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Lot Essay
A signed Audemars Piguet ‘Grand Complication’ watch is a significant rarity, an example such as the present watch with a heavy gold full hunting case and made during the last years of the 19th century is almost impossible to find. This timepiece is one of the finest and most impressive of the signed ‘Grand Complication’ watches to be offered at international auction in recent years. Interestingly, the technical details of the watch are engraved on the cuvette in the Spanish language showing that it was originally destined for either the South American or Spanish home market.
It is on watches such as the present example that Audemars Piguet built the foundations of the exceptional brand that it has become today. This watch gives collectors the chance to obtain not only a highly complicated watch of the utmost quality and desirability but a significant piece of Audemars Piguet history.
A ‘Grand Complication’ is considered the pinnacle of traditional watchmaking. The combination of minute repeating, split-seconds chronograph, and a perpetual calendar with moon phases is considered the classic ‘triple crown’ of watchmaking and Audemars Piguet’s executions of these masterpieces of micromechanics are considered to be among the best ever made. The grand complication was, and still remains, the watch of choice for the most discerning and most affluent in the world.
As a rule, an Audemars Piguet ‘Grand Complication’ has certain obligatory features to qualify it for the title. These include the split-seconds chronograph; patented by Louis Perrelet in 1827, it became one of Jules Audemars specialities from the start; a perpetual calendar and a minute repeater. Furthermore, all Audemars Piguet grand complication watches include a moon phase indicator in addition to the three main complications.
The 10 complications
The present timepiece impresses with the following 10 complications, in addition to the essential timekeeping functions such as hours, minutes and seconds which are not considered complications:
1. Minute repeater
2. Perpetual Calendar
3. Four year cycle
4. Days of the month
5. Days of the week
6. Months
7. Moon phases and age
8. Chronograph
9. Split seconds function
10. Chronograph register
It is on watches such as the present example that Audemars Piguet built the foundations of the exceptional brand that it has become today. This watch gives collectors the chance to obtain not only a highly complicated watch of the utmost quality and desirability but a significant piece of Audemars Piguet history.
A ‘Grand Complication’ is considered the pinnacle of traditional watchmaking. The combination of minute repeating, split-seconds chronograph, and a perpetual calendar with moon phases is considered the classic ‘triple crown’ of watchmaking and Audemars Piguet’s executions of these masterpieces of micromechanics are considered to be among the best ever made. The grand complication was, and still remains, the watch of choice for the most discerning and most affluent in the world.
As a rule, an Audemars Piguet ‘Grand Complication’ has certain obligatory features to qualify it for the title. These include the split-seconds chronograph; patented by Louis Perrelet in 1827, it became one of Jules Audemars specialities from the start; a perpetual calendar and a minute repeater. Furthermore, all Audemars Piguet grand complication watches include a moon phase indicator in addition to the three main complications.
The 10 complications
The present timepiece impresses with the following 10 complications, in addition to the essential timekeeping functions such as hours, minutes and seconds which are not considered complications:
1. Minute repeater
2. Perpetual Calendar
3. Four year cycle
4. Days of the month
5. Days of the week
6. Months
7. Moon phases and age
8. Chronograph
9. Split seconds function
10. Chronograph register