Audemars Piguet Calibre 2910 User manual

Instructions for use
Mode d’emploi
Millenary
Minute repeater
with ap escapeMent
Calibre 2910
Hand-wound

g
2
3
1
N A B
ON

En g l i s h

English
34
35
Table of contents
1. Introduction p 37
The Manufacture Audemars Piguet
Millenary Minute Repeater with AP escapement
2. About the watch p 42
The Minute Repeater
New Audemars Piguet escapement
Dual balance-spring
Power reserve
3. Watch description p 52
Views of the movement
Technical data of the movement
Watch indications and functions
4. Basic functions p 56
Setting the time
Winding the watch
If your watch stops
Functions and use of the minute repeater
5. Additional comments p 61

36
37
1. Introduction English
I
The Manufacture
Audemars Piguet
The Vallée de Joux : cradle of the watchmaker’s art
n the heart of the Swiss Jura, around 50 kilometres
north of Geneva, nestles a landscape which has
retained its natural charm to this day : the Vallée de
Joux. Around the mid-18th century, the harsh climate
of this mountainous region and soil depletion drove the
farming community settled there to seek other sources
of income. With their high degree of manual dexterity,
inexhaustible creativity and enormous determination,
the inhabitants of the valley, known as Combiers, were
naturally drawn to watchmaking.
Due to their high quality, the movements they produced
acquired great popularity with the Geneva firms which
used them to create complete watches.
From 1740 onwards, watchmaking developed into the
principal industry of the Vallée de Joux. This region was
thus transformed, as an 1881 chronicle put it, “ into a
land of milk and honey, in which poverty has rapidly
disappeared ”.

I
Two names for a great adventure
n 1875, two young men passionate about
Haute Horlogerie — Jules-Louis Audemars and
Edward-August Piguet — decided to pool their skills
to design and produce watches with complications
in the Vallée de Joux, the cradle of Haute
Horlogerie. Determination, imagination and
discipline led them to instant success. A
branch in Geneva was their next move in about
1885 and new commercial links were forged
at the 1889 Paris World Exposition, where
they exhibited complication pocket watches.
The Audemars Piguet factory continued to
expand as the years went by. Its creations
represented major milestones in the history
of Haute Horlogerie, like the first minute
repeater wristwatch in 1892 and the smallest
five-minute repeater movement ever
made in 1915.
From 1918 onwards, the founders
passed the reins of the business onto
their sons, who in turn perfected
their expertise in manufacturing
men's and ladies' wristwatches as
well as designing new sophisticated,
ultra-thin movements. Perseverance
and initiative were the watchwords : while the Wall
Street crash in 1929 was a bitter blow, the company
directors were soon designing so-called skeleton
watches before embarking on chronograph production.
But this new momentum was abruptly interrupted by
the Second World War. Re-organisation was necessary
in the aftermath of the conflict. The factory focused
on creating top-of-the-range items in keeping with its
tradition of innovation. A strategy that would
prove its worth, especially since it was backed
by outstanding creative daring.
Audemars Piguet continued to build on
its now international reputation with
creative designs. 1972 saw the launch of
the Royal Oak, the first, immediately
successful high-quality sports watch
in steel, followed in 1986 by the first
ultra-thin tourbillon wristwatch with
automatic winding. The creative spirit of
the Manufacture has not faltered since,
offering aesthetically original time-
keepers with outstanding movements.
Thus it brought watcheswith complications
back into fashion at the end of the 1980s,
launching its extraordinary Tradition
d’Excellence collection in 1999. All the
signs of a bold spirit rooted firmly in
tradition and auguring well for the future.
38
39
1. Introduction English

41
1. Introduction English
40
Millenary Minute Repeater with
AP escapement
Founded in Le Brassus in 1875, the Audemars Piguet
Manufacture very rapidly made a name for itself in
the art of striking watches. As time went by, further
complications were added (perpetual calendar and
chronograph in 1882 and power reser ve display in 1885).
The experience thus acquired enabled it to make the first
minute repeater wristwatch in 1892. This masterpiece
of miniaturization has earned this complication a
permanent place in the history of the brand. To the
point that at the end of the 1980s, when no designs
remained for these watches that had become obsolete,
Audemars Piguet launched a minute repeater jump hours,
thereby reviving this type of watch.
The new Millenary Minute Repeater is entirely in line
with this longstanding tradition, while adopting the
latest technological breakthroughs developed by
Audemars Piguet, starting with the new AP escapement.
As an essential component in the smooth running of a
watch, the escapement serves to sequence the linear
energy transmitted by the barrel. Audemars Piguet
developed a new s y s tem that combined the high e f f icienc y
of a direct impulse escapement with the security of a
Swiss lever escapement. The watchmakers in Le Brassus
thereby succeeded in reducing the energy losses and
in eliminating the need to lubricate the pallet-stones.
This groundbreaking technical development in turn
enhanced rat ing accurac y, long-term st abilit y and shock-
resistance.
The Millenary Minute Repeater with AP escapement - a
unique combinat ion of aesthet ics and modern technolog y -
is a new, influential contribution to the history of the
Audemars Piguet collection.

