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It’s rare, but once in a while, the experts at some of the world’s top luxury brands are let loose to take an upcoming project in any direction they please. Without budget constraints, this process has birthed some of the greatest cars of all time, ground-breaking technologies, and some of the most advanced watches.
Today, we’re focused on watches, specifically the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph (RD#5) 150th Anniversary. It’s the brainchild of AP’s research and development division, who were given direction without monetary considerations. “The purpose is not to sell it and make money out of it, it’s to step up with improved calibres and performance and reliability,” said the brand’s chief executive, Ilaria Resta. It has a 39-millimetre titanium case, a self-winding movement, a chronograph (stopwatch), and a flying tourbillon. This is the first time we’ve seen these combined, and to squeeze it all into a case that’s just 8.1mm thick is technically impressive.
The watch’s heart is the brand-new self-winding calibre 8100 movement, which measures 4mm thick. It features 379 parts, 44 jewels, a 3Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour) frequency, a platinum peripheral oscillating weight, and a minimum power reserve of 72 hours. More importantly, the functions it enables take this timepiece to another level.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph (RD#5) “150th Anniversary” Key Specifications
- Reference: 26545XT.OO.1240XT.01
- Diameter: 39 mm
- Thickness: 8.1 mm
- Functions: Self-winding flying tourbillon, flyback chronograph with hour counter, instantaneous jump minute counter, hours and minutes
- Case: Titanium case middle, Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG) bezel, push-pieces, and function selector chip, titanium and BMG crown, BMG and sapphire caseback
- Crystal: Glareproofed sapphire crystal
- Water resistant: 20 m
- Dial: “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” Petite Tapisserie dial, rhodium-toned 18-carat pink gold bathtub hour-markers, 18-carat white gold hands with luminescent material, blue counters with snailed finish, rhodium-toned inner bezel
- Bracelet: Titanium and BMG bracelet with titanium AP folding clasp
- Movement: Self-winding Calibre 8100 (brand new)
- Movement diameter: 31.4 mm (14 lignes)
- Movement thickness: 4 mm
- Number of parts: 379
- Number of jewels: 44
- Frequency: 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour)
- Minimum guaranteed power reserve: 72 hours
With the new movement, the brand has reimagined the chronograph reset system, replacing the traditional hammer and heart-piece with a rack-and-pinion mechanism. It stores energy during use and then releases it at reset (retrograde motion), eliminating the need for a friction spring to reduce energy loss alongside the titanium components.
Of course, you won’t see any of this trickery, as it’s tucked away, but you’ll sure notice the instantaneous chronograph reset (<0.15 seconds) when timing using the new pushers, which have a reduced force from 1.5 kilograms to just 300 grams. They also travel a shorter distance, 0.3 millimetres from 1 millimetre.
You will see the new high-amplitude flying tourbillon, redesigned from the RD#3 (2022), thinner, and with a titanium cage peripheral drive for better energy distribution. Sometimes the flying tourbillon is the weaker link in these high-end watches, but the oscillator tolerates higher amplitudes to reduce backlash, improving precision and reliability. Ilaria Resta told publications, including The New York Times, “Even if the wearer makes a mistake, the RD#5 doesn’t break.”
While it’s been a turbulent time for the board and Ms Resta, she told journalists that through the first eight months of this year, results were up 12 per cent over the same period last year. They will also be exhibiting at Watches & Wonders 2026 for the first time since 2019.
“We don’t ask clients what they want, but we observe them,” she said. “Then you realise the frustration and pressure points and look to optimise those on a watch.” Calling this approach “client-centricity.”
“The big revolution is the consumer-facing experience on the wrist, a watch that fits in everyday life despite how complicated it is. We are serving reality.”
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph (RD#5) “150th Anniversary” is limited to 150 pieces globally, and pricing information is available by appointment only. Considering their rarity, we dare say they’ve already been spoken for.
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