Audemars Piguet - Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher

Audemars Piguet just presented the Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher, the world’s first mechanical chronograph with alternating consecutive lap timing and flyback function, specifically designed and engineered for continuous action in timing laps on the racetrack.

The idea behind this new exceptional chronograph dates back to 2010 when Michael Schumacher, a friend and an ambassador of the brand, asked to the engineers of Audemars Piguet if it was possible to create a mechanical wristwatch that could measure and record an extended series of consecutive lap times. A function that could be used in motor sports to time and compare multiple, consecutive laps.

Never before a new from scratch movement was ever developed by Audemars Piguet on request of a brand ambassador but the project sounded so interesting from a technical point of view and the request came from such a good friend of the brand that the watch manufacturer based in Le Brassus could not refuse the challenge. A challenge that, after five years of development, has been won.

The Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher features a single chronograph mechanism driving two central hands which can be controlled independently via three pushpieces: the first positioned at 2 o’clock to start and stop the chronograph function, the second at 4 o’clock to reset it, and a third pushpiece - the laptimer one - at 9 o’clock.

This third pushpiece makes it possible to stop one of the two chronograph hands while simultaneously returning the other hand to zero and restarting it. This way, it makes easy to take note of the time of the most recent lap while continuing to measure the next lap.

This unique feature also allows the wearer to keep a certain lap time as reference, by stopping one hand with the laptimer button, and use the flyback function (controlled by the pushpiece at 4 o'clock) on the other chronograph hand to restart the measurement of each new lap.

And, of course, the timepiece can be used as a flyback chronograph with both hands running together in parallel.

The forged carbon case has a diameter of 44 mm (thickness is 12.70 mm) and features a curved glareproofed sapphire crystal, titanium bezel, a black ceramic and pink gold screw-locked crown and pushpieces. The black ceramic laptimer pushpiece is engraved with the Michael Schumacher logo.

The caseback is made from titanium with a glareproofed sapphire crystal to display the hand-wound Manufacture calibre 2923 beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour and offering 80 hours of power reserve.

Capable of recording times down to one-eighth of a second, this movement features a high-inertia balance wheel with three column wheels to control the chronograph and laptimer complex sequences. A pending patent covers its unique functionality.

The openworked black dial contains a 30-minute counter at 3 o'clock and small seconds at 9 o'clock. The white gold Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating nicely contrast with the black inner bezel.

A black rubber strap with AP folding clasp in titanium completes the timepiece which offers water resistance to 50 metres.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher (ref. 26221FT.OO.D002CA.01) is the second chronograph of the brand to carry the name of the F1 champion. It will be available in a limited edition of 221 pieces (corresponding to the number of F1 World Championship point-winning races in which he competed) and will have a price of Swiss Francs 210,000. audemarspiguet.com