2. About the watch English
42
The Minute Repeater
Watchmakers in the Vallée de Joux have always nurtured
a great passion and an innate talent for striking
mechanisms. Perhaps because, amid the silence of the
mountains and the hushed serenity of long snowbound
winters, the crystal-clear sound of these miniature
musical marvels strikes an even deeper, more meaningful
chord. Or possibly because such a complex mechanism
was bound to stir their legendary inventive spirit.
How does a minute repeater work?
The striking mechanism is activated by a well-
protected sliding bolt built into the left side of the
case-middle. Two, highly-polished hammers tap out a
controlled rhythm on two gongs of different lengths
to produce a high-pitched note and a low-pitched
note.
The Millenary Minute Repeater with Audemars Piguet
escapement strikes on demand with a low tone for each
hour, a double, high-and-low tone for each quarter hour
and a high tone for each minute elapsed since the last
quarter.
This called for a particularly sophisticated mechanism
as the watch hammers must be tuned like a musical
instrument and the movement must also “know” at any
given time how many notes it must strike.
43

New Audemars Piguet escapement
Taking its inspiration from Robin, the famous French
watchmaker (1742-1799), Audemars Piguet has
developed a new direct impulse escapement. This new
AP esc apement combines the advantages of a
chronometer esc apement (e x tremely accur ate)
with those of a Swiss-lever escapement (extremely
resistant). Its innovat ive design and outstanding
performance render this patented system a minor
revolution in watchmaking mechanics. It heralds the
new generation of Audemars Piguet movements and
furthers the performances of the watches produced by
the Manufacture.
The new AP design hosts a number of technical
features far superior to the traditional (Swiss lever)
escapement:
Detached pin-pallet escapement : a single
impulse corresponds to two vibrations, causing
fewer se t t ing disturbance s and ver y high
efficiency.
Improved chronometry : the spring balance
isochronism may be adjusted by mov ing the
quiescent point w ith respec t to the impul se
given to the balance ; reducing mechanical dis-
turbances at the escapement increases movement
accuracy.
Optimum long-term stability : tests conducted
over five years have shown that this escapement
displays excellent operational stability.
44
45
2. About the watch English

2. About the watch
High efficiency : with the conventional Sw iss
lever system, the escapement absorbs around
70% of the energy; the new AP system reduces
this f igure to 50%, enabling a significant boost
in efficiency over traditional designs.
No lubrication on the lifts (Dia. 1a and 1b) :
the special geometry of the Audemars P iguet
escapement means no lubrication - a watch-
maker’s dream! - which facilitates maintenance
and prevents greasy paste build up af ter oil
evaporation.
Direct impulse on balance (Dia. 2a and 2b) : energy
is transmitted directly from the escapement to the
balance without passing through a pallet fork, which
limits energy losses by improving efficiency.
Excellent shock resistance : the met iculous
shape of the various components (especially the
guard pin) and their ultraprecise cut out provide
maximum security against tripping and over-
banking. This development has been patented by
Audemars Piguet.
0,4 mm
Dia. 1a
0,05 mm
Dia. 1b
Direct
impulse
Dia. 2b
Indirect
impulse
Dia. 2a
The need for oiling is eliminated by shortening the sliding
Fewer moving parts in the transmission equals greater efficiency
46
47
English

2. About the watch
Dual balance-spring
The calibre 2910 also stands out for its totally new
regulator component. It has two spirals one on top of
the other offset by 180°.
Undoubted advantages
The system of dual “opposing” flat balance-springs
has many advantages :
no more balance-spring "end curves" pioneered
by Breguet or Phillips, which require painstaking
construction.
automatic compensation for any balance-spring
balancing defects, thus improving accuracy.
prevents errors caused by the watch’s ver t ical
position.
48
49
English

