5 Interesting Facts About Audemars Piguet's [Re]master01 Selfwinding Chronograph

What does a modern interpretation of an Audemars Piguet two-toned chronograph from 1943 look like?

Vintage Audemars Piguet chronograph watches are highly sought-after treasures among serious collectors. No surprise, since the watchmaker made them in very limited numbers. From the 1930s to the 1950s, for instance, only a total of 307 pieces were produced. This makes the new [Re]master01—a reinterpretation of one of its archival chronographs—one of the more prominent launches this year. Audemars Piguet stresses that this isn’t a historic reissue, but it is faithful to its vintage inspiration, while modern components make it very functional—in other words, all 500 owners of this limited edition will enjoy the best of both worlds. Launched to commemorate the opening of Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet, here are five things one should know about this exclusive horological beauty.

1. Mark of history

In place of the modern-day Audemars Piguet logo, this limited edition watch bears an emblem from the watchmaker’s past. The dial is inscribed with the “Audemars Piguet & Co Genève” signature, which was also found on the 1943 wristwatch it was modelled on. The watchmaker had a workshop in Geneva until the mid-1970s and when it began to mark its watches in the early 20th century, it frequently mentioned the city on the dials too.

2. The forebearer—model 1533

Released in 1943, model 1533 was a watch ahead of its time. It had a two-tone case design, which was distinctively large—both details were unusual back then. The entire team at Audemars Piguet unanimously decided on the model 1533 because of the specific aesthetic and emotional connections they all felt for “this echo of the past”.

3. Old yet new

The [Re]master01 draws aesthetic inspiration from the archival chronograph by replicating its round, two-tone case with the bezel, olive-shaped pushers and chamfered crown in pink gold, while the lugs are in stainless steel. What’s different is its modern-day glare-proof sapphire crystal caseback that reveals the chronograph mechanism in its full glory.

4. Bigger & better

Model 1533 had a 36mm-wide case that was considerably larger compared to other chronographs made in its era—most measured between 31 and 34mm. The [Re]master01 measures 40mm in diameter, which allows for better legibility; the chronograph counters have also been rearranged for enhanced readability.

5. Calibre 4409

At the heart of this vintage-inspired model is the in‑house calibre 4409, a new‑generation automatic chronograph mechanism with a flyback function. It is a modification of the calibre 4401 that powered the Code 11.59 chronograph launched last year, with the date complication excluded.

Topics

timepieces audemars piguet Audemars Piguet [Re]master01 Selfwinding Chronograph vintage watch luxury watches