BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Concept collection comprises watches that showcase the futuristic and experimental side of the iconic Royal Oak. A short while we looked at the new sandblasted variation of the Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon GMT, and now the brand has come up with a new idiosyncratic offering, the Royal Oak Concept Frosted Gold Flying Tourbillon. This new watch features a multi-layer dial packed inside a hammered white or red gold case.
Presented in a beautiful blue color with a sunburst finish, the face of the Frosted gold Flying Tourbillon is all about depth and conjures up images of an amphitheater. To create this effect, several oval layers with reducing circumference from the top to the bottom have been stacked on top of each other. But what’s an amphitheater without a stage and a performer, which on this instance has been simulated through the flying tourbillon at 6 which has been studded with 19 diamonds. To allow the wearer to admire the beauty of this dial, the layout has been kept minimal with the AP branding sitting underneath 12 in the second row from the top, and a well sized lume filled semi-skeletonized handset to read the time.
While the dial on this watch is stunning, the case of the watch has also been beautifully executed to complement the dial. Crafted from solid white/red gold, the highly faceted case measures a very manageable 38.5mm in diameter, implying that the watch should be able to sit comfortably on a wide variety of wrists. While the sizing seems spot on, it is the finishing on the case that adds a ton of visual character to this watch. The top of the bezel and the lugs have been given a unique frosted hammered finish, while the sides of the case have been finely brushed and the sides of the bezel have been polished.
Flipping the watch over one gets an expansive view of the in-house caliber 2964 through the screwed-down sapphire case back. A hand-wound movement, the caliber 2964 operates at a frequency of 3Hz and offers a healthy power reserve of around 72 hours. On the decoration front, all the bridges of the watch have been presented in a frosted finish and feature the same oval pattern as seen on the face of the watch.
The new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Frosted Gold Flying Tourbillon will come attached to an integrated blue alligator strap. The watch would be available to purchase only from the brand’s boutiques and will retail for CHF 145,000.
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