Audemars Piguet’s New Royal Oak Self Winding Tourbillon Extra-Thin RD#3 37mm

The celebration of the Royal Oak’s 50th anniversary continues with the launch of the new Royal Oak Self Winding Tourbillon Extra-Thin RD#3 37mm. At its core, it’s a smaller 37mm version of the 39mm RD#3 “Jumbo” Flying Tourbillon that was released earlier this year.

Aesthetically there are a lot of elements to break down as the new watch is fusion of a couple of Royal Oaks that were launched this year. The 37mm case is based on the latest generation of standard ROs, which means it has wider bevels and a more prominently tapered integrated bracelet. This combination gives the piece presence on the wrist while also having great ergonomics.

Then, its dial is informed by the “Jumbo” collection, giving the new piece a ‘Petite Tapisserie’ pattern dial and bathtub shaped indexes. What makes the dial really stand out though is its rich, plum purple colour, a tone which was achieved using chemical vapour deposition (CVD).

Inside, the Royal Oak Self Winding Tourbillon Extra-Thin RD#3 37mm houses the Calibre 2968 automatic flying tourbillon with 50-hour power reserve that first debuted in the 39mm model this year. It was specially developed to be ultra-thin, just 3.4mm, allowing it to fit in the reduced area of the 39mm and 37mm references.

In fact, this is the first time Audemars Piguet has ever created an automatic flying tourbillon at 37mm, making it a landmark moment in the collection’s history. The movement is hand finished with a combination of traditional and contemporary finishes such as traits tirés.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self Winding Tourbillon Extra-Thin RD#3 37mm has a retail price of CHF 165,400. Understandable for a small and wearable RO with an innovative, ultra-thin movement, not to mention that it’s in the latest trendy colour. Plus, it’s likely to have limited production with availability restricted to those very high up the AP list.