Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher
Audemars Piguet creates a mechanical wrist watch designed specifically for use in motorsport to measure and record an extended series of consecutive lap times.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher is the first motorsport-specific watch to feature a complication imagined by the celebrated driver, with two angular indexing systems on a single chronograph, each with an independent memory.
It is also the first time that a movement has been developed from scratch at the behest of an ambassador by Audemars Piguet – an indication of the strength of the long-standing relationship which the Manufacture has enjoyed with Michael Schumacher since 2010.
The timepiece features a single chronograph driving two central hands which can be controlled independently via three pushpieces – the first sited at the conventional two o’clock position to start and stop the chronograph; the second sited at the four o’clock position to re-set the chronograph, and the all-important third pushpiece sited at the nine o’clock position.
This third pushpiece makes it possible to simultaneously stop either of the two chronograph hands, while returning the other hand to zero and restarting it – meaning that, while the time of the most recent lap is being noted down, timing of the next lap is already underway. The watch therefore negates the need for two or more hand-held timing devices, streamlining the operation within a single wrist chronograph.
Alternatively, the watch can keep a certain lap time as reference, stopping one hand with the laptimer button, and using the flyback function on the other chronograph hand with the pusher at 4 o’clock to restart the measurement of each new lap. Finally, the timepiece can be used as a “standard” flyback chronograph with both hands running together in parallel.
The Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher is the world’s first mechanical chronograph with alternating consecutive lap timing and flyback function, specifically designed and engineered for continuous action and relentless precision in timing laps on the racetrack.
It will be the second Audemars Piguet chronograph to carry the name of the celebrated driver, and in honour of his extraordinary career, the AP Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher will be made available in a strictly limited edition of 221 examples in recognition of the number of F1 World Championship point-winning races in which he competed.
Technical details
Model: Audemars Piguet ROYAL OAK CONCEPT LAPTIMER MICHAEL SCHUMACHER
Laptimer and Flyback Chronograph / Consecutive lap timing and flyback
Limited edition: 221 pieces
Reference: 26221FT.OO.D002CA.01
Movement
Hand-wound Manufacture calibre 2923. Laptimer Chronograph calibre
Total diameter: 34.60mm (15¼ lines)
Total Thickness: 12.70mm
Number of Jewels: 34
Number of parts: 413
Power reserve : 80 hours
Frequency of balance wheel: 4 Hz, 28’800 vibrations/hour
Functions
Laptimer chronograph with double central second hands, flyback, 30 minutes counter, small seconds, hours and minutes
Case
Forged carbon case
Diameter: 44 mm
Curved glare-proofed sapphire crystal
Titanium caseback with glare-proofed sapphire crystal Titanium bezel
Black ceramic and 18-carat pink gold screw-locked crown
Black ceramic and 18-carat pink gold push-pieces
Black ceramic Lap timer push-piece with MS logo
Titanium push-piece guards
Bracelet
Black rubber strap with titanium AP folding clasp
Water-resistant to 50 meters
Dial
Openworked black dial
30 minutes counter at 3 o’clock
Small seconds at 9 o’clock
White gold Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating
Black inner bezel
