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All articles featuring the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept

Royal Oak Concept 

Introducing Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spider-Man”

Anne-Gaëlle Quinet On The Importance Of Ergonomy In High Complications

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date

12 Watches To Wear In The Year Of The Rabbit

20 Years Of The Royal Oak Concept

Launched almost a decade after the Concept’s debut, this GMT Tourbillon marks an important milestone in the evolution of Audemars Piguet’s most experimental collection
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When AP launched the ‘Concept’ in 2002, it was received as a somewhat controversial quantity — hardly a new sensation for a brand that’s been in the business of upsetting status quos since 1972. Dubbed the CW1 (‘Concept Watch 1’), this first prototypical design posited the question of what the Royal Oak’s creators could make if they <a href="https://timeandtidewatches.com/depth-rebellion-meets-technology-history-audemars-piguet-royal-oak-concept/">“unapologetically [embraced] futurism, postmodernism, escapism”</a> and were emancipated from the aesthetic conventions of the industry. The answer appeared more than a little cyberpunk: combining a hulking 44mm case profile (machined out of cobalt alloy) with a variety of performance-enhancing gadgetry. Notably: a dynamographe for measuring mainspring torque; and a tourbillon affixed with serpentine bridgework in spark-eroded titanium. More Blade Runner than Le Brassus.&nbsp;

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<img alt="Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="451d1bf9-2843-4d14-bba2-822c76b08dbf" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/45/593A4901_0.jpg" width="1568" />

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

<h3>Halfway between history and the present day</h3>

In the 19 years since, the brand’s watchmakers have worked to clarify the CW1’s design, each subsequent iteration bringing it closer and closer to the Concept super-watches that we all recognise today. Around the halfway point through the collection’s (ongoing) lifecycle, the brand released the Ref. 26560IO: representing, to my mind, the earliest incarnation of the current Royal Oak Concept.

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<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon ref. 26560IO" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7097babc-eec7-4f32-bed2-d11276f902e5" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/45/593A4882.jpeg" width="1568" />
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Held alongside the <a href="https://wristcheck.com/discover/watch-drop/the-audemars-piguet-royal-oak-concept-'black-panther'">Flying Tourbillons of this generation</a>, this 26560 certainly feels like a progenitor in the same bloodline — down to the case’s homogenised, Lambo-esque surfaces and the almost architectural way in which openworking appears throughout the dial.

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<img alt="Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="68b5283f-c87b-419d-80d0-10e19f866106" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/45/593A4892_0.jpg" width="1568" />

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Released in 2011, this particular Royal Oak Concept was among the first to incorporate a GMT — a complication that’s now widely thought to be an indispensable part of the collection’s appeal. Although noticeably less elaborate than what you’ll find in the Flying T models released since 2018, this layout (consisting of a covered hour disc, straight-grained titanium bridge and pointer) set the tone for how secondary timezones would be executed inside the Concept lineup — intuitively, novelly, legibly.&nbsp;

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<img alt="Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9d217f5e-d24f-46d2-be50-237e94071643" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/45/593A4871.jpg" width="1568" />

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

<h3>Symmetry, symmetry, symmetry</h3>

<img alt="Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="164f0948-d750-4cc1-9c1c-e1375e27dbb4" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/45/593A0573.jpg" width="1568" />

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The watch’s ‘architectural’ personality is the result of very deliberate design and engineering solutions — dissolving the traditional barrier between dial, movement, and the case’s peripheral elements. I’m of the view that this is one of the very first Concept references to successfully realise the appeal of visual symmetry; and you can see that (most impactfully) in the way that the openworking on the dial mirrors the layout on the caseback.

&nbsp;

<img alt="Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="46a00dbd-f3fb-4c1f-a124-1d9942db9dda" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/45/593A4910_0.jpg" width="1568" />

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A highly complementary colour scheme also adds to the watch’s feeling of seamlessness; and here, AP have opted to inject character into the various monochrome shades by employing different kinds of texture. The flanks and lugs exhibit fine bead-blasted surfaces; and these in turn offer a pleasing dichotomy to those elements that were machined out of ceramic. (In the finely grained satin polish of the bezel, you can already detect traces of the finishing that will come to typify the ceramic Royal Oaks AP would go on to make some six years later.)

