The new Royal Oak Extra-Flat Automatic Flying Tourbillon (RD#3) employs a 39 mm-diameter steel case (the so-called 'Jumbo') just 8.1 mm thick. The watch is powered by the new IWC-manufactured calibre 2968 (226 components, diameter 29.6 mm, thickness 3.4 mm, 33 jewels, 21,600 vibrations per hour, power reserve of at least 50 hours), an extra-flat mechanical automatic movement. The movement, with a 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight bearing the collection's 50th anniversary logo, is visible from the back side.
The company faced several challenges to integrate this complication (hitherto reserved for 41 mm diameters) into the reduced volume of a 'Jumbo'. The automatic flying tourbillon had to be completely rethought on a creative level, reducing the thickness required to accommodate the complication. Equipped for the first time with a peripheral drive, the tourbillon cage is made of titanium. The combination of these two elements not only makes the distribution of energy in the tourbillon smoother, but also lightens and refines it. On the one hand, the peripheral drive of the tourbillon cage reduces the thickness of the complication by gaining a level, thus enabling it to fit into the extra-flat case of the 'Jumbo'. On the other, it improves energy transmission.
The dial is guilloché engraved with a Petite Tapisserie motif and comes in the shade Bleu Nuit Nuage 50: a tribute to the original Royal Oak. This colour is obtained by means of a PVD process that guarantees a uniform and lasting shade on all the dials. Finally, like the 1972 model, this new "Jumbo" reference adopts luminescent-coated hour markers and hands.
Priceon request.
