The art of gem-setting is undoubtedly one of the jeweller’s noblest tasks. It is up to him to discover how best to highlight the qualities of the stone. For the Millenary baguette-cut diamonds collection, Audemars Piguet jewellers have opted for the hardest route of all: creating the impression that the watch is literally carved in diamond.
First of all, the master-jewellers of Le Brassus ensure that only the purest colourless diamonds are selected. The lapidaries then craft the baguette cut, while achieving the kind of proportions that enable an ideal reflection of the light and impeccable brilliance. Once the polishing is done, they check that the stones feature no undesirable stripes or streaks.
Contrary to closed setting, which consists of pushing back metal all around the stone, or to claw setting in which tiny claws hold the gemstone to the piece of jewellery, invisible setting entirely releases the stone from the metal. The diamonds are placed side by side, with no metal showing through. Such a marvel of sophistication implies meticulous preparation of the gemstones. Two grooves are hollowed in the lower part of the gem, also known as the lower girdle facet, and serve to press the stone into its recess, snuggled right up against its neighbour without even the tiniest glimmer of gold in sight.
 

  The know-how of the finest artisans and specialists has been lavished upon creating the invisible-set pavé motif on the dial. 149 stones for the ladies’ watch and 166 for the men’s watch adorn a surface no thicker than 1.2 mm.
Associating a mother-of-pearl zone and a diamond-set zone of different sizes gives the dial a dynamic appearance and creates an off-centred effect. On the ladies’ dial, the row of diamonds gradually narrows the closer it gets to the dial centre. On the men’s watch, the jewellers use larger stones, while being careful to preserve the exquisite finesse of the dial.
The dial design means each stone must correspond to a specific dimension and be cut to size. To ensure the accuracy of this operation, each of them is made according to detailed plans arising from close cooperation between the R&D department and the gem-setting workshop. The stones are cut to within 1/100^th of a millimetre using state-of-the-art technologies. It takes a full month’s work to make the stones for a single dial.


 The invisible gem-setting extends over the case of the Millenary baguette-cut diamonds, including the caseband, a truly impressive feat. The Manufacture Audemars Piguet has devoted the full measure of its skills to developing and patenting an exclusive cut capable of following the curving shape of the flanks. Right than being flat, the table of these diamonds is slightly convex. To achieve this called for initially large stones that were then cut and polished to create a delicately rounded surface. The girdle and the upper girdle facet are nonetheless very thin and require the gem-setters to demonstrate great dexterity, since the material of the metal setting must not show through and thereby risk dimming the luminosity of the diamond. The result is an invisible setting that clings firmly to the curve of the caseband.

       

Reference	:	77306BC.ZZ.D025SU.01 18-carat white gold; case, bezel and dial adorned with invisible-set baguette-cut diamonds
Movement	:	Calibre: 2325, selfwinding Total diameter: 11.75 lignes (26.6 mm) Casing diameter: 11.5 lignes (26 mm) Thickness: 3.25 mm 32 jewels Power reserve: up to 40 hours Cadence of the balance: 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) Finishing: all movement parts are bevelled and rhodium-plated, and – depending on the version – adorned with the “côtes de Genève” motif or circular-grained
Case	:	18-carat white gold, entirely set with 309 baguette-cut diamonds (~ 14.20 carats).Flanks set with exclusive Audemars Piguet cut diamonds Width: 39.5 mm Height: 35.5 mm Thickness: 8.1 mm Crown: 18-carat polished white gold, set with a rose-cut diamond (diameter 3.5 mm, ~ 0.10 carats) Back featuring a medallion engraved with the Millenary logo Water-resistance: 20 m
Dial	:	Dial with two zones. Mother-of-pearl base and applied Roman numerals in 18-carat white gold; off-centred disc paved with baguette-cut diamonds Blue hands
Strap	:	Midnight blue technological satin strap withAP folding clasp in 18-carat white gold set with baguette-cut diamonds. Clasp set with baguette-cut diamonds
Functions	:	Hours and minutes Centre seconds

 
      

Reference	:	15327BC.ZZ.D022CR.01 18-carat white gold; case, bezel and dial adorned with invisible-set baguette-cut diamonds
Movement	:	Calibre: 2325, selfwinding Total diameter: 11.75 lignes (26.6 mm) Casing diameter: 11.5 lignes (26 mm) Thickness: 3.25 mm 32 jewels Power reserve: up to 40 hours Cadence of the balance: 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) Finishing: all movement parts are bevelled and rhodium-plated, and – depending on the version – adorned with the “côtes de Genève” motif or circular-grained
Case	:	18-carat white gold, entirely set with 340 baguette-cut diamonds (~ 17.50 carats). Flanks set with exclusive Audemars Piguet cut diamonds Width: 46 mm Height: 41 mm Thickness: 9.6 mm Crown: 18-carat polished white gold, set with a rose-cut diamond (diameter 3.5 mm, ~ 0.10 carats) Back featuring a medallion engraved with the Millenary logo Water-resistance: 20 m
Dial	:	Dial with two zones. Base paved with baguette-cut diamonds; off-centred mother-of-pearl disc and applied blue Roman numerals Blue hands
Strap	:	Midnight blue “Large square scale” alligator leather with AP folding clasp in 18-carat white gold set with baguette-cut diamonds
Functions	:	Hours and minutes Centre seconds