Audemars Piguet is certainly not one to shy away from experimentation. In fact, its Royal Oak Concept (ROC) collection was created as a platform to push the boundaries of technical and aesthetic possibilities.
Through ROC, the brand has dipped its toes into various realms, such as fashion, culminating in the multilayered Flying Tourbillon “Tamara Ralph”, and universes, ie, Marvel with a timepiece dedicated to the King of Wakanda as well as your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.
Now, the collection ushers in a new member, created in collaboration with artist and designer Brian Donnelly, or better known as KAWS. The Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Companion” gives his signature character pride of place in the dial, with his face and gloves pressed against the sapphire crystal.
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In the same way, art may be perceived differently from one person to the next. While some might be tickled by the Companion’s witty and inquisitive outlook, others may detect a feeling of being trapped, the character yearning to be part of a world that is just beyond his reach.
Mounted on a sunburst-brushed titanium dial plate, the miniature 3D character is constructed entirely out of brushed and sandblasted titanium with its chest revealing a 60-second tourbillon that beats away at 3Hz. Its X eyes are filled with a thin layer of grey lacquer.
To make space for the Companion and keep the dial clean, Audemars Piguet debuts a new peripheral time display, where the hour and minute hands are set on superimposed gear wheels driven by pinions and guided by rollers. Both the hands — the openworked one indicates the minutes — and five-minute graduations carved into the bezel are filled with blue luminescent material.
Driving the display is a new hand-wound Calibre 2979 that has a power reserve of 72 hours. It is also visible via the sapphire caseback, which showcases the movement’s black PVD titanium bridges, whose padded aesthetics is another nod to KAWS’ cast of characters. The artist’s trademark X can also be seen on the ratchet wheel as well as the screws that hold the watch’s construction in place.
The 43mm timepiece comes with a light grey calfskin strap embossed with a textile effect as well as a spare in slate grey, both equipped with Audemars Piguet’s click-and-release system.
After leaving his job as an animator at Disney, Donnelly took inspiration from the company’s Mickey Mouse to create his own set of characters that he named Companions. They first appeared in graffiti works across New York City in the late 1990s, with their gloved hands, skull head and X’s for eyes eerily peeping out of phone booths and bus shelters. He tagged them with “KAWS”, simply because he liked the way the letters looked together.
This dark version of a beloved cartoon character peels back the façade we so often put up in life, compelling us to look beyond the projection of fulfilment and happiness and reflect upon our true selves.
Donnelly’s Companions took on a life of its own after it was released as a toy in Japan and became a cultural phenomenon. They have since graced both Uniqlo T-shits and established museums and galleries; transformed into tiny figurines as well as a 121ft-long inflatable floating on Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour; appearing both on computer games and fashion runways. Collectible pieces are auctioned at eight-figure sums.
The artist reveals that the project has been two years in the making. “I find the world of watchmaking fascinating, and the artisans at Audemars Piguet are truly exceptional in their craft. I am honoured to have my watch included in the company’s catalogue, which spans over a hundred years of watchmaking excellence,” he says.
“KAWS has taken collaboration to a whole new level. By placing a miniature Companion at the heart of a Royal Oak Concept, he not only challenged us to push new boundaries, but he also encouraged us to look at our craftsmanship from a more humanistic perspective and reflect on the power of both the imaginary and haute horlogerie to inspire curiosity and evoke strong emotions,” adds CEO Ilaria Resta.
With only 250 pieces available worldwide, the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Companion” is set to be a hot commodity, especially among the artist’s collectors. After all, opportunities to wear a rare edition on your wrist do not come by often.
On another note, as part of its KAWS:HOLIDAY world tour and to celebrate the collaboration, the artist has erected a monumental 11m Companion sculpture on the roof of Audemars Piguet’s headquarters in Le Brassus, Switzerland, overlooking the Vallée de Joux in contemplation. The installation will be there until December 20.
The Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Companion” is priced at 200,000 CHF.