2. About the watch
50
51
English
Power reserve
Calibre 2910 has a power reserve of 165 hours (about
7 days).This endurance is achieved by a large-diameter,
dual barrel system developed by Audemars Piguet,
with a blocking mechanism guaranteeing optimum
performances.
Energy at its best
The fast-rotating, dual barrel system - with revolutions
limited to 19.75 - guarantees a constant force during
the seven-day running time, hence improved efficiency
and chronometry. In reality the two barrels fitted in
parallel produce a power reserve of nine days. But an
ingenious blocking system - in the high (C-D, see graph
below) and low (A-B, see graph below) load zones -
concentrates the watch rate on the seven median
running days, with the most regular (B-C, see graph
below) providing optimum efficiency.
The 19.75 winding revolutions on each barrel - far
higher than standard - are possible by using a
particularly fine spring. This specific feature transmits
the energy far more gently and regularly to the wheels,
thus ensuring greater rate accuracy and reliability.
Tremendous operating accuracy
The blocking system
A parallel barrel system
• Reduced pressure in the gears
• Barrel spring friction used to cancel out any force
variations
Series systemParallel system (AP)
Position of the gears when
fully wound
Position of the gears 3 days
before stopping
Position of the gears when stopped
1 jour 7 jours 1 jour
1 day 7 days 1 day
1 Tag 7 Tage 1 Tag
1 giorno 7 giorni 1 giorno
1 día 7 días 1 día
1 день 7 дней 1 день
1日7 日1 日
1天7 天1天

Calibre 2910
52
53
3. Watch description English
Views of the movement
Dial side
Bridge side
Technical data of the movement
Total thickness : 10.05 mm
Dimensions of the movement : 32.90 x 37.90 mm
Fitting dimensions : 32 x 37 mm
Frequency : 21,600 vibrations/hour (3 Hz)
Number of jewels : 40
Power reserve: 165 hours (approx. 7 days)
Manual winding
Audemars Piguet lubrication-free escapement
KIF Elastor shock protection system
Variable inertia balance
Flat dual balance springs
Balance stopping device when the time is adjusted
(second hand is stopped)
Number of parts : 443

54
3. Watch description English
Watch indications and functions
(see figure on the inside cover)
1Hour hand
2Minute hand
3Small second hand (at 7 o’clock)
Minute repeater :
g
Repeater slide to activate the striking mechanism
Your watch is fitted with a three-position crown :
NCrown in the neutral position
ACrown in manual winding position
B Crown in time-setting position
55

5656 57
Winding the watch
Your watch is fitted with a mechanical hand-wound
movement.
We recommend you to wind the watch fully every
five days (crown in position
A
), or at most every
seven days, by turning the crown clockwise.
The crown is fitted with an uncoupling system
to protect the mainsprings from overtightening
when maximum winding is reached.
NB : to ensure proper operation of the watch, it is
essential to push the crown back to position
N
(neutral) immediately after setting.
4. Basic functions English
Setting the time
Precautions to be taken before setting the time :
Your watch is equipped with a clutch system
making it impossible to set the time while the
striking mechanism is working.
If you are in position
B
(setting the time) and
you activate the strike ( ), the crown returns
automatically to position
A
. It is impossible
to pull the crown to position
B
(setting the time)
when the strike is running.
Despite this uncoupling system, it is advisable
to avoid trying to set the time when the minute
repeater is working.
Pull the crown to position
B
. The stop-seconds
arresting lever is automatically activated when
the crown is pulled to ensure precision time
adjustment.
You may now set the time by winding in either
direction without risk of damaging the movement.
It is advisable to set the hand five minutes past
the desired time and then to move it back to
the exact time.This allows the gears to re-align
themselves, thus ensuring optimal precision.
NB : to ensure proper operation of the watch, it is
essential to push the crown back to position
N
(neutral) immediately after setting.

Functions and use of the
minute repeater
The Millenary Minute Repeater watch with
Audemars Piguet escapement strikes the hours,
quarters and minutes on demand, using two
hammers that strike gongs on two notes, a low
tone for the hours, the high tone, for the minutes,
and both alternately for the quarters.
Example : 3 hours 37 minutes
The striking mechanism is activated by means of
the repeater slide Gbuilt into the lef t side of
the case-middle.
A safety system makes it impossible to activate
the striking mechanism if the slide has not been
fully deployed.
N.B. : the extent of slide deployment depends on
the number of hours to be struck.
N.B. : when the strike mechanism is activated,
the slide should be completely free of all external
constraints.
3 hours 30 minutes 7 minutes
If your watch stops
Normally if your watch stops, simply winding it
with the crown is enough to start the movement.
However, sometimes the movement does not
start again automatically.
This is because the escapement is
no longer receiving an impulse,
as the impulse-pin and pallet
fork remain fixed in this position
(Fig. 1). No impulse is being sent
to the balance.
Turning the case a few times to turn
the balance is enough to reactivate
it (Fig. 3). This means that the
escapement wheel sends the
necessary impulse to the balance
(Fig. 2). Fig. 2
Fig. 1
Fig. 3
58
59
4. Basic functions English

60
61
English5. Additional comments
Guarantee and care
All details concerning the guarantee and instructions
on caring for your watch are provided in the enclosed
certificate of origin and guarantee.