002 was a milestone year for the brand from Le Brassus. To celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the Royal Oak (1972), Audemars Piguet introduced a groundbreaking new model that would set the direction for the collection’s future.

In a 2002 issue of Europa Star, the Royal Oak Concept was featured in Editor’s Choice – The Best of the Fairs, which spotlighted the seven most significant watches of the year. This recognition highlighted the fact that the Concept was not just a new release but a bold reimagining of the Royal Oak. Much like how a concept car offers a fresh perspective on automotive design and technology, the Royal Oak Concept presented an innovative interpretation of the iconic timepiece.

©Archives Europa Star 2002

It marked a significant milestone in 21^st-century Haute Horlogerie, establishing a new aesthetic direction for the era. This watch provided a platform to rethink and experiment with high-end watchmaking, blending advanced technologies with ancestral craftsmanship.

Much like how a concept car offers a fresh perspective on automotive design and technology, the Royal Oak Concept presented an innovative interpretation of the iconic timepiece.

To understand its impact, let’s explore the context of the early 21^st-century watch industry. The 1990s had seen a revival of traditional watchmaking and high complications, while the early 2000s were marked by both growth and significant challenges. The 2002 Royal Oak Concept was launched at a pivotal moment, when technology and creativity were driving change across all industries. Positioned at the intersection of these forces, the Concept pushed the boundaries of what was possible in watchmaking.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept, 2002

For over three decades, the Royal Oak had been the cornerstone of the Audemars Piguet brand, available in a range of sizes, materials and complications while staying true to Gérald Genta’s original design. Although the Royal Oak Offshore (1993) had attracted a younger generation of enthusiasts, 30 years later, the brand recognised the need for another bold move.

In fact, in an interview with Europa Star in 2002, CEO Georges-Henri Meylan said: “We have, I believe, greatly succeeded in strengthening our image thanks to the presentation of the Royal Oak Concept Watch. In the opinion of all the observers, this timepiece probably marks the debut of a modern new era for Haute Horlogerie. The 150 copies of this exceptional timekeeper, which we will produce in three years, have all been reserved. Even at 240,000 CHF a piece, the most exclusive retailers around the world were fighting over who would get to sell them.”

©Archives Europa Star 2002

A new departure

As its name suggests, the Concept was a genuine innovation lab for Audemars Piguet. Inspired by the automotive industry’s concept cars, typically showcased at major fairs to set future design trends and test new ideas, the Royal Oak Concept adopted a similar approach, becoming a platform for technical innovation, new materials and disruptive design ideas. The key difference? You could actually buy one of the 150 limited edition pieces – if you were lucky enough, and if you had a quarter of a million in the bank.

The 2002 Europa Star description of the watch says it all: “The Royal Oak Concept, inspired by the original model, has a design that is resolutely futuristic. It offers more than just a new look. The Royal Oak Concept also features a high degree of aesthetic and technical coherence.”

©Archives Europa Star 2002

What is the Royal Oak Concept, and why is it so special?

Unusually for the time, the Royal Oak Concept was the result of a close collaboration among several ateliers at Audemars Piguet: the Movement Department, Testing Unit, Design Center, and Research and Development unit worked together to create this futuristic Royal Oak.

The movement

At the heart of the Concept lies the hand-wound calibre 2896, a masterpiece of technological innovation and traditional finishing. It was crafted by Renaud & Papi, two brilliant former watchmakers from Audemars Piguet who founded their own workshop in 1984 to innovate in the field of complications. They brought to life daring ideas from visionaries like Richard Mille and other prestigious brands, Audemars Piguet included.

In 2000, Audemars Piguet acquired a majority stake in the workshop, fuelling a wave of bold creations. The technically ambitious calibre 2896 was one of them. Indeed, the movement was designed to double as the dial, a challenging feat that showcased every finish to the wearer. Each detail had to be both refined and aesthetically flawless.

The movement was designed to double as the dial, a challenging feat that showcased every finish to the wearer. Each detail had to be both refined and aesthetically flawless.

The mechanism itself was also fiendishly complex. The movement features a traditional tourbillon with a shock absorbency system capable of withstanding forces up to 50 G. The main plate and bridges are crafted from titanium. The Concept also boasts a dynamograph, displaying the force applied by the mainspring, along with a linear power reserve indicator – a first in 2002 – which displays not hours but rather the number of turns the barrel makes, offering roughly 72 hours of power reserve.

A sportscar-like pusher at 4 o’clock allows switching between three modes: R for ‘remonter’ (rewind), N for ‘neutre’ (neutral), and H for ‘heure’ (hour setting). This design means the crown only needs unscrewing, not pulling or pushing, thus enhancing water resistance.

©Archives Europa Star 2004

The case

The familiar Royal Oak design is evident in the octagonal bezel and angular case. The bezel is titanium, while the case is made from Alacrite 602, a material used in aerospace applications, making its watchmaking debut with this model. This super-alloy, consisting of 57% cobalt, 31% chrome, 5% tungsten and small amounts of carbon, silicon, and iron, is twice as strong as steel. Additionally, the screw-down crown design makes the watch fully waterproof up to 500 metres.

The duality

Exploring the pages of the 2002 edition of Europa Star reveals some hidden gems, notably an in-depth article titled “Audemars Piguet: Tradition & Concept”. This piece highlights the significance of the Royal Oak Concept watch and the context in which the brand operated at that time.

©Archives Europa Star 2002

Following editor-in-chief Pierre Maillard through the doors of the Le Brassus manufacture, the article offers an insight into the balance between Audemars Piguet’s commitment to traditional watchmaking and its forward-looking and innovative projects like the Royal Oak Concept.