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<img alt="Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="968f8bba-6c17-4de4-b4b1-7210b324f305" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/45/593A4874.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a1431b46-e5b7-44c7-a3af-e047b6b6f11f" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/45/593A4876.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8ea25910-d263-4e0d-9236-d1d87d2b523c" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/45/593A4922.jpg" width="1568" />

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Much like the most memorable references released early on by fellow ‘superwatch’ maker Richard Mille, the 26560’s resounding achievement rests in how it manages to make the complex appear simple. Honestly, I can think of no more than a handful of other watch designs that have been able to incorporate not a single but multiple complications without any aesthetic compromise; and it’s clear, in 2021, that the central tenets of this language (i.e. dramatic case geometries, mechanical symmetry, material innovation) remain thriving and alive.

&nbsp;

<img alt="Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cfcd4814-dae4-43a4-a803-d10e11e8cb57" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/45/593A4903_0.jpg" width="1568" />

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<h3>Specifications</h3>

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon&nbsp; 
Reference number: 26560IO.OO.D002CA.01&nbsp;

Case size: 44mm 
Thickness: 16.1mm 
Material: Titanium case, ceramic bezel 
Crystal: Sapphire 
Water-resistance: 100m

Movement: Calibre 2913 
Functions: Tourbillon, GMT with 24hr indications, function selector, hours, minutes 
Winding: Hand-wound 
Frequency: 21,600 vph / 3 Hz 
Power reserve: 237 hours 
Strap: Black rubber, titanium AP deployant clasp

This piece is available on <a href="https://wristcheck.com/buy/audemars-piguet/royal-oak-concept-gmt-tourbillon-w00130lukap000">Wristcheck</a>.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon ref. 26560IO

Straight outta Shuri’s laboratory, a flying tourbillon worthy of Wakanda’s King — and we’ve got the pics to prove it
It would appear that even Le Brassus’ frosty alpine reaches aren’t beyond the pull of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (‘MCU’). And you know what they say: “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em”. Mere weeks after announcing its long-term partnership with <a href="https://www.marvel.com/">Marvel Entertainment</a>, Audemars Piguet appears to be embracing that adage with vigour, as the first edition of the ‘heroes watch series’ smash-lands its way into boutiques. Yes, technically this release comes to us from Le Brassus, and yet it pulsates with the unmistakable, fantastical energy of Wakanda — home to the fictional resource vibranium and superhero Black Panther.&nbsp;
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The first in a planned series of Marvel hero tie-ins, the ‘Black Panther’ infuses the DNA of AP’s radical, complicated Concept collection with the power of vibranium" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1252785-aa96-48ea-8c06-519b6abaed6a" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/26/593A2592%2520%25281%2529.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept ‘Black Panther’ on the wrist." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a5c143e8-fc6c-4d41-a7b6-42e19a4fe557" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/26/DO01190859.jpg" width="1568" />
Despite early rumours that the watch community would be getting an Offshore inspired by War Machine (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMujfZChY00/">Don Cheadle, the actor who plays that character, was reportedly instrumental in cementing the AP-Marvel connection</a>) that Black Panther was chosen as the frontrunner for this new series of superhero tie-ins makes a lot of thematic sense. Within the lore of the MCU, Wakanda is a realm of extreme remoteness and beauty; its mysterious aura matched only by rumours of advanced technology bordering on the supernatural. Granted, Le Brassus isn’t that far removed from our world (as far as I know, AP’s watchmakers don’t commute by hovertrain) but the parallels being drawn here are fairly self-explanatory. Moreover they speak to AP’s willingness as a brand to think holistically, as this new limited edition “[goes] beyond haute horlogerie for inspiration, notably in the realms of pop culture and the entertainment industry”. To purists obsessed with the sanctity of Switzerland’s watchmaking tradition that might seem like pandering, but equally, it reads as the logical next step in AP’s rapport with the entertainment biz — a relationship <a href="https://www.lifestyleasia.com/hk/style/watches/how-to-succeed-francois-henry-bennahmias-ceo-of-audemars-piguet/">CEO François-Henry Bennahmias</a> has been passionate about since day one.

