Audemars Piguet Quantieme Perpetual 25661OR

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A seminal reference released during the height of the Quartz Crisis, Audemars Piguet broke the mould with the world’s thinnest automatic calendar. Of the 342 pieces produced in this reference, only 29 were made in pink gold.

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This is the Audemars Piguet Quantieme Perpetual 25661OR. Now perhaps more associated with sports watches under its Royal Oak line, it’s worth noting that the brand actually started with the manufacturing of complicated timepieces and has a strong lineage in complications. Its first grand complication, a pocket watch, was released back in 1899. This was followed by the thinnest calibre for a pocket watch in the early 1900s, the first skeletonized pocket watch and subsequently the world’s thinnest wristwatch. Highly significant to the history of horology, the brand was and still is a key contributor to the world of complicated timepieces.

This particular Quantieme Perpetual is a highly important reference not just for a brand but for horology as a whole. In the 1970s, the Swiss watch industry was under siege by the advent of battery-powered quartz watches, marking a defining period known as the Quartz Crisis. It was during this period that Audemars Piguet released what is now regarded as a seminal piece - the world’s thinnest automatic perpetual calendar. In fact, this was conceived at a time when it was likely that no one else was thinking about producing a complicated mechanical wristwatch, making this series by Audemars Piguet among the impressive inventions of its time.

Timelessly proportioned in a ultra-thin 36mm case, the 25661OR is powered by the Cal. 2120/2800 - a calendar module added to the movement that powered its Royal Oak. Especially noteworthy is the movement’s thickness of only 3.95mm - a feat in itself during that period of watchmaking. This reference within the series sets itself apart from the other Quantieme Perpetuals with the sapphire display caseback that shows off the aforementioned calibre and in particular, a decorated and skeletonized 21K gold rotor. Of the 342 pieces produced within this reference, only 29 pieces were made in rose gold, making this variant the least common. While the lowest production number is usually reserved for platinum, it is probable that this was due to rose gold being less popular during that period.

With all that said, the Audemars Piguet Quantieme Perpetual remains a highly fascinating reference that has remained overlooked until recently. From the historical importance behind this reference to the fact that it is one of truly only a handful in existence, this is definitely a piece for the discerning collector.