Audemars Piguet Millenary Quincy Jones Limited Edition Watch

Audemars Piguet has released several different variations of the Millenary, and I think this one is by far its best. It is a watch unconditionally fitting of a Music Impresario such as Quincy Jones. The watch – limited to 500 pieces – has a blackened and polished steel case with the Millenary’s signature “off-center” positioning of the hours, minutes and seconds functions. The case back is engraved with Quincy Jones’ signature, and also reads “Millenary Quincy Jones – Limited Edition” as a reminder of its exclusivity. The piece is comes on a black leather strap with matching “AP” folding clasp. The watch contains Audemars Piguet’s in-house Caliber 3120.

Who is Quincy Jones, you ask? He is arguably the most successful and accomplished musician, composer, producer, arranger and conductor of all time! Some of you may know him as the producer of Thriller, by late pop icon Michael Jackson. Others, for his landmark 1989 album, Back On The Block–named “Album Of The Year” at the 1990 Grammy Awards– which brought such legends as Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Miles Davis together with Ice T, Big Daddy Kane and Melle Mel to create the first fusion of the be bop and hip hop musical traditions. You can click here to learn more about him on The Official Quincy Jones Website.

Audemars Piguet and Sports

Even though when having to relate Audemars Piguet to ssport we would usually think about it Royal Oak Offshore and its connection to the ocean, the luxurious wristwatch company is also related to other sports such as: golf, basketball, cricket or sky.

According to basketball, the company has honoured the dominating championship Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal with its Royal Oak Offshore Shaquille O’Neal edition.

(Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal)

Audemars Piguet's legendary Royal Oak Offshore proves that this design is one of the greatest in high luxury sports watches. Introduced more than twelve years ago as a variation to their already successful Royal Oak watch collection, Audemars Piguet produced a watch which further expanded boundaries in both luxury and size, paving the way for much of todays current celebration of boldly dimensioned watches, as well as the enthusiastic acceptance of unconventional materials such as carbon fibre or rubber for luxury timepieces. The Offshore watch collection from Audemars Piguet encompasses everything from an automatic chronograph with date, to an automatic chronograph with full perpetual calendar and moonphases. Stunning limited editions such as the Offshore Alinghi Polaris or the Offshore Rubens Barrichello series incorporate innovative materials or technical solutions that are refreshingly unconventional, yet perfectly in tune with the ethic of perfection that Audemars Piguet has pursued as a manufacturer of haute horlogerie since its founding in 1875.

Regarding to cricket, Sachin “Little Master” Tendulkar was Audermars Piguet’s ambassador for years because of its exceptional punch style of hitting the ball.

(Sachin “Little Master” Tendulkar)

According to golf, more than ten ambassadors represent the company like the open champion Cristie Kerr, Nick Faldo, Vijay Singh or Morgan Pressel

(Cristie Kerr)

The Royal Oak Offshore watch line from Audemars Piguet demonstrates Audemars Piguet's ability to cultivate classic designs which continue to captivate watch lovers. Offered in a variety of metals, including steel, titanium, gold, and platinum, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore watch collection shows off the immaculate finish work that has long distinguished the Royal Oak watch line.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak: Nick Faldo

Nick Faldo (b.1957) was one of European’s best golf players in the 1980s and 1990s, and recently honored with nighthood (Sir Nick Faldo) in recognition of an incredible sporting career by the English queen. What most golfers probably do not know (with the exception of the watch connoisseurs amongst them), is the long time partnership between Nick Faldo and Audemars Piguet.

Audemars Piguet, King of special editions, created three different Royal Oak watches to honor golf legend Nick Faldo. The first model showed up in 1992, with reference 14790. A rose gold Royal Oak, limited to 325 pieces. In 1997, Audemars Piguet introduced the Royal Oak Nick Faldo edition ref.15090, limited to 150 pieces in stainless steel. And last not but least, and probably the most recognizable Nick Faldo edition, is the 2002 Royal Oak ref. 15190, limited to 450 pieces. This last model has a platinum bezel and a stainless steel case and bracelet. The 1997 model and the 2002 model both came with a Nick Faldo golf bag by Mizuno. The golf clubs have the Nick Faldo signature and the AP logo, embedded in their famous octagonal shape.

