LONDON, December 5, 2009 – An extremely rare Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Carbon Concept watch, which blends the latest carbon technology with an exclusive style, has arrived in the UK.
The Royal Oak Carbon Concept Tourbillon and Chronograph uses ultra-light and extremely strong forged carbon.
While this material is widely used in the aviation industry for large-sized components, Audemars Piguet is the first company to have adapted it to the diminutive size of watch parts, as well as to the aesthetic demands of Haute Horlogerie.
“Forged carbon is very strong, sturdy but lightweight,” said Paul Westwater of London luxury goods retailer William & Son, which stocks the watch, the only one available in the UK.
The mainplate is made of carbon and the central bridge from green eloxed aluminium.
The Royal Oak signature bezel is crafted in ceramics, as are the pushpieces and the crown.
“The ceramic bezel is eye-catching,” Westwater told Jewellery Outlook in an interview at William & Son’s shop in upscale Mayfair.
Housed within its futuristic “coachwork”, the timepiece combines a tourbillon, a chronograph and a twin-barrel system ensuring a 237-hour power reserve.
The watch, priced at 175,500 pounds including VAT, is likely to go to a collector, Westwater said.
“I would imagine it would go to someone who has 20-plus watches — perhaps someone who follows Audemars Piguet,” Westwater said.
