The new 43 mm limited edition Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon designed in collaboration with KAWS explores new creative territories.
Fully crafted in titanium, the timepiece is imbued with the aesthetic DNA of the New York-based artist, who has placed a miniature COMPANION at the very heart of the watch, and features an innovative peripheral time display.
BRINGING TOGETHER CULTURE AND CREATIVITY
The collaboration with the artist KAWS reinforces Audemars Piguet’s curiosity and ongoing dialogue with the cultural world. KAWS’ early “ad intervention” work paved the way for his cast of characters, including COMPANION, which have served as experimental platforms to push the boundaries of what is possible in terms of shape, material and size – a strong link to both Audemars Piguet’s free-spirited mindset and the groundbreaking nature of the Royal Oak Concept collection in particular.
As part of this collaboration, we have pushed our limits in terms of watchmaking technology to create a spectacular setting with the character at the centre, surrounded by a brand-new hour and minute display system housed in the periphery of the movement.
Lucas Raggi, Research and Development Director, Audemars Piguet
INSPIRED BY KAWS’ AESTHETICS
The 43 mm Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “COMPANION” incorporates KAWS’ aesthetic on both sides of the watch. In a nod to KAWS’ dissected series, the chest of the COMPANION reveals its beating heart, the watch’s tourbillon. The miniatiure 3D character is entirely made of titanium and is mounted on the titanium dial plate decorated with a sunburst motif. Its alternating satin-brushed and sandblasted finishes add texture and depth, while accentuating its rounded silhouette.
PUSHING TIME TO THE SIDE
To ensure an unobstructed view of the miniature COMPANION on the dial side, time has literally been pushed to the side by using a peripheral time display that offers new aesthetic possibilities for both movement and dial designs. The hour and minute hands rotate around the periphery of the movement and dial, thanks to two visible, superimposed gear wheels driven by pinions and guided by rollers.
A LATEST-GENERATION TOURBILLON MOVEMENT
This limited edition is powered by the new hand-wound peripheral hour and minute movement, Calibre 2979, which gives pride of place to the tourbillon on the dial side at 6 o’clock. This delicate, high-end complication reduces the effects of gravity on the watch’s accuracy.
A LIMITED EDITION KAWS FIGURE
On the occasion of KAWS:HOLIDAY Le Brassus, KAWS has created a limited-edition, 18-inch-high walnut sculpture of COMPANION, sitting atop the iconic Audemars Piguet’s headquarters. A symbol of the artist’s and the Manufacture’s commitment to meticulous craftsmanship.
