In terms of the new Audemars Piguet Millenary Quadriennium, I may have two doubts about when I first saw it. First of all, what is exactly a Millenary Quadriennium? Further, secondly, does it have anything to do with the Millennium Falcon?
The Millenary collection isn’t what straight away comes to mind when you think of Audemars Piguet. As a matter of fact, the unusual oval case shape looks like a watch from a totally distinct company. The long-running Millenary collection is a space where AP explores a more neo-classical aesthetic than the resolutely modern Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore lines. It’s big and in charge: flashy and unashamedly awesome. It was also comfortable and legible. The philosophy behind the Replica watch is that it a contemporary explanation of a vintage timepiece (it is much like the MB&F Legacy Machine in this regard).
This escapement has bitten into the off centre dial. A dial that looks decidedly classical with its roman numerals and exposed screws. I really loved the numerals and indices; they pick up on the industrial sensibilities that run through the watch. Each applied marker is cut-through with a machined groove, however while the groove itself is polished, the rest of the marker is brushed. It’s a small detail, however one that many lesser brands would overlook. As you’d expect from AP, this watch has excellent movement finishing, chiefly on the large, uncovered, proprietary escapement, with big balance wheel and beautifully hand-finished bridge.
This watch features a brand new complication – a Quadriennium. Replica Audemars Piguet’s middle ground is a watch which is intelligent enough to make the jump from Feb 28 to March 1 three out of every four years, solely needing a guiding hand during leap years, in which you have to wind it back to show the 29th of the month. The interplay of materials and textures is key to this watch’s appeal and what makes it so fun to wear.
There’s just too much going on. While the complication is a novel idea that I can see gaining some wider traction for Audemars Piguet Replica watches the package as a whole, however, doesn’t work for me. The lopsided off centre dial, the exposed plates and screws, the mixture of roman numerals and Arabics, the distinctly sized day and month display windows, the pusher at two. All this is jammed into a large (47mm) oval case that doesn’t seem to know if it’s vintage or mordern.
This spirit of open-handedness is a far cry from the industry that has historically been characterized as a very closed shop, and we can’t help however think that the group must be fairly positive that this new open certification must help them sell a fairly decent number of timepieces.
Introduction to the Replica Audemars Piguet Millenary Quadriennium
