Audemars Piguet – Jules Audemars Extra-Thin Bolshoi Limited Edition

Audemars Piguet released a limited edition of the Jules Audemars Extra-Thin in honor of the re-opening of the Bolshoi theatre. The facade of this renowned Russian theatre is engraved in the rotor. 

Although we believe the Bolshoi is a beautiful theater, we are actually more exited about the limited edtion Audemars Piguet created. The Jules Audemars collection does unfortunately not get enough attention on the internet, being blown away by the massive popularity of the Royal Oak (RO) and Royal Oak Offshore (ROO).  Luckily there are other AP models that do get some attention, like the Millenary 4101 that recently was awarded with the Public Prize of the Grand Prix, the Millenary Star Wheel and now this Jules Audemars Extra-Thin Bolshoi.

The special Jules Audemars Extra-Thin Bolshoi comes in either pink or white gold and has an elegant anthracite dial. The case measures 41 mm in diameter and measures only 6.7 mm in height. Usually we would expect such a classic dress watch to be around 36 mm in diameter, maximum 39 mm, but Audemars Piguet choose for a more contemporary size.

The dial of this limited edition looks absolutely fabulous and we actually prefer it over the dials available on the normal Extra-Thin models. Applied hour markers are placed around the edge of the dial and made of white gold or pink gold, of course matching the case. One of those superb details, that can also be found on the Millenary collection, is the rounded mid-case with brushed/satin finish. The bezel is polish, drawing the attention to the dial and giving the whole watch something understated ‘chique’.

The real gem is the extra-thin movement, caliber 2120, which is the same movement used in the vintage Royal Oak ref. 5402 and the Royal Oak P10 Edition. It measures 2.45 mm in height, which is very thin for an automatic movement, especially since it has a full rotor. This rotor is skeletonized and shows the facade of the famous Bolshoi theatre.

If I had the choice, I would get this limited edition if it where only for the beautiful dial. Of course one might expect a limited edition too keep its value, probably better than a non-limited edition.

Jules Audemars Extra-Thin Limited Edition « Bolshoï » specifications

Movement:

• diameter: 28.49 mm
• Thickness: 2.45 mm
• 37 jewels, 214 parts
• Power reserve: approx. 40 hours
• Balance: 19’800 vibrations/hour

Case: 18-carat white gold or pink gold case, Sapphire crystal case-back, water-resistant to 20m

Dial: Anthracite dial, white gold or pink gold applied hour-markers

Strap: Hand-stitched ‘’large square scale’’ anthracite crocodile strap with 18-carat white gold or pink gold pin buckle

Both models together are limited to 99 pieces, 50 in pink gold and 49 in white gold. For more info and availability we usually advice to check the Audemars Piguet website, however we cannot find any details. At the AP website you can find points of sale, where you can ask for more info.