Blast from the past: Audemars Piguet Grand Complication

Hi guys, this picture is from the Antiquorum archives --an Audemars Piguet Grande Complication Pocket Watch



Picture is from the Antiquorum Archives. This appears to be identical to a platinum cased watch shown on p. 174 of the new AP book. Audemars Piguet caliber AP 2860; the one shown in the book is from 2007 and AP still makes Grande Comp pocket watches, for those of you who think all they do in Le Brassus is crank out Offshores ;-) .

Needless to say these are not just lying around in a boutique waiting for some watch fancier to take them home. These are true Grande Complication watches. The term gets booted around very carelessly these days but traditionally, a grande complication watch contains a minute repeater (or more complicated striking mechanism such as a grande sonnerie) a perpetual calendar, and a rattrapante (split seconds) chronograph.

I have some interesting info on the wristwatch version of this masterpiece I'll try and share with you soon. In the meantime, hope you enjoy this reminder that there is quite a bit more to the manufacture in Le Brassus than forged carbon and octagons (um, not that there's anything wrong with that ;-) ).

Jack

PS Factoid: Audemars Piguet has made grande complication watches for every year it's been in business. In it's worst year, at the height of the Great Depression, it ONLY made Grande Comp watches.

Jack

This is an extra ordinary pocket watch, that I am sure every one would love to own,
amazing piece that shows that AP can do much more than producing Off Shore models.
But sometimes I wonder what would be the effect if several brands are releasing a couple of pocket watches.
Not only in the top price range, but also in the main stream collection.
I can imagine that it could create new interest.
A Royal Oak steel pocket watch, I think I'll love it.
GEO

CARTIER forum moderator
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[www.troisanneaux.com]

ciao Jack,
thanks for sharing and putting the light on a couple of interesting topics: pocket watches and grande complication.

Seems like pocket watches are back again, according to some big innovative brands. RM and Urwerk made us all understand that what is usually seen as an "old-fashioned" piece can instead become the "next generation" watch. For sure it would be great to see more brands to follow this path, and i believe that we do not have to wait much for this. What i surely know is that pocket watches are growing on me....So i am going to restore a old one i own...Just to check how it feels to have it in the pocket, and check the time with something more than a turn of the wrist.

Also, actually i believe you are totally right when saying that today many brands claim to make "grand complication watches" while instead they aren't in the traditional sense of the term. By other hand this could be a good marketing move, and there's nothing wrong in owning a perpetual/repetition/one hand chrono instead than a rattrapante one. (I would like to have one !!!!)

ciao from Milano,
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Hi GEO,

An extra flat Royal Oak pocket watch would be BRILLIANT. Can you imagine that octagonal case as a pocket watch?

Jack

when you will start wearing your pocket watch in your pants (should you not own a classy vest as Jack does), never store your keys in the same pocket.

This has disastrous effects on the case in almost no time, regardless the metal.

MarkS

Ciao MarkS,
thanks for this advice, actually i didn't tryied yet the pocket watch but when i will, for sure i'll keep it alone in the pocket.

Bye,
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