Audemars Piguet, “Grande Complication Automatique”, Calibre 2885 Presented in 1996, the Calibre 2885, “Grande Complication Automatique”, is fitted with multiple horological functions: eleven of them! One of which, the week of the year, is rarely seen. Calibres 2885 achieved the great task of integrating a triple complication mechanism (i.e. repeater, chronograph and calendar) into the small space of a wristwatch case. At Audemars Piguet, this technology had previously been restricted to pocket watches. Before this tour-deforce, watchmakers had never imagined combining in such a small space, and even less so adding in a self-winding system. Only 58 examples of the Calibre 2885, “Grande Complication”, automatic wristwatch, were made between 1996 and 2002. - 12 524 (1 piece), - 25 806 (26 pces), - Ref.25 851 (1 pce), - Ref 25 856 (1 pce), - Ref 25 865 (14 pce, “Royal Oak”), - Ref 25 866 (10 pces), - Ref 25 953 (2 pces), - Ref 25 985 (1 pce), - Ref 25 990 (1 pce) - Ref 25 996 (1 pce). The production since 2002 is not documented by the manufacturer for the moment. The pieces, like the present watch, which are fully skeletonized, are even rarer because they require extra months of work to cut and engrave the components. “Assembly, adjusting and casing up a calibre 2885 require between four and six months of the utmost concentration combined with immensely rare skill of experience. Furthermore, the watchmaker who assembled this piece will be responsible for its maintenance and repair right throughout his or her career in the Grande Complication workshop. In the same spirit as the Grande Complication pocket watches of the late 19th century, every component, even those entirely hidden, are hand-finished with the utmost expertise, care and dedication to the preservation of the traditional arts.” Bibliography Brunner, Gisbert L., Pfeiffer-Belli, Christian, & Wehrli, Martin K, Audemars Piguet. Masterpieces of classical watchmaking, Le Brassus (Vallée de Joux), Editions Audemars Piguet, 1993, pp. 278- 279, ill. 466 a-d and technical drawings. Vivas, Sebastian, & Friedman, Michael L., Audemars Piguet 20th century, Complicated Wristwatches, Le Brassus (Vallée de Joux), Editions Audemars Piguet, 2018, chapter V, “Rebirth beyond the quartz crisis”, part 5, “Multiple Complications, since 1992”, p. 227, pp. 264-269 and pp. 295, 297, 299-300, 303-304.