Continuing with its limited editions that cross over into pop culture, Audemars Piguet (AP) now turns to KAWS for its latest collaboration, the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Companion” 43 mm. The contemporary artist, whose real name is Brian Donnelly, lends his “Companion” figure to the dial.

Depicted as pressing up against the crystal, the character is realised as a miniature sculpture in titanium with a flying tourbillon at its heart. Kaw’s signature creation takes up almost the entirety of the dial courtesy of the newly-developed cal. 2979 that has a peripheral time display, allowing the hour and minute hands to go under and around “Companion”.

Initial thoughts

The Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon by Kaws is AP’s best collaboration to date. Amongst AP’s past collaborations, some were too minimalist, while the Marvel editions were controversial (though I liked them). Amongst contemporary art collaborations more broadly, the Kaws tourbillon ranks up there alongside the Hublot Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami in terms of appeal (though it is nowhere near as affordable as the time-only Hublot).

The overall aesthetic of the Kaws tourbillon is coherent and appealing. Encircled by an industrial-technical-looking chapter ring, the figure looks at home. The visible large gears for the peripheral hands add to the visual effect.

Granted, the Kaws tourbillon is a figurative depiction of the artist’s best known work, so it isn’t exactly imaginative, but it is done well. “Companion” looking through the crystal is striking, and the details are thoughtful, including the “Xs” on the bezel nuts. The movement in particular is worth noting for the customisation specific to this watch, including the “padded” bridge.

And the Kaws tourbillon has the same dimensions as the Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds, which means it’s wearable for a large watch.

Brian Donnelly aka Kaws

Companion

Based on Mickey Mouse but with “Xs” for eyes and bones for ears, Companion was created in 1999 and has since become Kaws’ signature work. It’s been applied to t-shirts, sneakers, toys, and now the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon.

The base of the 250-piece limited edition is the latest-generation Royal Oak Concept. Entirely in monochromatic titanium (though the crown is black ceramic), the case is a large 43 mm wide and 17.4 mm thick. But it’s curved in profile and lightweight, giving it good wearability despite the size.

In typical Royal Oak fashion the case surfaces are finished alternately, with matte sandblasting framed by raised, polished borders. The bezel is similarly finished with a frosted front and polished bevels along its edge. Notably, the conventional slot in each of the nuts on the bezel has been replaced with an “X”.

The thickness of the case is an advantage as it has the volume to accommodate “Companion”, which sits on a radially brushed titanium plate.

Made entirely of titanium, “Companion” is portrayed with hands pressed against the crystal. Like the case, the figure is finished with frosted and brushed surfaces. The twin “X” eyes are filled with pale grey lacquer for shading.

In the chest of the figure, symbolising its heart, is a flying tourbillon. Around the figure are the hour and minute pointers, mounted on a peripheral track that frees up the entire dial for the miniature sculpture.

While the cal. 2979 inside shares the architecture of AP’s other tourbillon calibres, it is a new movement conceived for the Kaws tourbillon (and will presumably be used in future collaborations with similar sculptural dial). The peripheral hands are a first for AP, though it has been done by other brands before.

The cal. 2979 is manual wind with a 72 hour power reserve. Notably, the movement has been customised with the Kaws aesthetic. The barrel ratchet wheel has been open worked to form an “X”, while the large plate around the movement has a “padded” form that echoes Kaws’ characters.

Key facts and price

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Companion” 43 mm
Ref. 26656TI.GG.D019VE.01

Diameter: 43 mm
Height: 17.4 mm
Material: Titanium and black ceramic
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m

Movement: Cal. 2979
Functions: Peripheral hours and minutes, and tourbillon
Winding: Hand wind
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 72 hours

Strap: Light grey calfskin with titanium folding clasp, additional strap in dark grey calfskin

Limited edition: 250 pieces
Availability: At AP boutiques and AP Houses
Price: 

For more, visit Audemarspiguet.com.