Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet is pleased to present a new animation of its 44mm diameter Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon GMT model. For the first time, the titanium case of this intricate timepiece is surmounted by a green ceramic bezel, giving it a very contemporary design. The black architectural movement, visible through the sapphire crystal and caseback, is also embellished with green CVD inserts that match the shades of the bezel, creating an intense contrast that enhances the high-tech aesthetic of this watch.
A style with green nuances
This new Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon GMT model combines a pearl blasted titanium case with a contrast green ceramic bezel, crown and pushers adorned with polished and satin finishes. Although introduced in the Royal Oak Offshore collection in 2018, this is the first time green ceramic has appeared on a Royal Oak Concept reference.
Zirconium oxide powder (ZrO2), modified after firing to obtain a green pigmentation, is combined with a special binder and transformed into ceramic thanks to a complex industrial process that requires various high-precision machining steps. The exact composition of the ceramic remains the secret of its manufacturer. The components get their final green color after sintering at a temperature of around 1400°C. Achieving a homogeneous color presents an additional challenge since the final color of the ceramic depends on the sintering temperature, which does not tolerate variations. Le Brassus craftsmen then applied the same meticulous handwork to each ceramic component as they did when decorating the precious metals, giving the piece mesmerizing plays of light.
Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon GMT © Audemars Piguet
Following the aesthetic codes of the Royal Oak Concept collection, the architectural movement takes center stage on both the dial side and the case back side. Complementing the green ceramic elements, Caliber 2954 has been added with matching CVD inserts that contrast with the hand-wound mechanism’s black PVD bridges. A wafer-thin green layer is applied using chemical vapor deposition (CVD), the color of which was specially developed for the occasion. A precursor gas is injected into the housing, which is then heated until the gas decomposes, creating a film on the various elements. This technique not only offers a very rich play of light, but also ensures a homogeneous color through the various components and a long service life.
The contrasting hues of the watch are illuminated by touches of rose gold on the luminescent hands, the AP monogram placed at 12 o’clock, the flying tourbillon cage and the escapement components visible through the openwork bridges. The minute scale in white transmission on the black flange provides additional light.
The model comes with a green rubber strap fitted with a micro-blasted AP folding clasp that completes its avant-garde design. An additional black rubber strap is also included.
An alliance of tradition and cutting-edge technology
The hand-wound caliber 2954 combines the prestige of the flying tourbillon with an avant-garde display with a second time zone indicator – known by the acronym GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) – and a position indicator representing the crown at 6 o’clock by the letters H, N and R (respectively: timing, neutral and winding position of the shaft).
The GMT display at 3 o’clock enables the time in a second time zone to be read immediately. It is set with the pusher at 4 o’clock (one push moves the time by one hour). The second time zone display, based at 12 o’clock, consists of two superimposed discs: The hour disc, which rotates every 12 o’clock, is made of sapphire crystal and shows white numerals highlighted in black. In contrast, the brass-carved Day/Night disc, which completes its rotation in 24 hours, consists of two colored zones: a white half for day and a green CVD representing night.
Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon GMT © Audemars Piguet
Caliber 2954 is equipped with the patented double barrel system developed by the Manufacture, which allows the Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon GMT to function for 10 days before it needs to be manually wound, generating a constant power for about 237 hours of autonomy. The energy of the two spring barrels is simultaneously conducted to the gear train via a pinion that connects both, thus ensuring a fluid transfer of energy. While this process reduces the pressure on the gears, the friction of the two barrels is used to smooth out torque fluctuations1, increasing precision, power reserve and reliability.
The Royal Oak Concept celebrates its 20th anniversary
The Royal Oak Concept was born in 2002 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Royal Oak. For the occasion, Audemars Piguet is launching a limited edition of 150 pieces inspired by concept cars, combining titanium and Alacrite 602, a light but extremely resistant alloy used mainly in the aeronautical industry. While the bezel maintains the recognizable octagonal shape of the Royal Oak collection, the massive 44mm case, whose ergonomic curve follows the natural shape of the wrist, opens new horizons for this timepiece. In keeping with the futuristic aesthetic of the case, the dial features a hand-wound mechanism and offers a host of innovative features: crown position indicator, dynamograph to indicate spring torque and a linear power reserve indicator. The tourbillon cage and its shock-absorbing bridge can also be seen at 9 o’clock.
Originally conceived as an extraordinary limited edition, the Royal Oak Concept establishes a completely new aesthetic for 21st century Haute Horlogerie and gives rise to a collection of its own. In 2008, Audemars Piguet launched the Royal Oak Carbon Concept Tourbillon et Chronographe in a pioneering forged carbon, ceramic and titanium case, while its movement introduced carbon components for the first time. Since then, the Royal Oak Concept has become a platform for experimentation, lends itself to the use of scratch-resistant materials, avant-garde designs and innovative complications, in keeping with the futuristic identity of this timepiece.
Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon GMT © Audemars Piguet
In 2011, Audemars Piguet released its first Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon GMT in a case combining titanium and black ceramic. The dial highlights the tourbillon cage of the skeletonized movement, the blackened upper bridges in the shape of hourglasses, and the indications of the position of the crown and the second time zone. The Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon GMT underwent a new evolution in 2014 with the introduction of a variant combining titanium and white ceramic.
In 2015, Audemars Piguet launched the Royal Oak Concept Laptimer in collaboration with Michael Schumacher. This patented watch is the first mechanical watch capable of measuring multiple consecutive times on the racetrack. It is also the collection’s first collaboration. That same year, the Manufacture unveiled the prototype of their Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie, known as the RD#1. This research and development piece introduces a patented technology, the result of eight years of studies to determine the acoustic performance of old chiming clocks in collaboration with the EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) and a panel of experts including musicians.
In 2018, Audemars Piguet introduces its first Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Automatic Skeleton Chronograph, available in three models in shades of white, blue and red. That same year, the Manufacture launched its very first flying tourbillon in the collection of the first women’s Royal Oak Concept, a line of bold 38.5mm models originally set with diamonds. The flying tourbillon also powers the latest GMT movement, which is clad in a titanium and black ceramic case. This new generation, powered by Caliber 2954, introduces a new movement aesthetic composed of asymmetrical bridges in blackened titanium and illuminated by gold accents. Another version of the Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon GMT follows in 2020 with a titanium case topped with a gray ceramic bezel, revealing an architectural movement that contrasts electric blue bridges in ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) and slate gray inserts.
In 2021, the flying tourbillon takes on heroic proportions with the launch of the 42mm Royal Oak Concept “Black Panther” Flying Tourbillon, limited to 250 pieces. This model marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration between Audemars Piguet and Marvel. Inspired by the world of superheroes, the case of this watch combines titanium and black ceramic in an avant-garde aesthetic reminiscent of the Black Panther costume. The dial, for its part, presents a very contemporary reproduction of the character cut in white gold.
For 20 years, the Royal Oak Concept collection has been exploring new territories, dressing in avant-garde materials, new colors and unprecedented contrasts, with many more surprises for 2023.