In May 2024, Audemars Piguet showed us it hasn’t stopped shaking things up.
By re-thinking proportions and re-inventing what can be done with gold, it gave us a couple of fascinating releases that are bold and super cool.
The AP Royal Oak has been downsized, and the brand’s novel multi-coloured ceramic has had a luxurious, solid gold makeover. Here are two of the new Audemars Piguet releases to get on your radar.
The Audemars Piguet Mini Royal Oak
For the first time, Audemars Piguet has turned its Royal Oak into a 23mm diameter bite-sized piece. In response to the recent small watch trend, AP launched the new “Mini Oak” collection on the 31st of May 2024, describing it as “mini yet mighty”.
This is a modern-day, more shimmery interpretation of the 20mm Mini Royal Oak from 1997. The 2024 release, however, is on the market in a choice of 18-carat yellow, white or pink gold, all with a “Frosted” finish that creates a diamond dust effect. Frosting is exclusive to Audemars Piguet. The brand pioneered it in collaboration with Florentine jeweller, Carolina Bucci, using a diamond-tipped hammer to create the shimmering appearance.
Powered by Calibre 2730, the new Royal Oak features a tone-on-tone Petite Tapisserie dial, a satin finish on the case and flanks, and gold hour markers matching the shade of the case.
“In Japan, it is clearly favoured by women, but this size also pairs well with street fashion. It can blend in as one of the bracelets or be worn loosely by men with their favourite necklaces.” - Yuu Sekiguchi, editor-in-chief of Hodinkee Japan
Our thoughts on the Mini Royal Oak
AP watches are heavier than cheaper, high-street or rip-off timepieces. That’s because they’re constructed with high-quality gold and steel, their mechanical movements are heavier than quartz, and lots of complications can weigh down a watch.
The New AP Chroma Gold Camo Concept
In this new Audemars Piguet concept, the brand has applied its camouflage prototype to solid gold. This isn’t a coating or even gold pieces that fit together like a puzzle. It’s solid, camouflage gold. And it’s never been done before.
The boundary-nudging idea follows the watchmaker’s surprising multi-coloured ceramic creation, named chroma ceramic, which was presented in a prototype Royal Oak in March 2024 and evokes a real streetwear vibe.
This time, AP treats us to a more luxurious take on the concept, using a camouflage gold alloy called “chroma gold”. It features different gold tones on a single sheet of metal using an incredibly innovative technique and the latest Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) technology.
“To create this multi-coloured camouflage gold motif, the different colours of gold are transformed separately: the gold is first melted before the droplets are atomised into powder. Each powder is then carefully placed in a circular graphite mould to create the desired pattern. The mould is then sintered by passing a powerful electric current through the graphite. This current creates a meteoric rise in temperature, which, combined with the mechanical pressure on both sides of the mould, allows extremely rapid sintering to take place. The resulting disc reveals the various shades of gold.”
- Audemars Piguet
The pattern varies between models, making each piece unique, although visual consistency will always exist between the different components. The route to get there involved lots of testing to make sure the shades worked well next to each other. Audemars Piguet was focused on bringing out the nuances of yellow, white and pink gold.
It showcased the chroma gold concept on a 34 mm Royal Oak but hasn’t yet commercialised the timepiece.
How to buy a genuine second-hand Audemars Piguet
Real Audemars Piguet watches tend to appreciate in value. Fakes don’t. Make sure you’re purchasing something built with real history and exceptional craftsmanship. Here’s how.
Avoid the urge to buy on impulse. It's easy to get swept up in the excitement of owning a new timepiece, but an AP is a serious investment. Compare models and research the brand’s history - a deeper understanding of the brand will help you spot a fake Audemars Piguet. Always buy from a reputable seller who can authenticate watches and explain why it’s genuine. Before handing over your card details, ask for documents, including the Audemars Piguet Certificate of Authenticity.
The documents that confirm authenticity
Premium Swiss watches come with a mini stack of paperwork. While some of this paperwork confirms authenticity, some doesn’t.
Take the “Extract from the Archives”. This document certifies the case and movement number that appears in the official Audemars Piguet records, but it can’t be used as authentication. According to Audemars Piguet itself, only a Certificate of Authenticity guarantees that a watch is genuine. Only the official Audemars Piguet manufacturer in Le Brassus, Switzerland, is authorised to provide this.
You can request documents from AP. They’re good to have if you’re selling a watch and want to reassure genuine buyers that it’s a real AP.
“This multi-coloured gold opens a new chapter in exploring precious materials to offer unprecedented design to both our creations and our clients.”
- Lucas Raggi, Research and Development Director, Audemars Piguet
Our thoughts on the chroma gold
It’s a bold, gold choice, but we can’t help but be impressed by the expertise that has been poured into AP’s camouflage creations.
The shades within the gold complement each other to perfection and, with the strong geometry of the Royal Oak backing it up, the timepiece feels exceptionally futuristic.
We expect this piece to divide - and fascinate - the market.
Buy a used or new Audemars Piguet at Trilogy Jewellers
We make it easy to get your hands on the most hard-to-find luxury watches.
Whether it’s a newly launched AP Royal Oak or a classic second-hand Audemars Piguet, our sourcing service is unbeatable. So, no matter how rare a watch may be, we’re confident we can track it down.
Shop online at Trilogy or visit our showroom at Hatton Garden. Otherwise, give us a call on 0203 929 8227 to talk all things watches.
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