Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon 26227BC

AUDEMARS PIGUET. A RARE AND BREATHTAKING 18K WHITE GOLD, DIAMOND AND SAPPHIRE-SET SKELETONISED TOURBILLON WRISTWATCH ROYAL OAK CONCEPT FLYING TOURBILLON MODEL, REF. 26227BC, CASE NO. RX5492T

AUDEMARS PIGUET. A RARE AND BREATHTAKING 18K WHITE GOLD, DIAMOND AND SAPPHIRE-SET SKELETONISED TOURBILLON WRISTWATCH ROYAL OAK CONCEPT FLYING TOURBILLON MODEL, REF. 26227BC, CASE NO. RX5492T Movement: Manual Dial: Skeletonised and diamond-set Case: 38.5 mm. with graded blue sapphires With: 18k white gold and sapphire-set Audemars Piguet deployant clasp, undated Audemars Piguet International Warranty Card, additional blue Audemars Piguet rubber strap with “constellation” decoration, product literature, presentation box and outer packaging Note: The presentation box that accompanies this lot may not be the original “fitted box”. Please refer to paragraph A in the Conditions of Sale for further information. If you have any queries, please contact Watch Department at watcheshk@christies.com AUDEMARS PIGUET. A RARE AND BREATHTAKING 18K WHITE GOLD, DIAMOND AND SAPPHIRE-SET SKELETONISED TOURBILLON WRISTWATCH ROYAL OAK CONCEPT FLYING TOURBILLON MODEL, REF. 26227BC, CASE NO. RX5492T Movement: Manual Dial: Skeletonised and diamond-set Case: 38.5 mm. with graded blue sapphires With: 18k white gold and sapphire-set Audemars Piguet deployant clasp, undated Audemars Piguet International Warranty Card, additional blue Audemars Piguet rubber strap with “constellation” decoration, product literature, presentation box and outer packaging Note: The presentation box that accompanies this lot may not be the original “fitted box”. Please refer to paragraph A in the Conditions of Sale for further information. If you have any queries, please contact Watch Department at watcheshk@christies.comThis magnificent Royal Oak Concept Openworked Flying Tourbillon brings a new and colourful angle to the Royal Oak Concept collection. The openworked caliber 2951 manually wound movement with flying tourbillon, a mechanism that compensates for the effect of gravity and thus enhances the watch’s timekeeping performance, is visible at 6 o’clock. The centre of the tourbillon is set with brilliant-cut gemstones, an impressive achievement in itself. The Royal Oak Concept The wristwatches of Audemars Piguet’s ‘Royal Oak Concept’ series are fiercely contemporary watchmaking masterpieces that have captivated collectors for almost two decades. The ‘Concept’ watches were devised as a conduit to showcase not only AP’s famed command of complications, but also a desire to experiment with materials and design that is usually the preserve of the independent watchmaker. Audemars Piguet is one of the triumvirate of great Swiss watch houses who, along with Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin, unrelentingly strive for both excellence and new innovation in watchmaking. Inspired by the idea of the ‘concept car’ used by car manufacturers to showcase new styling and technology, the watches Audemars Piguet have produced under the umbrella of the ‘Royal Oak Concept’ name have enabled the company to ingeniously bring into small-scale production a parallel ‘Royal Oak’ model endowed with radical cutting-edge innovations that not only greatly enhances the image and reputation of the brand, but also at the same time preserves the integrity of the original ‘Royal Oak’ range so beloved by AP purists. Audemars Piguet have always been famed for their mastery of high complications, to this end, the ‘Royal Oak Concept’ series provides a perfect platform from which AP’s master watchmakers can test not only the limits of their technical and mechanical prowess, but also to explore avant-garde design combined with state of the art materials, some entirely new to watchmaking.