Audemars Piguet has teamed up with one of fashion’s trendiest gents for a “resolutely modern collection.”
On Thursday, the Swiss watchmaker revealed four new references made in collaboration with designer Matthew Williams of Givenchy and Alyx fame. Ranging from 37 to 42 mm, the pieces showcase a minimalist aesthetic with dials that have been reduced to their simplest form.
Two classic Royal Oaks have been updated in 18-carat yellow gold, while two larger Royal Oak Offshores have been reimagined in yellow gold and 18-karat white gold, respectively. In addition, a unique two-tone timepiece was auctioned off in Tokyo on August 24 to benefit two charities for disadvantaged children.
“A collaboration like this allows for me to explore and extend my knowledge to another area of excellence,” Williams said in a statement.
The monochromatic newcomers each feature double-signed dials with the full name of Williams’s streetwear label (1017 ALYX 92M) at six o’clock. The first of the two self-winding Royal Oaks (pictured above) sports a 37 mm case and a clean dial with luminescent yellow-gold hands that indicate the hours, minutes, and seconds. The larger 41 mm model is more minimalist still, with no chronograph counters on the dial. (Only the hands rotate at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. Both editions are limited to 202 pieces and will retail for $73,500 and $90,000, respectively.
The Royal Oak Offshores have also been stripped back to the bare minimum. Only the signature date aperture remains on the dial at three o’clock next to the AP monogram. The chronograph counters at six, nine, and 12 o’clock have again been removed, leaving behind the hands only. AP says this is a first for a chronograph. Each new example is limited to 76 pieces and will retail for $111,500.
In addition, a one-of-a-kind 41 mm Royal Oak (pictured top) was auctioned off in Tokyo as part of the collection’s launch party last night. (AP has yet to release the final sale price.) The case and bracelet combine 18-carat yellow gold and stainless steel, while the black PVD-coated gold dial is decorated with a vertical satin finish and yellow-gold hands. The funds raised from the auction will be donated to nonprofits Kids in Motion and Right to Play.
“This was the first time we have dressed the Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore simultaneously, and it was a natural fit thanks to Matthew’s clean, contemporary design,” AP CEO François-Henry Bennahmias said. “That is the beauty of this collaboration: the synergies are such that we have taken each other to the next level.”
Next level, indeed.
