Audemars Piguet’s latest Royal Oak Concept uses a new luminescent carbon case
Zach Blass- Audemars Piguet debuts new Chroma Forged Technology in its latest 43mm Royal Oak Concept.
- CFT allows the forged carbon case to be adorned with blue glow-in-the-dark fibres.
- It sports a flyback, split-seconds chronograph, and 24h GMT and large date complications. Price: US$206,800.
When people think of Audemars Piguet, most probably picture high-end movement finishing, hand-finished cases, and of course, the Royal Oak. But one of the brand’s strongest characteristics that separates it from the other Holy Trinity brands (and many others), is its willingness to put in the work when it comes to material innovation. Whether exploring new colours of ceramic or even developing new gold alloys, Audemars Piguet’s youthful spirit, despite its longstanding position amongst the pinnacle of watchmaking, allows the brand to be both traditional and current. The Royal Oak Concept has become a collection playground where we get to see the brand’s ultimate sense of exploration.
Speaking of material innovation, Audemars Piguet claims to have presented the first-ever forged carbon-cased watch, the Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi Team Chronograph ref. 26062FS, in 2007. It was by no means a one-off occurrence, followed by other forged carbon novelties like its Millenary Carbon One ref. 26152AU in 2009, and the Royal Oak Concept Laptimer 26221FT in collaboration with F1 GOAT Michael Schumacher in 2015. 2016 marked the release of AP’s last forged carbon watch, the Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph QE II Cup ref. 26406FR – until now. After an eight-year hiatus from forged carbon and five years of research and development, Audemars Piguet proudly presents a new type of forged carbon in a 43mm Royal Oak Concept with a split-seconds chronograph, GMT, and large date, that has a luminescent case thanks to new a process the brand calls Chroma Forged Technology.
Looking at the watch in daylight, you would likely first notice its imposing size – measuring 43mm in diameter and 17.4mm thick. Speaking from experience having tried on other Royal Oak Concept watches, you might be surprised that Audemars Piguet somehow maximised the case’s ergonomics. It’s still large and in charge, but wears very well – at least for its size. Then, as you look even closer at the forged carbon case, you’ll clock the specks and swirls of blue and white within. And this is where CFT, or Chroma Forged Technology, comes into play. CFT allows Audemars Piguet to “colour the carbon fibres directly instead of the resin, and arrange them as desired in the component produced.” With CFT, both blue and white colouring is incorporated into the carbon material, and the white will glow blue in darkness once charged.
Audemars Piguet explains: “The manufacturing process involves numerous steps and great expertise. The carbon fibres are first cut into small pieces and coloured with pigments. A multitude of colours is possible, allowing for a wide range of creative developments. The coloured carbon pieces are then manually placed in a mould according to the intended design and completed with resin. This process is repeated to build several layers like a mille-feuille pastry. The content of the mould is then compressed to obtain a block free of air bubbles. Finally, the mixture is placed in an autoclave to be cured under pressure for about ten hours to reveal the properties of the resin, and produce a carbon block that is then machined for six to eight hours to create the final component. As the blending stages are carried out by hand, each case middle produced has a slightly different motif, making it a unique piece that seamlessly combines cutting-edge technology and the expertise of the Le Brassus artisans.” Based on the render, the case has this almost celestial quality – like looking at a galaxy from many, many light years away.
Driving this highly complicated supercar of a watch is the in-house, 70-hour calibre 4407. The automatic movement packs in a ton of complications, including a large date, 24-hour GMT, and a flyback split-seconds chronograph. With all of these complications included, the beefier size of the case can be forgiven.
Wherever your thoughts land on the aesthetic and size of this Royal Oak Concept ref. 26650FO.OO.D353CA.01, with its US$206,800 pricing, it’s not meant to be a watch for everyone to enjoy. That being said, and I can only speak for myself here, I laud yet another material innovation from one of watchmaking’s most storied watchmakers. Audemars Piguet’s embrace of modernity may be controversial to purists, but it is imperative that watchmakers like AP push the needle forward and take risks. Otherwise, horology will become stale. By all means, Audemars Piguet should continue to create pieces that appease traditionalists, but when it goes on a modern tangent (say, superhero-driven or rave-inspired), I don’t see any benefit of purists trying to stand in the way.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph, GMT, Large Date 43mm 26650FO.OO.D353CA.01 pricing and availability
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph, GMT, Large Date 43mm 26650FO.OO.D353CA.01 is available now for enquiries. Price: US$206,800
| Brand | Audemars Piguet |
| Model | Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph, GMT, Large Date 43mm |
| Reference | 26650FO.OO.D353CA.01 |
| Case Dimensions | 43mm (D) x 17.4mm (T) |
| Case Material | CFT forged carbon |
| Water Resistance | 50 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Open |
| Lug Width | Integrated |
| Bracelet | Blue and black rubber strap, titanium AP logo clasp Additional black and blue rubber strap |
| Movement | Calibre 4407, in-house, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 70 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, large date, 24-hour GMT, flyback rattrapante chronograph |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | US$206,800 |