Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet is delighted to expand its 34 mm Royal Oak Selfwinding collection, established in April 2020, with a new reference shimmering with Frosted Gold – a jewellery technique developed in 2016 in collaboration with Italian jewellery designer Carolina Bucci. The 18-carat white gold piece is further enhanced with a Tapisserie dial in new shades of blue. This unique combination celebrates the savoir-faire and refinement at the heart of the Manufacture’s craftsmanship.
CONTRASTING PLAYS OF LIGHT FOR THE SLENDEREST WRISTS
The new 18-carat white gold Royal Oak model shimmers with Frosted Gold. The sparkle effect adorning the case and bracelet provides a rich contrast with the polished bevels of the bezel, screws, crown and links. In harmony with the timepiece’s design, the newly introduced light blue PVD-coated dial subtly plays with ambient light. It is enriched with a “Grande Tapisserie” pattern, as well as white gold hour-markers and hands matching with the case. The 34 mm diameter offers an ergonomic aesthetics perfectly suited to the slenderest wrists.
Calibre 5800 and its dedicated pink gold oscillating weight can be admired through the glareproofed sapphire caseback. This hour, minute, second and date movement features 50 hours of power reserve, ideal for a contemporary lifestyle.
A REFINED FROSTED GOLD FINISHING
The Frosted Gold finishing takes inspiration from an ancient Florentine jewellery technique, reinterpreted by Carolina Bucci in her contemporary jewellery creations. The jewellery designer assisted the Manufacture’s craftspeople in developing it into a horological craft suited to the Royal Oak’s case and bracelet. Tiny indentations are created on the gold surface with a diamond-tipped tool, giving a shimmering effect similar to that of precious stones, like “diamond dust.” This finishing highlights the Royal Oak’s unique geometry and design codes, while capturing attention from a distance. Today, the technique resulting from the collaboration between the two workshops is adapted once more, this time to enhance the 34 mm model with an added touch of femininity and refinement.
A LONG-STANDING FRIENDSHIP BUILT ON CREATIVE CHALLENGES
The collaboration between Audemars Piguet and Carolina Bucci debuted in 2016 when the Manufacture challenged the jewellery designer to reinterpret the original Royal Oak for women sketched by Jacqueline Dimier in 1976. The resulting Royal Oak timepieces paved the way for numerous Frosted Gold models across the Manufacture’s collections. These timepieces blending jewellery and fine watchmaking pay tribute to the Manufacture’s long history of jewellery watches.
