Travis Scott's "Chocolate AP" Revolutionizes The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Collection
5 min read
When Swiss luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet joins creative forces with an icon of contemporary music culture, the results are sure to be groundbreaking. This proves true in their latest collaboration - a striking limited edition Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar watch created together with hip hop powerhouse Travis Scott and his label Cactus Jack. For Scott and his fans, the new timepiece has already earned the nickname “the Chocolate AP.”
Audemars Piguet has never shied away from bridging watchmaking with sports, entertainment, and the arts through bold collaborations with personalities like Jay-Z and LeBron James. These partnerships serve both to experiment with novel designs as well as connect with fresh audiences beyond classic watch-collecting circles. In teaming up with Travis Scott, whose aesthetic codes merge dark yet playful vibes with standout graphics, Audemars Piguet has conceived its most contemporary Royal Oak creation yet.
The most eye-catching aspect of the new watch is undoubtedly the brown ceramic case and bracelet studs, a first for Audemars Piguet. Achieving a uniform chocolate color throughout the ceramic required meticulous sintering and polishing to perfection. The rich brown color pops against the open-worked dial which provides a window onto the self-winding perpetual calendar Caliber 5135 movement.
True to Cactus Jack's bold and youthful style, the watch features colorful luminescent accents that glow blue or green in low light. The brand's smiling logo with crossed-out eyes replaces the moon phase indicator at 6 o'clock. The calendar fonts were specially designed to match Travis Scott's handwriting while the day hand echoes the Cactus Jack emblem. Even the oscillating weight rotor is customized with Cactus Jack engraved signatures.
A Distinctly Contemporary Royal Oak Design
At the heart of this collaborative piece lies the Royal Oak, Audemars Piguet’s breakthrough luxury sports watch that turned heads back in 1972. Nearly 50 years later, the watchmaker is still reimagining their revolutionary Gérald Genta design and inspiring awe amongst watch aficionados. In this instance, Scott's daring creative imprint transforms the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar into uncharted territory with a slew of elements referencing his label’s distinctive codes.
Quintessential Cactus Jack Without Compromise
Aptly dubbed “Utopia is a state of mind,” this 200-piece limited edition also carries over quintessential Cactus Jack calling cards. The perpetual calendar's typeface matches Scott's signature style, while the day indicator's hand mirrors Cactus Jack’s logo. Most prominently placed is the brand's famed crossed smiley face replacing the moonphase disc, glowing an otherworldly blue. Even the movement was not overlooked, with "Cactus Jack" joining Audemars Piguet's signatures on the engraved gold rotor. Equal parts watchmaking work of art and celebrity creative vision, this boundary-breaking chocolate AP undoubtedly marks a new epoch for the Royal Oak.
