The dream brief: “No deadline, no restrictions on budget, no pressure.” Eric Ku’s Audemars Piguet restoration will make you melt

Andrew McUtchen

The absolutely magical story embedded in our latest Watch & Chill Episode revolves around the unusual story of Eric Ku’s vintage Audemars Piguet chronograph restoration. To say the watch is rare is laughably inadequate. There are 307 vintage-era Audemars Piguet chronographs in existence. Every single one of them is a piece unique (more about that in the video, see below).

When Eric acquired one (his second, and yes, he is a lucky man) and decided to restore it to as close as possible to its former glory, he called Audemars Piguet. His brief to the team, including Michael Friedman, was sweet, sweet music to Michael’s ears.

“It’s very exciting to us when a collector so well known to us comes in with a pressure-free scenario. No deadline on time. No restrictions on budget. Take your time. Dive deep. Study the dial. Let’s work to get the best restored dial possible. That is everything a family business like ours wants to hear. Because it’s outside of the scope of the daily grind.”

As for the result, there’s a paragraph from Eric below, but in truth, the intention is just as interesting. “We wanted that dial to make people melt,” Michael says. “That was the idea. I said internally, take all of the energy we’d put into hand finishing a Royal Oak bracelet and put that same ethos into this dial.”  

As far as vintage watch restorations go, the dial is everything. Eric explains: “A refinished dial on a very important watch is catastrophic to the value. You can lose 90 per cent of the value when the dial is not right. You can never re-create an original dial, and it’s not trickery, but if it’s got all the attributes of the original dial that more than makes up for the fact that you can’t get that original dial.” 

Eric thinks Audemars Piguet’s commitment to working with collectors on projects like this is what makes the brand truly special. “This is a brand that makes money selling new watches. It’s not like a brand that makes money… from pouring hundreds of hours into a restoration like this. It’s a sign of respect to the collectors. It’s something that not every brand is willing to take that approach.” 

And his reaction to receiving the watch says it all: “I got this watch during this shelter in place, lockdown, whatever you want to call it. It was the only watch I got in the depths of this thing going on. And you know, at that time, you’re spending a lot of time at home, reflecting on a lot of things, thinking more than you usually do. I remember opening the box, looking at it, taking a loupe out, louping the dial. I mean, the details of the dial, are just so perfect in my eyes. Everything from the vertical satin-striping of the dial that’s subtle underneath the lacquer. The treatment that’s done to the typography on the dial. Everything’s done perfectly.” 

Chapters to skip to on the YouTube listing:

8:08 The [Re]master01 and AP’s approach to reissuing watches – let’s begin!

8:57 The way AP comes at vintage, as opposed to other watch companies.

11:32 How does Eric Ku come into this story?

12:42 How expensive would it be to do unique reissues?

16:05 “No pressure on time. No restriction on budget.” The dream brief to AP from Eric Ku.

17:16 There is still someone manually handwriting each AP watch into the archives?

19:09 There are only 307 vintage AP chronographs in existence.

19:45 Movement blanks used in AP vintage watches, also in Patek Philippe, Vacheron and others.

21:20 The brief from Eric for a restoration of one of his vintage AP chronographs.

21:47 Angelo Manzoni played a big part in the restoration.

21:30 Dials have always been the weakest link in vintage restorations.

22:56 The [Re]master01 and Eric’s restoration were happening side by side.

23:15 The [Re]master01 was not a safe choice, it represents unconventionality of AP.

24:33 Michael “gave Eric a listen” to the demo of the [Re]master01 before it was released.

24:59 A refinished dial on a very important watch is catastrophic to the value. You can lose 90%.

25:53 AP makes no money restoring watches.

26:22 A close look at Eric’s glorious restored watch!

28:16 Why the movement is not as important as the dial in a restoration.

30:19 Eric describes his now restored watch in sumptuous detail.

33:47 The restored watch has been a source of joy in a difficult year.

34:00 Eric describes the nuances that make the dial so perfect.

37:03 “We wanted that dial to make people melt.” – Michael Friedman