This ref. 15090 Royal Oak Nick Faldo edition comes without the sought after golf bag, but is still worth acquiring/collecting without one. For 4750 EU, you have quite a limited Royal Oak (40mm) in pretty good condition that you won’t see on someone else’s wrist. This Royal Oak has caliber 2225 ticking inside, based on the famous Jaeger LeCoultre caliber 889/1 movement, regarded for being an excellent automatic winding movement. It wasn’t until 2005 that Audemars Piguet did a follow-up on this movement by their own in-house caliber 3120 as found in the current line of Royal Oak (Date) watches.

Although it might look like a boring composition of stainless steel (with the grey dial and all), in the flesh, it is a pretty looking watch that really stands out on your wrist. Watches like these really play with (sun)light, even the slightest ray of light will make polished parts (like the white gold screws in the bezel) shine.

The Audemars Piguet Of The Fashion Industry: Wallstreet Kingdom

People who love (luxury) watches will also be able to appreciate the other finer things of life. One of these finer things is – of course - fashion and in this case, shirts. The owner of Wallstreet Kingdom is also a big fan of haute horlogerie and shares his fashion philosophy with us on his website.

“Our fashion objects are exclusively made. Sartorial tradition and real craftsmanship, as well as the best fabrics and handmade details epitomize what real luxury should be all about: sophisticated, stylish and ready to wear. Everyday. Every time. Everywhere. “We want to be the Audemars Piguet of the fashion industry”, says Christian Adriaanse. “Tradition, excellence and daring. Designing iconic objects. Just like them. Their first Royal Oak watch was unveiled in 1972 – my year of birth – it looks as if it was designed yesterday. Fabulous”.

Designer Christian Adriaanse only uses the very best materials to create these Stripes of Pride shirts, including mother of pearl for its buttons. The Stripes of Pride collection is there to celebrate your successes, achievements and – in short - life. No holding back because the economy/business goes slow. Just like Audemars Piguet and Gérald Genta did in 1972, introducing a stainless steel luxury sports watch, costing as much as a 18ct gold Patek Philippe Calatrava watch. Because they could do so, by showing their tradition and excellence in everything they do, including in their stainless steel sports watch.

The designer of Wallstreet Kingdom shirts is also an admirerer of haute horlogerie and particularly of Audemars Piguet. He thought,The red-white Stripes of Pride shirt will perfectly match a Royal Oak ref.15202ST and the blue-white shirt will go well with an Offshore Navy.

Audemars Piguet New Watch - Royal Oak Offshore Tour Auto 2010 Chronograph

The Swiss watch manufacturer is celebrating its status as official timekeeper of the Tour Auto for the fifth consecutive year by launching a new limited series: the Royal Oak Offshore Tour Auto 2010 Chronograph, issued in a limited, numbered edition of 60. As in previous years, Audemars Piguet will also be present on the Tour Auto by supporting two teams: the Blanchard/Cloché-Dubois ladies’ team driving an AC Bristol, and the Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque Le Gloahec/Zabel team at the wheel of a Jaguar MK1.

The Manufacture Audemars Piguet’s interest in motor racing is definitely nothing new! In addition to close involvement with its Formula 1 racing-driver ambassadors Rubens Barrichello, Jarno Trulli and Sébastien Buemi, Audemars Piguet is also the official timekeeper for historical car rallies such as the Tour Auto, the National Classic Tour (Belgium) and the Audemars Piguet Gtaad Classic (Switzerland). This year, 100 chronographs have been created within the Royal Oak Offshore: one 60-piece limited edition for the Tour Auto, and another 40 for the National Classic Tour. These new timepieces have been specially designed to appeal to motor sports enthusiasts.

The Royal Oak Offshore Tour Auto 2010 Chronograph is driven by selfwinding Calibre 2326/2840, featuring a 38-hour power reserve and a balance oscillating at 28,800 vibrations per hour. All parts of this “chronograph” movement are entirely decorated by hand. The main plate is rhodium-plated, bevelled and circular-grained, and the bridges are adorned with a Côtes de Genève motif. The watch displays the hours, minutes, seconds and date. It is also equipped with a chronograph function with central seconds hand along with 30-minute and 12-hour counters. The tachometric scale on the inner bezel ring, decorated with alternating black and white squares, evokes the chequered flag that is waved at motor-race finishes.

