AP Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Companion”

Audemars Piguet installed a tourbillon inside its edgy titanium watch, while KAWS installed a miniature companion. “AP” is also active in the art scene, and special collaboration watches occasionally appear. Audemars Piguet presents the 43mm limited edition Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Companion”, a series of 250 futuristic titanium watches infused with the aesthetic DNA of artist Kawes. He placed the small Companion in the center of the watch and the AP moved the time display to the edge. The result is certainly edgy.

You want to know who Kaws is. Understood. Brian Donnelly, aka Kaws, lives and works in Brooklyn, New York, and began his career as a graffiti artist in New York City in the 1990s. The company made a name for itself by using original characters, including companions, in advertisements for phone booths and bus stops. Over the years, Companion has traveled media and the world, from toy figures and large-scale sculptures to giant floating inflatables and AR versions. At times, the characters can be endearing and perplexing at the same time. Essentially, it’s a subversive character that poses a challenge to the viewer. It’s similar to what Audemars Piguet is doing with its edgy Royal Oak concept. Royal Oak enthusiasts may feel a little uncomfortable when faced with a concept version of their coveted watch. This latest concept will definitely ruffle their feathers.

Introducing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Companion”

Fratelli, step out of your comfort zone and pick up the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Companion” (ref. 26656TI.GG.D019VE.01). To let the main character shine, AP moved the time from the center of the dial to the periphery. In this case, luxury watches offer art.

A miniature 3D character, the Companion, appears beneath the sapphire crystal, its face and hands appearing to touch the inner surface of the glass. The titanium letters display contrasting shades of light and dark gray on a titanium dial decorated with a sunburst pattern. This adds even more texture and depth to the watch’s rough brushed and blasted finishes. The companion’s skull-shaped head, X-shaped eyes filled with a thin layer of gray lacquer, gloves, and cruciate ears make him instantly recognizable. A neat touch is that the Companion’s chest exposes its beating heart, or tourbillon. This is where character and movement come together.

There’s time left

The hour and minute hands rotate around the outer circumference of the movement and the dial. Responsible for this are two superimposed visible gears, driven by a pinion and guided by rollers. The hour hand and the openwork minute “hand” (or rather triangular) are made from titanium and fixed to a wheel around each. It also uses luminescent materials that turn blue in the dark. For even greater visibility in low-light conditions, the titanium inner bezel features a 5-minute scale that glows blue in the dark.

The latest ROC is powered by the new Audemars Piguet in-house caliber 2979. This hand-wound movement has a tourbillon displayed on the dial side at 6 o’clock. Visible through the sapphire caseback are the movement’s black PVD-treated titanium bridges, with a padded aesthetic inspired by Cowes’ characters.

Some clever little touches indicate that the movement is built into a special edition watch. For example, the bridge of the gear train opens towards the ratchet wheel, which activates the barrel shaft when winding the watch. This component has been crossed out to recreate Cows’ iconic X. In addition, the black-painted bridges display the laser-engraved words “Switzerland”, “39 Jewels” and the “Audemars Piguet” signature filled with contrasting white lacquer.

Edgy concept case

You either love or hate ROC’s multifaceted case design. It is no exaggeration to say that this is the most provocative interpretation of the Royal Oak and has proven to be an excellent platform for original movement concepts and collaborations. The Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Companion” features a 43 mm titanium case with sandblasted, satin-brushed and polished surfaces. Both the bezel and caseback feature eight hex screws, with Kaws’ trademark X subtly displayed. This also appears on the satin-finish frame of the display case back, alongside Kaws’ signature and the words “Limited Edition of 250 Pieces.” Topped with a titanium tip, a black ceramic crown adds the finishing touch.

Each of the 250 watches has a dark gray calfskin strap, while the other is made from slate gray calfskin. These straps feature a quick release system for easy replacement. Also included is a triple-blade folding clasp with a quick click-and-release system. Finally, as you might have guessed, pricing for the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Companion” is on request.

So what do you think about this watch, its innovative time display, and its implementation of companion characters? Does it resonate more with you than other character watches like the ROC Black Panther and Spider-Man editions, or does it end up being too edgy? Do you have one? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Watch specifications