While this could have been perceived as a dichotomy, these two approaches are truly complementary. Perpetuating tradition without projecting into the future would be a futile endeavor. This vision continues to define Audemars Piguet today, with the Royal Oak Concept being the quintessential example of this philosophy.

The same article from 2002 notes that out of the 450 employees at Audemars Piguet, 250 were watchmakers – 40% of the workforce. Most were young, demonstrating a commitment to preserving watchmaking skills while embracing new ideas and harnessing their youthful inspiration.

The 2002 Concept was initially intended as a one-off, but its success propelled the story further. The path drawn at the beginning of the 21^st century paved the way for a new interpretation in 2008, code-named CCW1, more commonly known as the Royal Oak Carbon Concept Tourbillon and Chronograph.

The 2002 Concept was initially intended as a one-off, but its success propelled the story further.

A constant search for new materials

The 2002 article also provides some insights into the use, research and development of carbon fibre. This experimentation took form in 2008 when Audemars Piguet introduced this new model (Model 26265FO) to the public, launching the Royal Oak Concept as a distinct and standalone collection. As the name suggests, the case, bridges and mainplate are made of forged carbon (a rarity in 2008), while the bezel and crown are crafted in black ceramic. Although visually similar to the 2002 model, the design is even more modern and futuristic.

The tourbillon, 3-mode pushers at 4 o’clock and power reserve indicator have been enhanced, but that’s not all; the 2895 calibre, with its 384 components, adds new features. The power reserve indicator now standing in place of the dynamograph counts off an astonishing 237 hours, thanks to the movement’s twin-barrelled architecture. Additionally, the calibre includes a column wheel chronograph that displays minutes in a linear fashion on the right side of the dial.

Fast forward to 2011, and Audemars Piguet introduced another complication to the Concept: the GMT function. It maintains the overall shape and features of its predecessors while displaying a second time zone with two superimposed discs at 3 o’clock, adjusted in one-hour increments using the pusher located at 4 o’clock.

In 2014, Audemars Piguet released a white version instead of the black, highlighting the brand’s desire to explore nuances in materials and colour combinations.

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The supercar of watches

Each iteration introduces a new complication or innovative feature. Collaborations with Marvel or Tamara Ralph, impressive jewellery settings on smaller versions, flying tourbillons, split-seconds chronograph GMTs with large dates, and work with materials like green ceramic are just a few examples. We could go on, but three particularly important models stand out.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon, 2014

In 2015, the Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher was introduced in collaboration with the legendary racing driver. Despite his terrible accident in 2013, Schumacher had been working closely with the brand for several years to develop a watch he could use in his F1 car, featuring a lap timer function on a mechanical watch. Traditional lap timing uses multiple stopwatches or a split-seconds chronograph to measure intermediate times.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher streamlines this with a single chronograph and three pushers: one for starting/stopping, one for resetting, and a third for independently stopping one hand while restarting the other. This allows for efficient lap timing with one watch, or, alternatively, using one hand to record a lap time while the other resets for the next. This was a true collaboration, not just a commercial venture. Schumacher’s wife Corinna agreed to launch the watch to honour her husband’s dedication to the project.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher, 2015

In 2016, Audemars Piguet took a bold step with the Royal Oak Concept Supersonnerie, which evolved from the 2015 Concept RD#1. This groundbreaking watch introduced a minute repeater complication on a sports watch – a feat previously deemed impossible. After eight years of development and three patented acoustic innovations, the Supersonnerie came to life as an impressive and unique technology. The Supersonnerie was able to achieve a sound quality never heard before, surpassing that of traditional pocket watches. And to add to this already complicated function, the watch also featured a tourbillon and a chronograph, earning the Mechanical Exception award at the 2016 GPHG.

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2023 saw the introduction of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date, which further enhanced AP’s reputation in the world of complications. How so? Well, behind the dial sits the calibre 4407 that features a column wheel, vertical clutch and a zero-reset mechanism for precise and smooth operation.

At 8.92mm thick, the 4407 manages to integrate all these functions while adding just 3.1mm to the base 4401’s 6.8mm depth. Its sapphire caseback provides a mesmerising view of the split-seconds mechanism, which is seamlessly integrated into the central rotor’s ball bearing. At the heart of the platinum oscillating weight, the split-seconds wheel and its two actuating clamps command attention, anchored by an X-shaped bridge that secures the entire mechanism.

The 2023 model exemplifies the initial concept behind this remarkable collection. The ‘Concept’ has transformed from an idea into a genuine laboratory for Audemars Piguet, where new materials and complications are explored and creativity is brought to life. Over the years, it has matured into a distinguished collection with a legacy spanning 20 years.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept, 2002

Each Royal Oak Concept is fuelled by the same spirit as the 2002 model. It remains committed to the belief that in watchmaking, there are always new possibilities to explore and boundaries to push, all while maintaining an unwavering focus on what defines fine watchmaking: an inexhaustible attention to detail.

If the Royal Oak is the classic sports car, the Royal Oak Concept is the supercar.

What bold innovations is Audemars Piguet cooking up for the future? This collection is definitely one to keep an eye on, as it’s poised to redefine the landscape of watchmaking in the years to come. Get a first glimpse of the new 2024 model here!

The new 43 mm Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date model premieres the use of a brand-new coloured forged carbon. Using Chroma Forged Technology (CFT), this innovative deep black material offers a new aesthetic and provides unprecedented resistance to humidity, heat and shocks.

©Archives Europa Star 2024