Created to celebrate the Manufacture’s 150th anniversary, this limited-edition release of 150 pieces combines two complications — a flying tourbillon and a flyback chronograph — within the timeless 39 mm “Jumbo” case. ‘Iconic’ is a word both overused and mis-applied, but in the case of the new Jumbo, it fits as perfectly as this instant grail watch sits on the wrist. As Wei Koh recently noted: “What is an icon? An icon is a watch that endures,” and if there’s one thing Gérald Genta’s epoch-defying creations do, it’s assert the incredible ability of their designs to endure. So much design falls out of style once its era has passed. The Royal Oak remains timeless. And, for the first time in its half-century history, Gérald Genta’s ultra-thin icon carries twin complications, while retaining its original 8.1 mm profile in an engineering coup that perfectly explains why its ergonomics remain so sought after by collectors.

Jumbo meets High Complication

Followers of horological history and cultural milestones will know that “Jumbo” is more than a fond nickname, it’s also a shorthand for watchmaking rebellion. When the debuted in 1972 after two years of design and development by Genta, its 39 mm steel case, integrated bracelet and exposed screws – today a standard-issue style in watchmaking – completely redefined the language of luxury watchmaking. Genta’s design pushed the definition of radical beyond anything conservative Swiss watch design could get its head around. Feathers were ruffled, and then ripples became tidal waves. Five decades later, the Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin Selfwinding Flying Tourbillion Chronograph RD#5, enters as the latest chapter in the Royal Oak Story. It’s slim, elegant, and almost rebelliously simple.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo (Blue dial), Ref. 5402

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph (RD#5)

The case and bracelet are crafted in titanium, the bezel in Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG) an amorphous palladium-rich alloy first seen at AP’s Only Watch 2021 piece. The combination gives the watch both lightness and a mirror-bright sheen. The signature blue Petite Tapisserie dial features rhodium-toned gold hour markers and luminescent hands in 18-carat white gold. The chronograph counters, finished in matching blue with a snailed texture, balance the aperture of the flying tourbillon. Sensibly, there’s no date window, this was an intentional choice by AP, to better preserve a sense of balance and symmetry on the dial and also keep the focus on that mesmerizing flying tourbillon.

Easily Complicated

The objective wasn’t to build the most complicated watch possible, but to build a complicated watch that feels effortless to use. “Audemars Piguet has always embraced a challenge,” says Ilaria Resta Chief Executive Officer, Audemars Piguet. “With the RD#5 the aim was to offer enthusiasts a complicated watch that is both comfortable and easy to use; ultimately, a timepiece suited for today’s lifestyle.”

Paying homage to the original “Jumbo” with its aesthetic, the watch is powered by a new in-house Calibre 8100, a 4 mm-thick integrated flyback chronograph with flying tourbillon. Containing 379 parts, it beats at 3 Hz and has an impressive 72-hour power reserve.

Components of Calibre 8100 in the RD#5, with the six-armed reset lever visible near the center

Giulio Papi, Director of Watchmaking Design, led the development of a patented rack-and-pinion reset system that addresses the energy required by traditional chronographs for resetting. By using titanium components, including the hand and chronograph wheel, the reset is instantaneous, requiring minimal energy.

“Think of the traditional chronograph as a car driving with the handbrake on. With Calibre 8100, the handbrake is gone, and the car is now tied to an elastic band when it leaves the garage. This elastic band will then be used to bring it back to the garage. The energy that used to be lost due to friction of the handbrake is now stored within the elastic,” says Giulio Papi.

“When resetting the chronograph, the stored energy is released, and the hand returns to its position in less than 0.15 seconds. A great deal of work has been carried out to understand the behaviour of the hands so that the reset is almost imperceptible to the eye, while delivering an instantaneous minute jump 1 – a highly coveted feature by collectors.”

The automatic and manual winding trains, hand-setting train and gear train are all located on the dial side of the movement, enabling it to achieve an ultra-thin profile

“With this innovation, Audemars Piguet has reinterpreted the chronograph to enhance its ease of use, says Lucas Raggi Chief Industrial Officer, Audemars Piguet.
Flanking the crown, the RD#5 pushp-pieces glide like the buttons on a smartphone. “The RD#5 can store energy when the chronograph is activated and release it upon reset – enabling, for the first time, short-travel, low-force push-pieces for enhanced smoothness and unmatched comfort. To achieve a sensation comparable to tapping a smartphone, we had to completely rethink how chronograph functions are engineered,” adss Raggi.

Functional Beauty

The limited edition features a bezel, crown function-selector and studs in BMG. The caseback features a circular satin finish while the titanium case and bracelet links contrast between satin and polished bevels to further accentuate the sleek ergonomics.

To keep the case height at 8.1 mm, Audemars Pigute uses “glass-box” sapphire crystals – flat outside, but hollowed inside to gain precious extra space for the hands and oscilating weight. That rotor is another marvel: a platinum peripheral oscillating weight, allowing a full view of the meticulously finished movement with its hand-bevelled bridges, satin brushing and sharp inward angles.

Flip the watch over and the picture completes itself: the peripheral rotor skims the edge of the movement like a halo, revealing the tourbillon carriage and column-wheel architecture beneath. It’s architectural and elegant in keeping with the Royal Oak’s long tradition of functional beauty.

As Papi sums up: “Entirely reimagined to meet our clients’ expectations, the RD#5 brings together all the hallmarks of a refined chronograph: a world-first in touch-sensitive push-pieces, an instantaneous jump minute counter, remarkable thinness and meticulously designed ergonomics.”

It’s fitting that this evolution arrives in the “Jumbo.” The model that once redefined luxury steel sports watches now redefines how sleek and easy to wear complex watches can feel on the wrist.

Tech Specs: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph (RD#5)

Movement: In-house Calibre 8100; selfwinding flyback chronograph with flying tourbillon; patented rack-and-pinion reset; platinum peripheral rotor; 72 h power reserve; 3 Hz; 44 jewels
Dial: “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” Petite Tapisserie; 18-carat white-gold hour markers and luminescent hands; blue bi-compax counters; flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock
Case: 39 mm × 8.1 mm; titanium with BMG bezel, crown and pushers; sapphire front and back; water-resistant to 20 m
Bracelet: Integrated titanium and BMG links; AP folding clasp
Available: Limited to 150 pieces