<h3>Form language: Cutting edge material in service of a futuristic aesthetic</h3>
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="Through its juxtaposition of ceramic with various titanium executions, the ‘Black Panther’ Concept is a fresh twist on the traditional conception of two-tone.&amp;nbsp;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9e14cc2f-75ae-4082-9010-1a3753342e05" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/26/593A2491.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The 42mm case also falls within the middle ground of the collection, opening these watches up to wear with a broader audience." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ec811b79-3e33-4f7e-be5d-e6224654b76c" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/26/DO01190853.jpg" width="1568" />
Evoking the sharp lines and unique texture of Black Panther’s suit (the ‘Panther Habit’), the Concept ‘Black Panther’ is encased in 42mm of sandblasted titanium. This marks the first time AP have ever made a Concept in such a moderate size, with the eponymous collection previously consisting of pieces measuring either 44mm or 38.5mm. For East Asian buyers — we’ve got thin wrists, as a generalisation — this is an important takeaway, improving significantly on the Concept’s promise as a daily wearer.
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The lugs of the ‘Black Panther’ are clad in brushed, chamfered titanium inserts, and play into the timepiece’s overarching ‘armoured’ aesthetic." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="67773cf4-69ba-411f-b7b9-795563e6271f" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/26/593A2378%2520%25281%2529.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="Side profile of the&amp;nbsp;Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept ‘Black Panther’, showcasing its ceramic crown and titanium crowd guards." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b57dfa75-d2d6-464d-a20c-e8a58640515d" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/26/593A2679%2520%25282%2529.jpg" width="1568" /><img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="Side profile of the&amp;nbsp;Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept ‘Black Panther’." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="859c6944-e332-47a5-853e-d9a7ab475071" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/26/593A2687%2520%25282%2529.jpg" width="1568" />
The sandblasted case-work is juxtaposed by four titanium inserts (one for each lug) that have been chamfered and satin-brushed — recalling the groove-like recesses in so many versions of the Panther Habit. This textural variety is emphasised by the inclusion of ceramic, a material that AP has won countless plaudits for its work with, present here in the octagonal crown and bezel.&nbsp;

<h3>Off the page and onto the dial</h3>
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The dial of this Concept is as much about beauty as it is brawn, bringing together a splashy rendering of the hero Black Panther, in addition to an exposed barrel and tourbillon cage." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="89d47968-051e-492e-8ce8-25f740a97d1f" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/26/593A2317.jpg" width="1568" />
As with prior iterations in the Concept family, at the heart of the ‘Black Panther’ is a rather high-level execution of the ‘flying’ tourbillon. (An offshoot of the conventional tourbillon, so-called because it’s mounted using a single bridge, which in turn allows the wearer an uninterrupted view of the exposed tourbillon cage.) This construction method imparts a uniquely 3D effect — all the more so when viewed alongside the watch’s barrel (also partially exposed) and the dial-spanning depiction of Black Panther. Evoking the style of a splash panel, a total of 30 hours’ work per dial is necessary to bring each artistic rendering of Wakanda’s protector to life.
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="An impressive 30 hours is required to etch, engrave and paint the finished version of the Black Panther design. One particularly difficult aspect of this process is the painting of the eyes — a process that’s performed entirely by hand." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="919438dc-038f-4570-a73a-d0c066f86ca9" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/26/593A2332.jpg" width="1568" />
I don’t want to underplay the insane difficulty curve that comes with producing a reliable, functional, aesthetically pleasing tourbillon but since there are only so many hours per day, let’s turn our attention to the Black Panther design. As it turns out, the process of portraying the character’s likeness on-dial shares some similarity (albeit of the spiritual variety) with the work carried out by colourisers and line artists. The silhouette is initially traced into a white gold disc with the aid of CNC machinery. The disc is then flipped, and numerous spaces cut into the reverse, so elements of the movement’s gear train can be integrated below. That basic outline is then embellished with a combination of laser carving and hand-engravature — both essential for myriad character details that include claws, musculature, and even facial expressions.&nbsp;

