Audemars Piguet

First serially produced self-winding tourbillon wristwatch in the history of watchmaking, the ref. 25643 was introduced in 1986. It was, at the time, the world’s thinnest automatic wristwatch tourbillon, the world’s smallest and lightest tourbillon, and the first ever with a front facing tourbillon cage. 

Its bracelet variant, ref. 25656, was introduced a year later, in 1987.

The watch is powered by caliber 2870 featuring a hammer/bumper self-winding mechanism, the blued AP hammer being exposed on the dial at 6 o'clock. The crown is positioned on the back, on which some jewels are exposed.

The case and dial were designed by Jacqueline Dimier. Some say that she took inspiration from an Egyptian relief carving representing Pharaoh Akhenaten and his wife under a radiant sun (cf. below); others think she simply took inspiration from Astronomy, the tourbillon cage representing the sun with its rays falling onto the dial and the 12 circular hour-markers representing the planets.

Production numbers, from 1986 to 1999, were as follows:

• Ref. 25643: 382 pcs: 360 in yellow gold & 22 in platinum
• Ref. 25656: 19 pcs: 18 in yellow gold & 1 in platinum

A reference article concerning these models can be found here, on Watch Brothers London.

Best to you all.

A/ Ref. 25643BA (yellow gold)

1/ Standard dial variants

a/ Hooded end-links & pin buckle

b/ Hooded end-links & double deployant clasp

c/ Lugs (removed hooded end-links) & pin buckle

2/ Mother-of-pearl dial variants

a/ Mother-of-pearl rays on gold base

credit: quill & pad







credit: @l951.1 



credit: sotheby’s

















credit: Paul Boutros on timezone 







credit: phillips






credit: orangdial, here on WPS




b/ Bracelet with mother-of-pearl centre-links (code 755)





credit: tradewatches


2/ Mother-of-pearl rays on 'chocolate' color base





credit: touch of modern 



credit: watch brothers London


JACQUELINE DIMIER (circa 1985 & 2020)

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