Audemars Piguet [RE]Master02 Revisits Retro Brutalist Design

I’ve become so used to Audemars Piguet releasing Royal Oak after Royal Oak with the occasional input from their concept or Code 11.59 ranges that the release of the Audemars Piguet [RE]Master02 Selfwinding is quite a shock. It’s a modern reinterpretation (hence the name [RE]Master02) of the Model 5159BA from the 1960s, a vintage watch that you occasionally see at auction with its strong, brutalist aesthetic. Its launch does raise the question, is brutalist design making a comeback?

I raise this question because it comes hot on the heels of the Toledano & Chan B/1, which caused a storm in recent months and is well worth a look if you’re unfamiliar. Both the B/1 and the AP are late 20th century inspired watches with asymmetrical case shapes. Broad and rectangular with angular lugs.

The Audemars Piguet [RE]Master02’s case in specific measures 41mm wide with a thickness of 9.7mm in sand gold – a material they recently debuted in the Royal Oak Sand Gold. One of the most impressive aspects of the case design is the sapphire crystal, a material notoriously difficult to shape, that follows the shape and facets of the design.

Compared with the uniform shape of the Royal Oak, the [RE]Master02 feels vibrant and disruptive. Considering that integrated bracelet watches are experiencing a substantial dip on the secondary market, perhaps it’s just the right amount of disruption to invigorate AP and rekindle interest in the brand. And it’s somewhat ironic that this fresh feeling is based on the 60s.

That neo-retro aesthetic is matched by the dial, which AP describe as a “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50″ parted dial. Which translates to a midnight blue in radial segments. It has the appearance of sunray brushing but actually each of the segments is brushed in a uniform direction pointing towards the centre, which highlights the pleasing off-centre appearance created by the case.

Housed inside the Audemars Piguet [RE]Master02 is the Calibre 7129, an extra-thin automatic movement with hour and minute functions. It operates at 4Hz and has a power reserve 52-hours. Those are respectable specs, but the highlight is the view of it through the exhibition caseback that reveals the Côte de Genève finishing and sand gold rotor with asymmetric skeletonisation.

This might be my favourite Audemars Piguet launch in a long time, a watch that’s not only interesting in the context of AP, but also interesting in the broader context of current watchmaking trends. Although that doesn’t mean it’s any less exclusive than an RO; with a price of £41,000, it’s certainly up there.

More details at Audemars Piguet.

​Oracle Time 

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