Audemars Piguet celebrates 150 years with their final RD series release 

If watchmaking had a rock-and-roll hall of fame, Audemars Piguet would already have a front-row seat. For its 150th birthday, the Swiss icon has dropped the Royal Oak “Jumbo” RD#5. A mechanical encore that riffs on half a century of design legends and rewrites the rules of chronographs.

Five years in the making, this is the fifth and final chapter in the brand’s Research & Development (RD) series. Housed within the Royal Oak’s instantly recognisable 39 mm case, the all-new Calibre 8100 introduces a completely reimagined chronograph movement that blends performance, precision, and tactile finesse. 

For the first time in the Royal Oak’s 50-year history, the “Jumbo” combines a flyback chronograph with a flying tourbillon. Crafted from titanium and bulk metallic glass (BMG), the RD#5 delivers the signature Royal Oak balance of lightness and strength.

But it’s the details that steal the show: an instant-jump minute counter, a function selector crown, and push-pieces engineered for unparalleled responsiveness. Inspired by the smooth touch of smartphone buttons, the RD#5’s pushers require just a fraction of the pressure of traditional chronographs, redefining what luxury feels like at your fingertips.

Limited to 150 pieces worldwide, this milestone timepiece underscores Audemars Piguet’s pursuit of progress. It also closes the curtain on the RD series as the brand moves into its next century of innovation with the creation of AP Fabrication Laboratories. The network of Fab Labs dedicated to experimentation, design and materials research.

As Audemars Piguet looks ahead to its next 150 years, the RD#5 stands as a technological triumph. For collectors and casual consumers alike the model is a love letter to the timeless spirit of the Royal Oak.