<img alt="Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a69730f8-fcdc-445d-bdc9-34d23eee4a80" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/26/593A2357.jpg" width="1568" />
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="In response to variable lighting conditions, the Black Panther dial motif can range from arctic grey to a tinge of inky black cast halfway into shadow." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0c23a520-031a-4fdf-999a-09bcb1389f14" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/26/593A2625.jpg" width="1568" />
The final and all-important colouring stage is carried out by a single specialist, who applies consecutive layers of diluted paint in order to obtain the unique, partially shadowed effect that can be seen throughout the body of the character model. Additionally, a number of white gold details are intentionally left untouched, helping to capture the Panther Habit’s metallic surfaces and playing into the watch’s overarching tone-on-tone aesthetic.&nbsp;

<h3>Old tech, new tech</h3>
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="In the idiosyncratic vein of the Concept line, the calibre 2965 powering this release features four bridges set in a striking geometric configuration. This symmetry is punctuated by the tourbillon and partially exposed gear train -- visible from either side of the timepiece." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="83704e27-40ca-4ee3-a2d6-5da1669dfe9a" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/26/593A2414.jpg" width="1568" />
The ‘Black Panther’ is powered by the calibre 2965 — the latest evolution of the prototypical flying tourbillon Concept movement. The quintessential ambassador of this collection’s ‘hi-tech but make it haute horlogerie’ brief, it reimagines a classic complication (from the field of heritage watchmaking) with all the bleeding edge tools at AP’s disposal.
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The bridges of the calibre 2965 are treated with a mixture of black and grey PVD coatings, bringing to mind imagery of the earth cracking under the force of kinetic energy bursts." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="954aadcc-1790-4d32-bd1a-48c9e973e636" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/26/593A2432%2520%25281%2529.jpg" width="1568" />
Through the caseback, the bridges are arrayed in a striking, starship-esque geometry; and each has been treated with a mixture of black and grey PVD coatings — real-life action bubbles drawn around the visual centrepiece that is the tourbillon/gear train combo. Possessing a colour palette drawn mostly from slate and anthracite, a few accents in purple glimmer from within the movement’s architecture. (MCU fans might recognise this as an abstract reference to the distinct purplish tint of the Panther Habit, when being charged with ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgX_StgXGF0">kinetic energy</a>’.) That colour motif is enthusiastically continued through the inner bezel — sandblasted and engraved with the words “Limited Edition of 250 Pieces” — and strap, outfitted with AP’s signature titanium deployant clasp.&nbsp;

<img alt="Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="805c27c9-0ae2-47c6-a5af-ff207cf97e78" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/26/593A2316%252520%2525281%252529.jpg" width="1568" />
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="The ‘Black Panther’ comes equipped on AP’s signature rubber strap with titanium deployant, in a vibrant shade of purple matched to the watch’s inner bezel. An additional rubber strap in black is also included." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2cda93f7-aad9-4df9-8c25-9449932467c6" data-image-style="blog_inline_image" height="1046" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/26/593A2547.jpg" width="1568" />
<h3>Specifications</h3>

Watch name: Audemars Piguet&nbsp;Royal Oak Concept “Black Panther” Flying Tourbillon 
Reference number:&nbsp;26620IO.OO.D077CA.01

Case size:&nbsp;42 mm 
Thickness: 14.6 mm 
Material:&nbsp;Sandblasted titanium case with satin-brushed titanium inserts, black ceramic bezel and crown 
Crystal: Glareproofed sapphire crystal and caseback 
Water-resistance:&nbsp;50m

Movement:&nbsp;Calibre 2965 
Functions:&nbsp;Flying Tourbillon, hours and minutes 
Winding:&nbsp;Selfwinding 
Frequency:&nbsp;3 Hz (21,600 vibrations/hour) 
Power reserve:&nbsp;72 hours 
Strap:&nbsp;Purple rubber strap with titanium AP folding clasp. Additional black rubber strap.

