Inspired by beauty, created with savoir-faire
Audemars Piguet insiders will be familiar with the Millenary collection — meticulously decorated ladies’ watches debuted by the Manufacture in 1995. Taking aesthetic cues from the diverse worlds of contemporary design, fine arts and architecture, the current Millenary collection (launched in 2015) is instantly recognisable with its elliptical case, off-centred dials and visible movement. The latest collection, which has just arrived in Hong Kong, features new colours and strap variety, as well as a new model finished with Carolina Bucci’s “Frosted Gold” technique.
Love the (second) skin you’re in
The 2015 models, featuring an 18-carat pink or white gold case and powered by in-house calibre 5201, originally came with a variety of leather and rubber straps nicely complementing the contemporary design of the watch. Since the beginning of 2018, Audemars Piguet’s Millenary timepieces also feature a hand-made and hand-finished bracelet that dresses the wrist like a second skin. Unlike traditional Milanese bracelets, whose coils are woven in the same direction, the new Polish mesh bracelets weave together right-oriented and left-oriented gold coils for optimum comfort and flexibility. Easily adaptable to different wrist sizes, this supple bracelet allows wearers to find their ideal fit.
The new Millenary collection won’t disappoint lovers of fine jewellery with its diamond-set lugs and bezel, as well as crown set with a pink sapphire cabochon. The watch’s beating heart is once again an integrant part of the unconventional dial’s aesthetics. Parts of the movement (calibre 5201) are inverted, with the balance wheel and lever visible on the dial side; a conscious choice from Audemars Piguet’s design team.
Stay frosty with Audemars Piguet’s new Carolina Bucci edition
The new Millenary collection also proposes new materials and finishing techniques, best exemplified by the new Carolina Bucci’s Frosted Gold edition. The 18-carat gold case is adorned with Frosted Gold, a stylish technique characteristic of the eponymous Florentine jeweller. Frosted Gold is achieved through the gentle “hammering” of gold surfaces with a diamond-tipped pneumatic chisel that vibrates at 12,000bpm. These rapid vibrations generate tiny indentations on the gold surface, producing an effect similar to freshly-fallen diamond dust. Bezel, lugs and caseband (at 3 and 9 ‘o clock) are finished with Carolina Bucci’s hammering technique.
The Audemars Piguet Millenary Hand-Wound is available for HK$369,000 (in 18-carat white and pink gold). The Audemars Piguet Millenary Frosted Gold Opal Dial is available for HK$416,000.
Randy Lai
Editor
Having worked in the Australian digital media landscape for over 5 years, Randy has extensive experience in men's specialist categories such as classic clothing, watches and spirits. He is partial to mid-century chronographs and a nice chianti.
Most Popular