The 42 mm-diameter steel case is topped by a bead blasted bezel. The case assembly screws are also in polished steel, while the screw-lock crown and pushers are in black rubber. Water-resistant to 100 metres.The caseback is engraved with the “Tour Auto” logo and bears the legend “Royal Oak Offshore – Série Limitée”. Its anthracite dial with the exclusive “Méga Tapisserie” finish carries red and silver-coloured counters, along with luminescent hands and numerals. Finally, this new chronograph is fitted with a black handsewn perforated leather strap with stainless steel AP folding clasp and presented in a box also dedicated to motor sports, since it is shaped like a Ford GT 40 petrol cap.

Audemars Piguet has chosen to support two particular teams for this new edition of the Tour Auto.

The Blanchard/Cloché-Dubois ladies’ team will be competing in the regularity category at the wheel of an AC Bristol. While this is a first for Céline Cloché-Dubois, Karine Blanchard has been driving the length and breadth of Europe since her childhood, when her parents instilled in her their own passion for classic racing. Karine was indeed part of the “3 girls in a Bugatti” team that took part in the Le Mans Classic race in 2006 and 2008. This is not the first Tour Auto for the Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque Le Gloahec/Zabel team, which already took part in the 2009 edition in order to support the heart surgery foundation after which it is named, racing their Jaguar MK1 in the competition category.

After the technical and sporting verifications conducted on April 19th in the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris, our friends will set off for Magny-Cours, where the first track race will take place the following day. The cars will then head for Vichy, a traditional stop-over on the Tour, followed by the famous Charade racing circuit in Auvergne, before an original stage in Lyon. After a detour via the Bresse track, the AC Bristol and the MK2 will drive towards the Alps and one of the most elegant French ski resort, Megève. The Audemars Piguet teams will then begin their descent towards the Côte d’Azur, via Aix-en-Provence on the Friday, and the Paul Richard HTTT race track. They will savour the splendors of the Mediterranean coastline as they proceed to the legendary Corniche and to Beaulieusur-Mer, the final destination of this new Tour Auto.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak City of Sails Alinghi 25979OR.0.0002CA.01

Limited Edition of only 200 pieces

"Created for the 2003 America's Cup race"

Reference: 25979OR.0.0002CA.01

Movement: mechanical with automatic winding; Audemars Piguet Caliber 2385; 37 jewels; 21,600 vph; power reserve approx. 40 hours

Functions: hours, minutes, subsidiary seconds; date; chronograph

Case: 750 Rose Gold, brushed finish

Case Dia: 40 x 11 mm (excl. lugs & crown)

Crystal: sapphire crystal

Bezel: octagonal bezel with gasket and 8 counterbored white gold nuts screwed to 8 screws securing the case back

Case back: case back engraved with 2 sailboats racing

Crown: screw-in crown and buttons

Water-resistant: 50 meters

Indications: minute counter at 3, date between 4 and 5, subsidiary seconds at 6, hour counter at 9, chronograph sweep second hand

Strap: special black rubber with Rose Gold AP logo deployant clasp

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Shaquille O'Neal Chronograph Watch

The main peculiarity of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Shaquille O'Neal Chronograph is its dial. The numbers “2”and “3”are intentionally inverted and done in red (Shaquille O’Neal jersey number in Miami Heat is 32). The dial of the timepiece is black with exclusive “Méga Tapisserie” guilloché motif. The hand-stitched strap of the timepiece is made of crocodile leather.

There are two versions of the watch: 960 timepieces are made of stainless steel and 96 - made of white gold with 32 diamonds bezel and numbers “2”and “3”done in rubies.

The diameter of stainless steel case measures 48 mm. There is the same mechanism 3126 as in Arnold's All Stars.

As for the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Shaquille O'Neal Chronograph, it is made in the white and red colors of the Miami Heat.

The box of the watch made of polished wood imitates a life-sized basket-ball.

All proceeds from the sale of the Royal Oak Offshore Shaquille O'Neal Chronograph will go to Shaquille O’Neal’s charity foundation.