New Release: Audemars Piguet [RE]Master02 Selfwinding 41mm Watch | aBlogtoWatch

After an unexpectedly long, four-year dormancy, the Audemars Piguet [RE]Master02 Selfwinding 41mm watch marks the return of a collection Audemars Piguet launched in early 2020 to revive and, well, remaster some of the finer, long-forgotten timepieces in its extensive archive. It all began with the [RE]Master01, about which we said: “From a powerhouse like AP, we feel many collectors will expect more than good looks, a hardly exclusive limitation, and a steep, steep price for it to be truly considered remastered.” That round, two-tone watch cost $53,000 back in 2020 and was “limited” to 500 units — so, how has Le Brassus stepped up its game since then?

Enter the Audemars Piguet 5159BA (pictured above), an asymmetrical watch launched over half a century ago, in 1960. Screaming 1950s brutalism, it has overpowered lugs, long, over-extended lines, sharp corners and edges, and a playful and arbitrary asymmetry. It is fantastic. For its 2024 remaster, the Audemars Piguet [RE]Master02 (or Remaster02) has done what modern wristwatch reinterpretations tend to do: Use 21st-century manufacturing technologies to turn the original up to 11.

Where the original was intended to have sharp edges, the new one actually does: Mid-1900s stamping and molding techniques have little to nothing on modern milling technologies, multi-axis CNC machines, and the sheer ability to define shapes with to-the-micron accuracy. The end result looks like something the original’s designer could have only dreamed about — although, to be fair, the soft edges and wobbly surfaces of vintage watches have a charm of their own that most of their cold and calculated 21st-century alternatives cannot replicate.

Giving off the impression that all the launch photos are faded is a new 18k sand-gold alloy tuned to appear in between white and pink gold. Very stylish and a superior choice compared to vibrant yellow gold, historically incorrect rose gold, or boring white gold. Hats off to the brand for finding a bespoke alloy that so neatly matches the mood. The dial — and you will want to duly warm up your pinkies for this one — is called “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50.” If you want to continue having friends, real ones, do not ever say this out loud at a dinner table.

Odd-shaped watches are often coveted by collectors because their unique design requires a bespoke, or at least heavily modified, movement — more than an extra mile that some watchmakers are nevertheless willing to go. Given the odd shape of the Remaster02, and Audemars Piguet’s high (high) tendency to praise itself and its “watchmaking tradition,” maybe it is not too much of a stretch that some were expecting a little bit more than…

…this. Sure, the Audemars Piguet [RE]Master02 costs only $47,200 USD, but a big chunk of the (hollowed-out, mind you) gold case and a winding stem that could stretch continents falls far from the “mastery” of horological refinement. Produced in 250 pieces, the Remaster02 is an $11,800,000 project — surely, some of that could have gone toward the development of a bespoke plate, cover-up, or decoration, if not a structurally integral component of the movement to kill off this very 1960s execution.

On a more positive note, the Remaster02 is powered by the beautiful Audemars Piguet Calibre 7129, a self-winding movement deservedly called “extra-thin” at just 2.8mm thick. With an enlarged barrel and a ball bearing-mounted and double reverser-equipped rotor, the 7129 can sustain its modern 4Hz operating frequency through an extended 52-hour power reserve — impressive from such a thin caliber. As a result, the [RE]Master02 is just 9.7mm thick, bringing the Omega PloProf aesthetic down to dress-watch dimensions. The odd-shaped cutouts of the gold rotor are a classy plus — the obnoxious, very-2000s “LIMITED EDITION” etching is not.

Audemars Piguet sits on a wealth of fantastic vintage watch designs, and it is exciting to see the brand slowly give them a new lease on life. As for the [RE]Master02, its case and its alloy, as well as its dial, have all received a lot of attention to maintain superb proportions and, in all probability, solid quality of execution — something to be assessed hands-on, and not over computer renders. That said, the movement and its integration could potentially be a dealbreaker for some — while it will surely remain entirely ignored by others. It is just that it would be nice to see Audemars Piguet put a bit more effort into that element before it calls the project a re-master.

The Audemars Piguet [RE]Master02 (or Remaster02) is priced at $47,200 USD and is limited to 250 watches. You can learn more at the brand’s website.