March 19, 2024
Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Moon-Phase Calendar Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Moon-Phase Calendar Watch Hands-On Hands-On

The Jules Audemars collection from Audemars Piguet has been getting a lot of attention over the last few years. For 2011 a few new models came out including this Moon-Phase Calendar version with a beautifully balanced dial. The Jules Audemars collection has always been about thin cases with elegant designs – formal watches that aren’t stuffy or boring. The last few years of AP Jules Audemars watches really hit the nail on the head for many collectors, and so should this Moon-Phase Calendar version.

Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Moon-Phase Calendar Watch Hands-On Hands-On

Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Moon-Phase Calendar Watch Hands-On Hands-On

For 2011 the watch comes only in 18k rose gold in a 39mm wide Jules Audemars style case. The round case has a sort of bulbous shape with a polished bezel and back, with brushed sides. Inside the Moon-Phase Calendar is the in-house made AP calibre 2324/2825 automatic movement. Functions include an annual calendar with the day and date on dials, and a moon phase indicator. The time has the hour and minutes (no seconds). The layout is beautiful – featuring perfect symmetry and proportioned shapes. The subdials and moon phase indicator are enhanced by being slightly recessed, as well as outlined with a thin polished gold ring. Again, very elegant. Being just 8.8mm thick (the case) and an automatic, this is a fine watch meant for daily wear.

Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Moon-Phase Calendar Watch Hands-On Hands-On

When we covered the watch that would later be called the Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Day Date Supersonnerie, back in 2014, it had been a theory watch that AP hadn’t yet revealed a desire to market to collectors. The group at Le Brassus’s ostensible aim was to push the boundaries of chiming watch acoustics and also to provide concrete evidence that the pursuit of constant improvement in second repeaters was alive as ever. The following year, at SIHH 2015, AP set a sound-proof booth in which they can demonstrate the superlative tonality and volume of the new concept watch. I won’t forget hearing this second repeater for the first time, and that’s no hyperbole. The paradox of a second repeater that chimes louder and better on the wrist than off was lost on no one. I wanted to know exactly how it worked — and I really don’t think I was the only one.Luckily, Jack went in-depth on the topic back in 2016, writing the best explanation out there of the way Audemars Piguet developed the Supersonnerie and why it is such a special repeater. However, the story does not stop there.Earlier this year, Audemars Piguet presented the coolest watch that you have not heard of yet. On the exterior, it’s a platinum Jules Audemars dress see a smokey blue enamel dial and white gold palms. Considering it’s a platinum case and enamel dialup, you’d expect some loss of sound quality from the original, because it was constructed only for optimum tonality. But after hearing this view in a crowded booth at SIHH, I can confirm it’s much louder than your normal minute repeater, also, exactly like the notion watch, it is louder on the wrist than off.

Attached to the watch is a brown crocodile strap which looks handsome with the rose gold. I find it interesting that over the last few years brown has been the model match to gold versus black. Then again, a while ago yellow gold was being matched to black, and rose gold often looks best with a shade of brown. Success with this version of the Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Minute Repeater Tourbillon Jules Audemars Moon-Phase Calendar watch will likely hail in versions with different dial colors and in different shades of gold. I anticipate the price to be in the $20,000 range.