Audemars Piguet

A highly important, exceptionally rare and innovative yellow gold automatic tourbillon wristwatch with date and power reserve indication, produced in the early 1990s. Measuring approximately 39 mm and powered by the self-winding calibre 2875, the reference represents a landmark achievement in horology, being among the earliest wristwatches to combine a tourbillon with an automatic movement, date and power reserve indication.

The dial is distinguished by the aperture at 6 o’clock revealing the one-minute tourbillon, whose continuously rotating carriage serves both as a precision regulating organ and a captivating visual centerpiece. Of particular technical significance, the movement dispenses with a traditional central rotor in favor of an oscillating hammer winding system, or pendulum weight, which moves in a controlled arc to wind the mainspring. This ingenious solution enhances mechanical efficiency while preserving the refined proportions of the watch and allowing an unobstructed appreciation of the movement’s architecture.

Further reinforcing its avant-garde character, the case is entirely free of a conventional crown on the band. In a highly unconventional and forward-thinking design, the winding and setting mechanism is relocated to the caseback, resulting in a remarkably clean and uninterrupted profile. The case is complemented by elongated, sculptural teardrop lugs, whose elegant curvature lends the watch both fluidity and a distinctive presence on the wrist.

Produced in exceedingly small numbers, reference 25718BA embodies Audemars Piguet’s experimental and technical ambition during a period of renewed mechanical innovation. A true connoisseur’s timepiece, it unites pioneering engineering with classical design, standing as a rare and historically significant example of the early automatic tourbillon wristwatch.