Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet unveils a new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked limited edition in collaboration with brand and label Cactus Jack, founded by American hip hop artist Travis Scott. This 41 mm model is crafted in brown ceramic – a first for Audemars Piguet. The sapphire dial provides a glimpse of the openworked selfwinding perpetual calendar movement, Calibre 5135. To celebrate this collaboration, a number of design elements refer to Cactus Jack’s graphics, while parts of the dial, including the moon phase indication, are endowed with a luminescent coating that glows blue or green in the dark in a nod to the brand’s aesthetic codes. Combining classic complication with contemporary material, this limited edition illustrates Audemars Piguet’s free and daring spirit, as well as its ability to push back the boundaries of watchmaking and create strong links with fields of creative practice over the years.
The encounter of several universes
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked “Cactus Jack” Limited Edition has always fostered creative synergies with different universes, including sport, pop culture, art and entertainment. Thanks to its collaboration with personalities such as Jay-Z (2005) and LeBron James (2013), the Manufacture has strengthened its links to pop culture since the early 2000s. AP has since become one of the most quoted brands in rap songs. Today, the Le Brassus watchmaker has teamed up with Cactus Jack to design this new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked “Cactus Jack” Limited Edition, which bears the aesthetic codes of the two brands.
Nicknamed “the chocolate ap” by Travis Scott
Audemars Piguet presents its first Royal Oak model in brown ceramic – a signature colour for Cactus Jack. This light and scratch resistant material can be admired on the watch’s 41 mm case and bracelet studs.
Ceramic is made from yttrium-stabilised Zirconium Oxide powder (Zr2O), which is combined with a binder and metal oxides that will give it its final chocolate colour once the ceramic has been sintered at over 1000°C. Achieving uniform colour is a delicate and crucial stage in the manufacturing process. Each component is then pre-polished and pre-satin-brushed before being finished by hand to reach the Manufacture’s trademark alternation of satin-brushed surfaces and polished chamfers.
“The chocolate AP,” as Travis Scott likes to call it in his latest album, features white gold hexagonal screws as well as a sapphire dial revealing the openworked architecture of Calibre 5135. This movement combines rhodium-toned components with pink-gold-toned hues subtly echoing the thin circle surrounding the day, month and date subdials respectively located at 9, 12 and 3 o’clock. The subdials also play on transparency so as to reveal part of the movement. The hour, minute and counters hands, like the hour-markers inserted within the seconds scale, are crafted in gold and covered with brown PVD before being filled with a white luminescent material that turns blue in the dark. The red arrow-shaped hand indicating the week accentuates legibility in day light.
To celebrate this collaboration with Cactus Jack, numerous design elements reference the brand’s graphics. The Audemars Piguet Design team has specially designed the typography of the calendar and week indications based on Travis Scott’s hand-drawn model. Even the hand of the day subdial takes on the shape of the brand’s logo. But, the most visible nod is the design of the moon phase at 6 o’clock. The usual representation of Earth’s natural satellite has been replaced by Cactus Jack’s emblematic smiley face with its mouth sewn shut, whose luminescent coating glows blue in the dark. In contrast, the other calendar indications, with the exception of the week indication, are endowed with a luminescent material that turns green at night for a unique luminous effect.
A new textured calfskin leather strap makes its debut for the occasion, while the pink gold folding clasp is engraved with the signatures of “Audemars Piguet” and “Travis Scott”.
Lastly, the caseback is engraved with “Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar,” “Limited Edition of 200 Pieces” and “Utopia is a state of mind” in reference to Travis Scott’s latest album. This mention also appears printed on one of the strap’s mobile loops.
“Watchmaking, to me, is the ultimate combo of engineering, fashion, tech and design—a harmony of precision, craftsmanship and perfect timing. I approached this collaboration similar to sampling or starting a beat, taking inspiration from classics while introducing innovation to push them into the future. I’m beyond amped about the results, a first ever for the iconic Royal Oak. For it to be my brother Francois’ final project as CEO of AP makes it even more epic – we are sending him out with a Mega fucking epic mic drop … LETTTSSSSS GOOOOOO.”
