For ages, the luxury watch market has been dominated by a selected few. This trend seems to continue as Audemars Piguet once again proved that it is not to be taken lightly. In all honesty, there are only a handful of watchmakers that can do what Audemars Piguet does. The newly launched Royal Oak Concept Frosted Gold Flying Tourbillon proves that. It does not matter whether you are a high horology aficionado or not. You are bound to at least give out a ‘whoa’ upon witnessing this architectural beauty.
The Audemar Piguet Royal Oak Concept Frosted Gold Flying Tourbillon
The timepiece is smaller than the usual Royal Oak that we are so used to seeing these days. It stands at a mere 38.5 mm in diameter. The watch also displays a new frosted finish that has been developed in collaboration with coveted jeweller Carolina Bucci. This finish can be seen at the top of the lugs and the top of the bezel. At the same time, the edge of the bezel and the sides of the case display different finishes. The former has a polished finish while the latter displays a brushed finish.
Coming to the show-stopper, the watch has a very interesting dial design. The multi-step blue coloured dial gradually descends into the case emphasizing the user’s attention toward the flying tourbillon located at 6 o clock. Concentric ovals surround the flying tourbillon while the centre is studded with 19 brilliant-cut diamonds.
Getting Into The Details
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Frosted Gold Flying Tourbillon comes in white gold as well as rose gold. At 38.5 mm in width and 11.9 mm thickness, this pinnacle of designing and architecture comes with a multi-layer construction dial and a sun-burst gradient aesthetic. The watch does not have any indices, but it does manage to get luminescence on the hands. The 20-meter water resistance is not all that impressive, but then again, it is not supposed to be. The watch gets an option between a blue leather strap and a somewhat shiny blue rubber bracelet. It does get a gold folding clasp though.
Coming to the movement, which can be seen through the case back, the new Royal Oak Concept dons an in-house manufactured Calibre 2964. The hand-wound movement runs at 21,600 vibrations per hour and offers the usual hours and minutes with a rather impressive 72-hour power reserve. The cherry on the cake, however, has to be the flying tourbillon that comes with a set of nineteen brilliant-cut diamonds. The watch is a boutique exclusive and a non-numbered limited edition from Audemars Piguet.
The movement is manufactured by Renaud & Papi, a former a subsidiary of Audemars Piguet earlier known as APRP. The movement side of the Calibre 2964 also possesses concentric ovals with a backdrop of a gun-metal coloured surface with a frosted finish.
Honest Opinion
The first and foremost thing that automatically comes to mind is that this timepiece is not built for everyone. It is as simple as that. There are a lot of things that are eccentric about this watch. The frosted finish, the diamonds, and of course, the small yet aggressive Royal Oak Concept case. The idea behind the Royal Oak Concept watches is to offer the brand space to experiment. The brand uses this series to try new things and see how the audience reacts to them.
So, while some might not find this watch special, I personally am a huge fan of the Concept Frosted Gold Flying Tourbillon. Coming to the intricacies of the watch, there is not much to complain about. Once again, some might wish for a few changes here and there. For instance, a version without the frosted finish would be something that some buyers may fancy. That being said, the timepiece looks just perfect the way it is.
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