Audemars Piguet Presents Latest Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spider-Man”
Continuing its partnership with Marvel.
Following its highly sought-after “Black Panther” watch, Haute Horlogerie expert Audemars Piguet continues its collaborative efforts with Marvel for a limited-edition Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spider-Man”.
The 2021 partnership ushered in a new era for the brand and highlights its forward-thinking approach to heritage watchmaking craft. Now, utilizing horological innovation, the two entities pay homage to “the friendly neighborhood hero,” who made his debut in Marvel comics in 1962. Limited to only 250 units, the timepiece brings an air of playfulness to the iconic design of the Royal Oak Concept to bridge the gap between fine watchmaking and pop culture.
Arriving in a 42mm case combining titanium and black ceramic, Audemars Piguet’s new hand-wound caliber 2974 is a showcase of the brand’s meticulous craftsmanship. The movement’s stripped-back yet complex design achieves a level of transparency that allows Spider-Man’s character to appear in 3D as if suspended in the air. To achieve this, the character’s silhouette is first cut from a block of white gold with his suit then laser-engraved to give it its unique texture and textile look.
Final finishings are then completed by hand such as the instantly recognizable two-tone suit which has been handpainted in matte red and metallic blue. The dial itself features alternating blackened gold hour markers and Arabic numerals that are finished with a white luminescence that turns blue in the dark. The Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spider-Man” is presented with an interchangeable strap – allowing for the ultimate customization experience – equipped with a black and gray rubber strap with an AP buckle as well as a second black and red rubber strap to reference the Super Hero’s suit.
This limited edition watch is accompanied by a one-of-a-kind Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Black Suit Spider-Man” inspired by the character’s costume change. The white gold case comes decorated with a spider leg motif filled with a luminescent hybrid ceramic as well as a complex laser-engraved webbed background. The watch boasts a black ceramic bezel, with a titanium and ceramic caseback that bears the words “Royal Oak Concept Unique Piece” in white. The watch arrives alongside a sleek black interchangeable rubber strap with a velvety texture as well as a second black calfskin leather strap with a textile effect and white stitching.
It’s Spider-Man’s community values that resonate with the brand and with Peter Parker’s motto being “With great power, there must also come great responsibility,” this forms the foundation of the Marvel collaboration. Much like the Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon “Black Panther,” this unique piece was put up for auction raising nearly $6.2M USD for non-profit organizations First Book and Ashoka, which help empower underprivileged young people to create a positive change in their communities across the world. Having raised $5.2M USD, its 2021 predecessor has since reached a network of 25,000 First Book educators serving approximately 750,000 students in the USA.
Stay tuned on Hypebeast for an upcoming exclusive on the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spider-Man.” To find out more information on the collaboration, check out the brand’s website.
