Audemars Piguet Unveils Neo Frame Jumping Hour: A Modern Homage to 1920s Design

Audemars Piguet has launched the Neo Frame Jumping Hour, a remarkable new timepiece that pays homage to its historical models while embracing modern design principles. This release stands out for its bold reinterpretation of a classic complication, seamlessly blending the Art Deco era's aesthetic with contemporary watchmaking advancements.

The Neo Frame Jumping Hour is a testament to Audemars Piguet's commitment to innovation and heritage, offering enthusiasts a unique watch that captivates with its distinct visual appeal and sophisticated mechanical heart.

Contemporary Interpretation of a Historic Complication

The Audemars Piguet Neo Frame Jumping Hour is distinguished by its 18K pink gold case, measuring 32.6mm in diameter, 34mm in length, and a svelte 8.8mm in thickness. Its most striking feature is the intricate gadroons on either side of the black dial, drawing inspiration from the Streamline Moderne movement, also known as the 'ocean liner style' of the late Art Deco period. This design choice immediately transports the observer to a bygone era while firmly planting the watch in the present with its innovative display.

The watch's time display, known as 'à guichets' or 'with windows,' presents jumping hours at the 12 o'clock position and trailing minutes at 6 o'clock. The dial is crafted from a black PVD-treated sapphire panel, beneath which rose-tone aperture frames reveal the hour and minute discs. This full-sapphire front panel, extending to the case edges at 12 and 6, integrates seamlessly with the black patterned-calfskin strap, ensuring a coherent and elegant aesthetic. The clever construction also allows for a practical 20m water resistance, demonstrating thoughtful engineering in conjunction with artistic design.

The Innovative Caliber 7122 Movement

At the core of the Neo Frame Jumping Hour is the Audemars Piguet caliber 7122, an automatic movement that represents a significant evolution from the brand's well-regarded 7121 caliber, found in the Royal Oak Jumbo models. This specialized variant is meticulously engineered to power the jumping hours and trailing minutes, showcasing Audemars Piguet's mastery of complex complications within a compact form. With a diameter of 29.6mm, the movement operates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour and boasts a robust 52-hour power reserve, ensuring reliability and precision.

The caliber 7122 comprises 293 components, a notable aspect of which is the use of titanium for the hour disc and aluminum for the minute disc. This selection of lightweight metals is not merely for aesthetic reasons but primarily for enhanced shock protection. By minimizing the mass of these moving parts, Audemars Piguet effectively reduces the mechanical stress on the movement during impacts, highlighting a fusion of advanced material science and horological expertise. This thoughtful engineering ensures the watch's durability while maintaining the intricate function of its unique time display.