From the very beginning in 1875, astronomical timepieces had been in Audemars Piguet's pipeline. The following two decades saw modifications of a pocket watch featuring a perpetual calendar at its humble workshop in Le Brassus.
The oldest Swiss watchmaker still in the hands of its founding families continues to evolve the classic complication through calibres 5134 and 5133, developed in the 2010s.
On the occasion of its 150th anniversary in 2025, the company unveiled the new-generation Calibre 7138, which powers a Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet and two Royal Oak models as well as three corresponding limited editions -- all housed in a 41mm case.
Calibre 7138 with a correction mechanism that simply allows adjustments via the crown.
Notably, Audemars Piguet has eliminated age-old correctors normally inserted in the side of the case because these user-friendly perpetual calendar wristwatches boast an all-in-one crown for adjustments of all functions. Five years of development culminated in this horological feat, which is protected by five patents.
The microengineering, based on Calibre 7121, firstly makes the new selfwinding movement beat at a frequency of 4Hz while delivering a minimum power reserve of 55 hours.
It also drew on the patented innovations and architecture of the Calibre 5133, which drives the 41mm Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin, known as RD#2 and launched in 2018. The movement, with a height of just 2.89mm, was ingeniously designed with all perpetual calendar functions incorporated into one single level.
Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar 41mm in sand gold.
While maintaining a slim profile, Calibre 7138 is thicker at 4.1mm because of a second layer dedicated to the crown correction, whose innovative lever and "wandering wheels" system meshes with the different calendar wheels.
This complex mechanism is entirely controlled by the crown, simplifying the adjustments via four positions.
The first enables winding the watch clockwise. Pulling the crown out to position 2 allows setting the date clockwise and adjusting the month and the leap year in the opposite direction.
By pulling the crown out again to the third position, the user can set the time bidirectionally. Pushing the crown back one step to position 2' sets the day and week clockwise and the moon phases counterclockwise.
Limited anniversary edition with the moonphase display featuring a vintage ‘Audemars Piguet’ signature.
Calibre 7138 automatically takes into account the number of days in the month and correctly displays the date and week even in leap years. Assuming the watch is kept fully wound, the date will not require manual correction until the year 2100, when it will need to be adjusted to stay in line with the Gregorian calendar.
The caseback's sapphire crystal reveals the meticulously-decorated movement with an openworked oscillating weight in 22-carat pink gold and a barrel bridge visible from 12 to 3 o'clock, standing out against other rhodium-toned components.
The first timepiece equipped with this innovative engine, the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar in an 18-carat white gold case appeals with an embossed dial in smoked blue PVD shades.
Two-tone Royal Oak version in stainless steel with a blue PVD Grande Tapisserie dial.
This motif was created in collaboration with Swiss guilloché artisan Yann von Kaenel, who hand-engraved the basic stamps. Made up of concentric circles that ripple outwards from the centre of the dial, the pattern is decorated with hundreds of tiny holes that give it light, depth and character.
Enhancing symmetry, aesthetic harmony and legibility, the layout comprises subdials at 3 and 9 o'clock for the month plus leap year and the day along with a 24-hour indicator and a no-correction zone marked in red. The date at 12 o'clock is opposed by the moon-phase display, whose realistic depiction of the celestial body is based on a Nasa photograph.
Calibre 7138 features an openworked oscillating weight in 22-carat pink gold.
The blue PVD shade equally charms on the Grande Tapisserie dial, subdials and inner bezel of the two-tone Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar in a stainless steel case with a matching bracelet.
The second version shines in an 18-carat sand gold case, coordinated by the Grande Tapisserie dial, subdials and inner bezel in the same warm hue, obtained by galvanic treatment. A combination of gold, copper and palladium, sand gold plays with the light while Audemars Piguet's trademark satin-finishing and polished chamfers on the bracelet and case further accentuate the chromatic variation of the precious alloy.
These three new perpetual calendar models are also available as limited anniversary editions, designed with a vintage "Audemars Piguet" signature inserted in the moon-phase subdial at 6 o'clock and additional engravings on the caseback to mark 150 years of the maison.
Kind of blue
Nestled in the Jura Mountains, the Vallée de Joux is dotted with villages including Le Brassus, where Audemars Piguet's watchmaking began in 1875.
Two-tone Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph Automatique 43mm.
The region's clear night sky has long inspired its astronomical complications. Besides the movement of celestial bodies, the deep blue hue has been a source of inspiration for its haute horlogerie.
In 1972, Gérald Genta even designed the dial of the first Royal Oak (model 5402) in this mysterious shade. Geneva-based dial maker Stern worked on his proposal and added black pigment No.50 to a protective varnish, called Zapon, resulting in the Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50 colour with a cloud effect.
Today, Audemars Piguet employs PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) process to obtain the Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50 dials.
Monochromatic Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph 42mm.
Imparting the shade to ceramic took several years of development to ensure homogeneity and reproducibility. Eventually, Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50 joins black, electric blue, green and brown in its palette of ceramic colours.
The Swiss brand premieres the Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50 ceramic in three models.
The case and bracelet of the new Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked 41mm are crafted from the lightweight and scratch-resistant ceramic while the inner bezel is in a matching shade.
The Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph 42mm additionally features ceramic push-pieces while the monochromatic aesthetic is enhanced by the inner bezel, Méga Tapisserie pattern and chronograph counters in Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50.
The two-tone Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph Automatique 43mm is housed in a stainless steel case with the bezel, push-pieces and crown in ceramic. Evoking the night sky of the Vallée de Joux, the signature colour echoes on the inner bezel, Méga Tapisserie pattern as well as interchangeable leather and rubber straps.
Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked 41mm.