Travis Scott
Artist and Founder of Cactus Jack
An oscillating weight signed “Cactus Jack”
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked “Cactus Jack” Limited Edition is powered by the selfwinding Calibre 5135. The movement automatically takes into account the number of days in the month and correctly displays the prevailing date even in leap years. Assuming the watch is kept fully wound, the date will not require manual correction until 2100, at which point it will need to be adjusted in order to stay in line with the Gregorian calendar.*
The brown ceramic and sapphire caseback reveals the refined decorations adorning the movement including circular satin, satin brushing, sandblasting, sunray brushing and polished chamfers. The stamped openworked 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight is finished with satin brushing and polished chamfers. It is also engraved with the double “Audemars Piguet” and “Cactus Jack” signatures. The Cactus Jack logo, which appears in the centre of the oscillating weight, brings the final touch to this collaboration at the crossroads of diverse universes.
Cactus Jack takes over the Audemars Piguet New York Boutique as part of a new collaboration
After a few days of closure, the Audemars Piguet boutique in New York reopened this morning with a surprising new look following the takeover by Cactus Jack that imposed its aesthetic codes on the interior and exterior. The occasion for the brand and label founded by Travis Scott and the Manufacture to reveal their new collaboration. Guests of both brands were able to preview the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar “Cactus Jack” Limited Edition, as well as an exclusive collection of clothing and accessories that will be sold exclusively on the Travis Scott website, with part of the proceeds going to a charity project or cause of Scott’s choice.
An exclusive, limited collection
As part of their collaboration, Cactus Jack and Audemars Piguet are happy to reveal the new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked limited edition crafted in “chocolate” brown ceramic. For the occasion, the two brands also worked on a collection of clothing and accessories, including hoodies, T-shirts, jackets, pyjamas, shorts and caps, among others, sold exclusively online via shop.travisscott.com.
A part of the profits from the sale of this collection will be donated to a charity project or cause of Travis Scott’s choice.
“Seek Beyond.”
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked “Cactus Jack” Limited Edition Technical Specifications
Ref. 26585CM.OO.D301VE.01
Functions
- Perpetual calendar with week indication, day, date, astronomical moon, month, leap year,
- Hours and minutes.
Movement
- Selfwinding Calibre 5135
- Total diameter: 29 mm (12 ¾ lignes)
- Total thickness: 4.5 mm
- Number of parts: 374
- Number of jewels: 38
- Minimum power reserve guaranteed: 40 h
- Frequency of balance wheel: 2.75 Hz (19,800 vibrations/hour)
Case
- Case, bezel and screw-locked crown in brown ceramic,
- Brown ceramic and glare-proofed sapphire caseback,
- Glare-proofed sapphire crystal,
- Water resistant to 20 m.
- Case thickness: 9.9 mm
Dial
- Sapphire dial, subdials with pink gold frame and calendar indications with luminescent coating glowing green in the dark
- Number 31 in the counter at 3 o’clock turning blue at night
- Applied gold hour-markers and Royal Oak hands endowed with brown PVD and luminescent coating turning blue in the dark, brown inner bezel.
Strap
- Brown calfskin leather strap with textured jeans effect, pink gold folding clasp engraved with the double “Audemars Piguet” and “Travis Scott” signatures.
About Audemars Piguet
Audemars Piguet is the oldest fine watchmaking manufacturer still in the hands of its founding families (Audemars and Piguet). Based in Le Brassus since 1875, the company has nurtured generations of talented craftspeople who have continuously developed new skills and techniques, broadening their savoir-faire to set rule-breaking trends. In the Vallée de Joux, at the heart of the Swiss Jura, Audemars Piguet has created numerous masterpieces, testament to the Manufacture’s ancestral savoir-faire and forward-thinking spirit. By pushing the boundaries of what is possible and building bridges between different creative worlds, Audemars Piguet has been able to explore new horizons and build an inspired community. Seek Beyond. — www.audemarspiguet.com
About Cactus Jack Records
Cactus Jack Records, founded by the multi-talented artist and visionary, Travis Scott, stands as a pioneering force in the ever-evolving landscape of the music industry. Established with a commitment to innovation, authenticity, and artistic freedom, Cactus Jack Records has rapidly become a powerhouse in the realm of music, merchandising, marketing, and creative collaborations. — www.travisscott.com