Year: Circa 1997
Reference No: 25918BC.O.0001CR.01
Movement No: 442’826
Case No: E26’657
Model Name: Jules Audemars Repetition Minutes Quantieme Perpetual
Material: 18K white gold
Calibre: Manual, cal. 2866Q/2807, 36 jewels
Bracelet/Strap: Leather
Clasp/Buckle: 18K white gold Audemars Piguet deployant clasp
Accessories: Accompanied by undated Audemars Piguet certificate, instruction manual, key, setting pin, fitted presentation box and outer packaging.
The Jules Audemars collection stands as a paean to one of the esteemed maison’s founding fathers. In 1982, Audemars Piguet unveiled this line to honor the inimitable Jules-Louis Audemars, and to uphold the haute horlogerie of Le Brassus. Timepieces in the Jules Audemars family are graced with sinuous lines and fulsome curves, enhanced by artisanal finishes of the highest caliber. A spirit of subtlety and consistency prevails across the range, with an air of quiet distinction in the smallest details.
The present Jules Audemars Repetition Minutes Quantieme Perpetual represents the ne plus ultra of the Jules Audemars canon. Debuted in 1997 and produced through 1999 in severely limited quantities—a mere 17 examples in total: 11 in white gold, 5 in pink gold and 1 in platinum—this reference embodies the technical prowess and brilliance in complication for which Audemars Piguet is legend.
Ensconced within a 39mm white gold case lavished with mirror-polished and satin-brushed surfaces, the self-winding cal. 2866Q movement comes vibrantly to life when the minute repeater mechanism is engaged. Through a transparent caseback, one may observe each immaculately finished component, from the Côtes de Genève motif to the chased and engraved steel parts, gears and hammers that chime the hours, quarter-hours and minutes on request.
The perpetual calendar, displayed against a black dial with guilloché hour ring, indicates moon phases and leap years in the French manner with cultivated restraint. This harmony of midnight black and white gold once again demonstrates the art of sublime contrast achieved solely in Le Brassus.
Offered in attractive overall condition with a clean and melodious tone, the present example awaits an owner who will relish its complexities whilst imbibing a fine vintage. The Jules Audemars minute repeater perpetual calendar is a timepiece to be savored—a tribute to the visionary for whom it was named, and a glimpse into the rarefied world of Audemars Piguet at the apex of artistry.