Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Dual Time 25685BA 18k 36mm - 1990's

Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars Dual Time 25685BA 18k 36mm Neo-vintage pieces from the great watchmaking houses are having a moment, there's no doubt about that. The craftsmanship, design and historical significance of a lot of these pieces truly deserves to be appreciated. For us they feel very much so like the Independent watchmakers of their day, combining hand craftsmanship, delicate design and very high levels of finish, but can be obtained for far less than a modern watch of similar ilk. What's not to like? While most people tend to focus on the high-complication pieces, the fact is that these can be expensive to maintain, fragile, finicky and dare I say it, not quite as pretty as some of their lesser complicated brethren. In our opinion one of the best hidden gems from this era is the Audemars Piguet Dual Time 25685 series, which gives you not only stunning design and plenty of detail to pour over, while relying on a bulletproof JLC ébauche. Just the way we like our AP's. But enough of the practicality aspect, as that really is only one of the reasons to love this reference. Its sheer beauty, and handcrafted nature is what is really appealing. The dial features a layout that would be familiar to those who have experience with the Royal Oak Dual Times, and Jaeger LeCoultre Dual Times from the 90's and 2000's. The base dial is a silver opaline with a subtle texturedfinish when viewed under a loupe, made up of multiple parts which adds a phenomenal sense of depth not usually seen in a watch as thin as this. On the left of the dial we find the power reserve indicator, which is etched into the dial. Below that you'll find a sunken second timezone indicator, with the hours markers surrounded by gold rings, topped with the most magnificent stubby hour and minute hands in 18k gold. The date gets a similar treatment, as does the main hour track creating a wonderfully harmonious balance. Look outwards, and you'll find a minute track with matching crisp, black printing for the minutes, which is punctuated with gold markers for every 5 minutes. All of this is topped with bulbous blue leaf hands. The beauty really is in the detail, and it is truly beautiful. With all of that being written about the dial, we've not even begun to explore the case, which is a work of art in itself. It's delicate, but not insubstantial, and proportionally perfect to our eyes. It measures in at 36mm diameter and just 8.5mm thick, with a lovely stepped bezel and strong 20mm lug spacing creating a profile that feels very modern, and much more detailed than other cases from this era. Powering it is the Audemars Piguet Calibre 2129, an ultra-thin automatic movement, based on the JLC 889/2. This particular example would date from the mid-1990's, and is in absolutely phenomenal condition. The dial shows no marks that we can see, and no signs of poor servicing anywhere on the case or dial. It has clearly only been worked on by watchmakers who know what they're doing. The case has taken on a deep patina, and is extremely sharp, with deep, crisp hallmarks present. Shows minor scratches on the case and caseback, but nothing large. There's a ding on the left side of the case outboard of where 9 is, and some very minor wear present. Service history is unknown. It's currently keeping COSC time measures dial up on a timegrapher, with over 300 degrees of amplitude. All functions operating as they should, including the corrector. It comes mounted to a lovely HANDDN handcrafted leather strap which suits it really well, and includes the original AP 18k tang buckle. Comes with the original AP leather box (folder), but no papers. A truly superb example of a stunning neo-vintage AP. Doubt you'll find many better. Brand:Audemars Piguet Circa: 1990's Reference: 25685BA Case Material: 18K Yellow Gold Case details: 36mm Bracelet: Aftermarket Leather with AP 18k Tang Buckle Movement: Audemars Piguet Calibre 2129 Automatic Dial: Silver Opaline Paraphernalia: AP Box (Folder) Grading: Excellent neo-vintage condition