Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Hong Kong, Jul 09, 2016

LOT 196

AUDEMARS PIGUET RUBENS BARRICHELLO II PROTOTYPE Audemars Piguet, Royal Oak Offshore, Rubens Barrichello II, Ref. 26078, PR01. Made as a prototype for exhibition purposes only. Exceptionally rare and probably unique, oversized, octagonal, self-winding, water-resistant, stainless steel, pink gold plated and ceramic wristwatch with date, square button chronograph, registers, tachometer and an Audemars Piguet stainless steel and pink gold plated deployant buckle. Accompanied by a letter from Audemars Piguet confirming originality and prototype status as well as a 2011 service receipt from Audemars Piguet.

HKD 230,000 - 388,000

USD 29,600 - 50,000 / CHF 29,300 - 48,500

Sold: HKD 774,000

Three-body, polished and brushed, case back and bezel secured witHEIGHT hexagonal screws, ultra-resistant ' anti-shock' technical ceramics for the bezel and push-buttons, side profile of the bezel mimicking the ventilations on a brake disc, pink gold screw-down crown inspired by a gear wheel and the push buttons inspired by brake cooling ducts, case back with prototype Rubens Barrichello logo, sapphire crystal. Matte silver and black with applied luminous baton indexes, outer fifths of a second divisions, outermost tachometer on a concave frosted silver reserve, the center pierced with mega tapisserie racing motif to reveal the movement, subsidiary dials for the seconds, the 12-hour and 30-minute registers, cyclops aperture for the date. Luminous pink gold baton hands. Cal. 2326/ 2840, rhodiumplated, fausses cotes decoration, 50 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism and 5 positions, shock absorber, self-compensating flat balance spring, 21K gold rotor.


LOADING IMAGES
Click to full view
Image
Grading System
Grade:
Case: 1

As new
Movement: 1

As new
Dial: 1-01

As new

HANDS Original

Notes

Dial, case and movement signed. DIM. (BEZEL) 42MM. THICKNESS 15 mm. Created in 2006 to coincide with the launch of the RUBENS BARRICELLO II LIMITED EDITION, this wristwatch was modeled as a prototype of the pink gold version for exhibition purposes only. Prototypes are often used by manufactures for display at events such as the annual SIHH and are not intended for sale. To find a prototype example, no doubt a unique piece, of such an important and desirable AP LIMITED EDITION is exceptionally rare and according to our research, the only RBII PROTOTYPE known. Accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Audemars Piguet.