Audemars Piguet

Hi everyone,

I am looking deeply into these 2 masterpieces from the house of Audemars Piguet, and am torn between both of them.

While i have never had an AP before, i just might enter the family with either of these pieces.

As you can see, the strongest similarity between both pieces is that they both has a case and to a certain degree their movements crafted out of forged carbon, which is i think unique in the watch industry to AP.

Other than that, both are chronographs, albeit one telling the readings in a very unique way.

I hope that many of you here are able to advice me on this, the pros and cons of each, and if anyone here is an owner, please, any owner's perspectives? I'd like to read any and all opinions!

The photos have been taken directly off the internet.

First up, is this!

 

Millenary Carbon One Tourbillon Chronograph and the next is!

Royal Oak Carbon Concept Tourbillon and Chronograph

 

Many thanks to everyone!

Ciao

Stephen

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Although my dealer has steered me away from these with the advice that they are very difficult to move on, if I ever wanted to sell.

Well that won't be a problem for me as i never sell my watches.

Cheers

Stephen

Enjoy the choices.  Have you tried them both on though?

 

Tim

And seen the RO but not tried it. Might be hard to find the RO though.

Cheers

Stephen

From wearability standpoint, the millenary is easier to wear for my wrist where the RO relatively straight lug (longer than normal RO) is kind of protruding.  If Shaq or Arnold all stars RO is too big for your wrist, this one is similar...

Great future acquistions btw....

Hope to see it in flesh...=)

And it was a pleasure meeting you on Saturday!

We should meet up more!

Ciao

Stephen

Go for the Millenary. When it comes to APs, everyone has a RO. The Millenary has more style, or at least is a more modern style.

It sure makes me think more about them!

Cheers

Stephen

What would jay z do? . I would go for the ro concept tourby!

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Every AP enthusiast may have an RO but definitely not everyone have a concept RO.

Ultimately it depends on how it makes you feel and how you want to wear it - I don't recommend buying something (or not) because of its "resale value" - I believe many here would agree that any purchase of any brand for us is motivated by how it resonates with us personally (aesthetically and personal satisfaction).

The carbon RO is one of those pieces that has cult status even though we may not have even seen it yet alone worn it - so probably our views would be of theoretical relevance.

I hope you do go ahead and acquire either piece, please do share with us your experience!

P.S> coincidentally, these have appeared in the collectors market - maybe you could message some of these sellers to try and get some feedback on the watch from some actual past owners?

I think he's one of the very few lucky guy that can buy watches without thinking about the resale value....

Because I agree 100% with what you said, this thought might affect your judgement...

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I don't ever sell any of my watches, and the resale potential was never even in my mind at all, i was asking for which if the two pieces for their intrinsic value, and not for how much they would sell later.

Thanks for the advice, i shall have a look around!

Cheers

Stephen

Nice onces Stephen! But if this is your first AP, RO is the way...
I am looking as well. Just not in the same price range as you :p
Enjoy my friend and looking forward to your new acquisition!

I am SERIOUSLY just looking Phil!

You go ahead and get yours 1st!

I'll cheer you on!

Ciao

Stephen

100%, seen many of the other and not to many of those, the front and back are amazing and I love that watch, get it and post pics.

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I think that any watch in carbon is going to look somewhat sporty and the RO Design is in my opinion the benchmark for sport watches. The milenary is a great looking watch, but I prefer it in SS or RG. Black RO and ROO's rule. The fact that I have a few of them might make me a little biased, but that is why I got them in the first place. The contrast of the black bezel and polished screws is awesome. Hope the picture helps illustrate my point.



Best regards
Victor

Any comments as to the forged carbon holding up to normal wear?

I hear that it gets scratched easily, is that true?

Cheers

Stephen

It is my experience that with ROO's, the part that takes most of the scratches is the bezel. The ceramic bezel is great in that it is almost indestructible, and almost scratch proof. Typical scratches are almost imperceptible in the carbon because of it's variations in color and pattern. I guess the only real concern, would be a big, deep gouge, which might require a new case. So far, I am not too concerned about that and the carbon has proven to be quite strong. Hope this helps.
Best regards
Victor

It is great that you are expanding your collection horizon.  Nice.
I would go for RO, as many have pointed out.  I would go for the smaller brother - the original RO, though

Let us know which one you decide on!

Ken

I am contemplating as i have a passion for carbon fiber, and would be nice to have a watch from it, although this is technically a different thing!

Cheers and let's see what i shall end up with!

Stephen

I personally have only seen the Royal Oak Carbon Concept Tourbillon and Chronograph. I saw it here in my native San Francisco many months ago. While I liked the watch and I thought it was very interesting, I did not love it nearly as much as I loved the Concept One Royal Oak that debuted many years ago. I personally was not impressed with the way it told the time of the chronograph with the "lit" dots. The only thing that I found to be very interesting was the green shock absorber inside the watch (if my memory serves me correctly). All in all, I liked it, but didn't lose sleep over it, it just made me think of the original Concept One Royal Oak.

As for the Millenary Carbon One Tourbillon, I have not seen this watch in person, so I can comment little upon it. But I believe I would like it even less than the Carbon Concept Royal Oak.

Audemars Piguet is one of my absolutely top favorite brands and I do like a wide variety of APs; from the most outspoken Royal Oak Offshore models (the Survivor and Grand Prix are my favorites) to the classic Jules Audemars models(current favorite being the AP Chronometer with AP escapement) and Edward Piguet models.

I'd recommend perhaps the hand wound Jules Audemars minute repeater, tourbillon, and chronograph skeleton watch in platinum, or the hand-wound skeleton tourbillon chronograph with small seconds at 9 o'clock and 30 minute counter at 3 o'clock in platinum as alternatives. But these are much more classic in appearance, whereas the two watches you mentioned are much bolder watches with a certain younger and more fun attitude.

To start with, having owned both the carbon concept and the Concept 1 they are hard to split. There is no doubt in my mind that the original is by far the coolest. The CC is however a MUCH more useable everyday sports watch.

There is however 1 Conc that is sooooo cool it even outstrips the wearability of the CC and that's the Concept Thematic which I obtained only yesterday having been after 1 for a number of years now. The carbon plate with the older school Alacrite case is for me a match made in heaven not to mention the rarity of it being 1/1. In truth however, we all know they actually made 16 just each with different engravings.

So to answer your question. If the choice is between a CCW1 and the other? The CCW1 would loose as it has neither the historical value of being the 1st of its kind nor, in my opinion, the funky looks when compared to the other. The CCW1 for me is a little soulless. However, if I was permitted to go a little off piste and you were asking me which I prefer out of my Concept Thematic and my RM27? I'd have to flip a coin, though id be secretly hoping it came up on the side of the RM27.......I think?!

My apologies for all the dodgy iphone photos.

Tom - amazing watches - simply amazing - now that is what I call an empirical opinion!