Audemars Piguet launches a stunning new Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon with famed couturier Tamara Ralph
Haute horlogerie meets high fashion at the Paris Couture Week 2024. Legendary watchmaking house Audemars Piguet takes to the runway in sensational style, courtesy of a bold new timepiece created in collaboration with haute couture designer Tamara Ralph.
A technically sublime, three-dimensional work of art, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon ‘Tamara Ralph’ Limited Edition is regal, feminine and mechanically exceptional in equal measure. The 18k pink gold case flaunts a combination of polished, matte and frosted gold finish on its case to accentuate the collection’s signature silhouette.
Sporting a sand-like texture that gives the impression of tiny encrusted diamonds on a surface, the frosted gold facade boasts an ancient Florentine jewellery technique first adapted by Audemars Piguet’s artisans in 2016 to decorate its timepieces. Meanwhile, the multi-layered dial, crafted in shades of brown, bronze and gold, draws your eye to the watch’s technical centrepiece – a flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock. A rotating mechanism that neutralises the effects of gravity on a mechanical watch’s regulating components, a tourbillon is among the most coveted technical complications by watch aficionados, making the Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon ‘Tamara Ralph’ Limited Edition a superb expression of superlative style and technical sophistication.
Limited to 102 pieces, the watch is powered by the in-house Calibre 2964 with 72-hour power reserve. The hand-wound movement is also featured in earlier Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon models in pink and white gold from 2020, which bore gradated blue dials. Emanating monochromatic inspired chic and complemented with a bronze alligator strap, the new Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon ‘Tamara Ralph’ Limited Edition offers a refreshing take on the collection’s penchant for subtle glamour.
“The complications of watchmaking orchestrate a foundation which can be played with in terms of textures, colours and designs, allowing for the savoir-faire of couture to shine through,” says Ralph. The designer first collaborated with Audemars Piguet back in 2020, when she paired outfits from the Spring/Summer 2021 Prêt-à-Porter collection with the company’s watches. With the Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon ‘Tamara Ralph’ Limited Edition, it appears that we won’t be seeing the last of this partnership.