Availability:&nbsp;Limited edition of&nbsp;250 pieces 
Price:&nbsp;CHF 150,000 (HKD $1,274,896)

To learn more, visit <a href="https://www.audemarspiguet.com/com/en/home.html">Audemars Piguet online</a>.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept ‘Black Panther’

What happens when a watchmaker pushes the boundaries to celebrate the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time? This. The AP Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher happens
<h3>Motorsport and Watches</h3>

Ever since the proliferation of partnerships between brands in the watchmaking and motorsports industries in the 1960s, customers worldwide have been graced with wonderfully functional chronographs that are still icons to this day. At the mere mention of these industries in the one sentence, you may already have pictures of Rolex Daytonas, Heuer Monacos and several other watches scrambling through your mind. You see, the link between these two industries requires virtually no introduction. Each has had a long-lasting impact on one another and will continue to forge on as allies for a long time to come.&nbsp;

While it is easy, and increasingly common, for brands to cash in on this rich heritage using throwback designs, historical movements and nostalgic imagery, it is another story to flip the script and create something truly revolutionary. This is where Audemars Piguet comes in and does exactly that, with their Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher ref. 26221FT.&nbsp;
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="Front view of the&amp;nbsp;Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher ref. 26221FT" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2409d00e-ae6c-465a-a456-e3132638136c" data-image-style="" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/21/593A4919.jpg" />
<h3>Racing Credentials</h3>

Having been partnered with some of the great race drivers like Pablo Montoya and Rubens Barrichello II, it was no surprise when AP announced their partnership with Michael Schumacher in 2010. Already established as one of the greatest drivers ever, it was a match made in heaven given his and AP's credentials in their respective fields. However, unfortunately, Michael was the victim of a freak skiing accident in December 2013 that left him in a medically induced coma, and which he is still recovering from.

<img alt="Wristcheck" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f3554b97-4a9f-493c-a900-f7d9fe4be9af" data-image-style="" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/21/593A4923.jpg" />

As with the ruthless nature of business, Michael's commercial sponsors recoiled from their positions over the months following the accident due to his condition, except for one – Audemars Piguet. Thankfully, with the blessing of Michael's family, AP designed and released a watch in 2015 to celebrate their association with the all-time great, giving us the Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher – arguably the ultimate chronograph.

<h3>The Concept's Concept</h3>

Before we try to understand just how incredible this watch is, I should explain that the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept collection is not for the faint-hearted. Released in 2002 for the Royal Oak's 30th anniversary, the Concept collection exists to push just about every horological boundary that stands in conventional watchmaking. Combining the most cutting-edge movement technologies with practically space-age engineering and material science, the Concept collection is effectively Audemars Piguet's vehicle to showcase what their impressive R&amp;D division has been up to. In essence, the collection acts on the same premise as concept cars in the automotive industry, ironically enough.&nbsp;
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="Brand details on the buckle" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="52d07784-5984-49c3-b1b6-9fc66426c7fe" data-image-style="" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/21/593A4904.jpg" />
<h3>The Watch Itself</h3>

