The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher

Watch & Bullion

14 June 2016 | 2 min read

That the watch industry is a keen sponsor of the racing industry is no secret. Anyone who has watched a Formula 1 race in recent years will have seen Rolex banners everywhere. Sometimes these collaborations result in a new skin for an existing model, but sometimes we have something amazing, and the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher is nothing short of amazing.

On the one side we have Michael Schumacher. A racing legend and the record-breaking seven times world champion who brought Ferrari its first championship in twenty-one years. On the other side we have Audermars Piguet. A brand whose slogan states that ‘to break the rules you must first master them’, and who motion a design revolution with the Royal Oak which single handedly saved the brand.

Schumacher is known as a watch fan and ambassador for the brand since 2010. It was then that  he came to Audemars with a challenge; to create a watch which would allow him to time and compare multiple consecutive laps.

Five years later and the challenge is completed. At the core of this watch lies the caliber 2923, a brand new movement which is made with 413 components, 34 jewels, and a power reserve of 80 hours. This all adds up to the worlds first split-second flyback chronograph which measures 1/8 of a second.

This is all housed in a 44 mm forged carbon case and follows the Royal Oak concept design series, which makes it one of, if not the, most advanced mechanical chronograph in the world.

Operating at the beat of technology, this watch breathes the same innovative air which has driven Formula 1 to the fame it enjoys today. Cutting edge watchmaking, materials and design have created something truly unique; a feat of strength reminding us of the legacy of two legends.

Audermars Piguet decided to limit this watch to 221 pieces, that being the same number of point winning races that Schumacher holds. While it may not be for everybody’s taste, those who look for a watch which encapsulates Schumacher’s perfectionism, can find no better match.