Audemars Piguet’s 41mm Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar is getting a drаmаtic makeover, thanks to Travis Scott and a huge partnership that was announced on Thursday. The watch is eye-catching, done up in ceramic with stylized writing and a matching strap in chocolate brown; yet, it pales in comparison to the rapper’s own limited edition: This week, he was seen wearing a one-of-a-kind piece that had a stunning “rainbow” bezel set with 32 sapphires of varying colors.
Both versions have a textured calfskin strap and an openworked, automatic Calibre 5135 movement, but Scott’s unique color mix makes it stand out. (Who knew that brown and rainbow would be such a great combination?!) As François-Henry Bennahmias, CEO of AP, prepares to step down after building the company into a multi-billiоn dollar behemoth, this alliance feels more natural than most in the watch industry. Indeed, AP is the most referenced hip-hop watch for a reason.
The watch, which is basically a modified version of a production model, is the latest example of how high-end watch makers are subtly breаking away from the traditional Swiss paradigm and into the pop-culture sphere. The new collaboration (and Scott’s rainbow version of it) has a hand-drawn font created by Scott himself, making use of a cool, chocolate brown ceramic—a first for AP and a nod to one of Cactus Jack’s hallmark colors—instead of the more conservative typeface seen in the regular production model. Cactus Jack’s smiley face emblem with “sewn” eyes and lips has replaced the lunar orbs, as can be seen if you examine the moon phase indicator above 6 o’clock in fine detail.
Perhaps you’re familiar with Patek’s hand-drawn typography from their weekly calendar watch a few years ago or with Rolex’s contentious emoji and “Celebration” dial watches from this year. Not everyone is putting Spider-Man on a tourbillon-equipped concept watch and charging $215,000 for it, but AP has been leading the way when it comes to high-touch, left-of-center watches for quite some time. Among the three most illustrious names in the world of timepieces—Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin—AP has the most profound impact on popular culture.
That doesn’t meаn we don’t think Patek and Vacheron produce some of the world’s most illustrious timepieces. In the 1990s and 2000s, the maison based in La Brassus started partnering with musicians, actors, and sports, spreading the gospel of great watchmaking far and wide. People like Scott, who were too young to remember the Quartz Crisis, and milliоns of others have become familiar with the Swiss maison thanks to the brand’s collaborations with artists like Jay-Z (beginning in 2005) and Mark Ronson (a British producer).