As mentioned, the Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher ref. 26221FT is arguably the ultimate chronograph, in terms of both mechanics and aesthetics. Starting with what we can see, the Laptimer comes in a forged carbon case with a glare-proof sapphire crystal in both&nbsp;its dial and in its titanium caseback.&nbsp;
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="Dial of the&amp;nbsp;Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher ref. 26221FT" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e2737f06-ca8e-445a-bb25-ec7b4d41bb20" data-image-style="" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/21/593A4867.jpg" />
Featuring the octagonal bezel that ties every Royal Oak together in titanium, the Laptimer's aesthetic is dominated by the blend of dark materials that fill its unique profile – until you spot the subtle hint of gold from the side. Standing as a celebration of Michael's career, the Laptimer's pushers and crown are constructed of 18ct pink gold. A tribute to Michael's heritage as one of the greatest in the business, this classy hint of gold evokes fittingly royal imagery without hindering the utilitarian design behind the Laptimer.
<img alt="Wrischeck" data-caption="Gold details on&amp;nbsp;the&amp;nbsp;Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher ref. 26221FT" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b95b1e18-d941-4602-89ef-d052e8c5f738" data-image-style="" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/21/593A4898%2520%25281%2529.jpg" />
<h3>What Makes it Special</h3>

While the story behind the Laptimer, and what it signifies, certainly makes it a special watch in its own right, it would be unlike Audemars Piguet to forgo giving a piece like the Laptimer a truly special movement. Proudly on display behind an openworked black dial, the Laptimer features the incredible AP calibre 2923 movement.
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="Caseback/movement of the&amp;nbsp;Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher ref. 26221FT" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ea428c6e-1f66-41b9-b914-0f120cb56f8b" data-image-style="" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/21/593A4877.jpg" />
Fitted with its eponymous laptimer function, the cal. 2923 has a patent on its design thanks to its use of not one, not two, but three column wheels – two of which drive the laptimer complication. An incredibly complicated upgrade to the already complicated split-second chronograph, the laptimer complication can be operated via the pushers at two o'clock, four o'clock and nine o'clock. When one of the two chronograph hands are stopped, say at the end of a lap; the other resets and restarts immediately, allowing you to time consecutive laps.
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="More caseback details of the&amp;nbsp;Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher ref. 26221FT" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="661651c9-a9cd-410f-acef-bcc75867ec70" data-image-style="" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/21/593A4882.jpg" />
Aside from that, the Laptimer can be used as a conventional split-second chronograph for those times you aren't racing around the track and just need to record two separate events that start at the same time. With only its running seconds subdial at nine o'clock and 30-minute register at three o'clock, the Laptimer's openworked dial is a clean and legible piece of design that tops off an otherwise out of this world timepiece.&nbsp;
<img alt="Wristcheck" data-caption="Dial Macro Shot of the&amp;nbsp;Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher ref. 26221FT" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7dd9afc3-1666-4fe4-9aea-1afd86064e80" data-image-style="" src="https://wc-strapi.s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/article_import/images/21/593A4868%2520%25281%2529.jpg" />
<h3>Incredibly Cool and Hard to Get</h3>

Much like all cool things, the Laptimer is not exactly an easy watch to get. Given it was a limited edition of 221 pieces, symbolising the number of F1 World Championship point-winning races Michael has under his belt, the Laptimer is as exclusive as it is incredible. With it representing AP's and Michael's collaborative efforts, the Laptimer is an astonishing testament to the longstanding tradition of the amalgamation of motorsport and our beloved horology.

<h3>Specifications</h3>

Watch name:&nbsp;Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher ref. 26221FT 
Reference number:&nbsp;26221FT.OO.D002CA.01

Case size:&nbsp;44&nbsp;mm 
Thickness:&nbsp;19.3&nbsp;mm 
Material:&nbsp;Forged Carbon 
Crystal: Glareproofed sapphire crystal 
Water-resistance:&nbsp;50 m

Movement: Calibre&nbsp;2923 
Functions:&nbsp;Laptimer chronograph with double central second hands, flyback, 30 minutes counter, small seconds, hours and minutes 
Winding:&nbsp;Hand-Wound 
Frequency:&nbsp;4 hz 28800 vph 
Power reserve:&nbsp;80 h 
Strap:&nbsp;Black rubber strap with titanium AP folding clasp

Availability:&nbsp;Limited edition of&nbsp;221

This piece is available for purchase on Wristcheck. <a href="https://wristcheck.com/buy/audemars-piguet/royal-oak-concept-laptimer-limited-edition-w00014hofap000">Click to view.</a>