steel, platinum or gold case. Audemars has paired the Tourbillon with a chronograph with the seconds and hours subdials at nine and three o’clock.

There are several dial color choices including blue, black, white and a silver one with guilloche. This is not a small case – it measures in at 44mm. The tourbillon consists of an escapement wheel with a lever and a balance contained within a cage. This cage compensates for the effects of gravity by performing one revolution per minute. Audemars Piguet is one of the rare manufacturers that owns the expertise required to make such a complicated timepiece in house.