Material World: Replica Audemars Piguet Watches’s Pioneering Approach to Material Innovation

But rather than outsource forged carbon cases AP made the daring move of building an in-house carbon case making facility. There a team was assembled including Julien Stervinou, a young carbon fiber specialist who was previously building helicopter parts using this technology, and Yves Leuba, an experienced project head from AP.

The forged carbon procedure goes like this: carbon is first cut into precise quantities. The type of carbon fiber is specifically sourced to incorporate the correct blend of carbon and resin.Breitling Replica It is then placed into a mold, heated and compressed. The result are cases that emerge almost fully formed. Says Stervinou, “The only additional processes we need to do are some milling for the screws, for the strap and in a few other places.”

In 2007, the world&'s first forged carbon timepiece was made by AP to commemorate sponsorship of the Swiss team competing in the Americas Cup. The resulting watch named Alinghi Team Royal Oak Offshore,Roelx Daytona Replica and featured a regatta timer (basically a countdown function) and was made in a run of 1,300 watches.

Swiss America&'s Cup team

APRO Offshore Team Alinghi Forged Carbon ref. 26062FS (2007)

But soon other versions of carbon fiber Offshores emerged including one of our favorites, the Bumblebee, bestowed this evocative sobriquet thanks to its yellow and black color ways.Replica Audemars Piguet Watches The Bumblebee also features a ceramic bezel, one of the earliest use of this material, which is almost totally scratch proof.

Ceramic: Perfection that Endures

Next to diamond, ceramic is the hardest material on earth. Its incredible strength makes it the material of choice for the protective plates found in high tech bulletproof vests. Indeed, ceramic armor is so effective that during Desert Storm, not a single British Challenger tank reinforced with ceramic was lost. Since Replica Audemars Piguet Watches&'s unique eight-sided bezel is positioned in such a way that it is vulnerable to scratches, itmade absolute logic to eventually utilize the material for this element.