All the New Audemars Piguet Watches in 2024 (HD Photos)

Audemars Piguet has just opened the doors of its brand new AP House in the Italian capital, and in addition to showing off the elegant design and refined hospitality, AP has taken the opportunity to unveil their novelties. Keep reading to discover what the maison has in store.

John Mayer's Perfect QP Sends Off The Legendary Calibre 5134

Of course, the headline star of this lineup is none other than John Mayer. The man, the myth, the musician is arguably the most famous watch collector in the world, with the power to shift the market simply by changing what watch he wears. Mayer has dabbled in official design collaborations before, but none have had the calibre (in both the mechanical and cultural sense) of the new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar adorned with a “Crystal Sky” dial.

At the launch in Milan, Mayer explained that this project began almost by accident; “It started in a really authentic way, with me designing a piece unique — which was going to be a representation of everything I loved about the QP, and addressing the things that I would change. It's nice to change the colors, but if you can change the practical applications or functionality with a real understanding of why — then you've brought the piece to life in a different way. So I'd only ever wanted this to represent a piece unique for me, and when I sent it to François back in 2021, the most flattering thing happened — he said we should make several of these. That set us on the course of bringing this dial to life."

He also noted that this watch represents the swansong for Audemars Piguet's venerable QP calibre 5134, something he's very proud to be a part of. "It's an honor to send off the calibre and the reference this way. It's also really clever and unique to turn the idea of discontinuing something on its head. Normally we think of discontinuing something as we don't need it anymore.' This is more of a coronation. This watch turned people who would never have otherwise found themselves with a QP onto perpetual calendars. We have this reference to thank for that. With the brand new ‘Crystal Sky’ dial, we are introducing a brand new dial technique that overlaps with saying goodbye to a calibre, which is really an honor."

Also a favorite of Wristcheck’s Co-Founder, Austen Chu, the new perpetual calendar seems to be a winner in more ways than one. “Besides the fact that the perpetual calendar is my favorite complication, I love how the new timepiece has been conceptualized. It’s like an evolution of AP’s vintage Tuscan dials but with much more depth and luminosity. I’d say this is the perfect way to bid goodbye to the iconic Caliber 5134 — a white gold, perpetual calendar in 41mm – something that’s never been done before on a modern QP. The perfect way to break the rules, I’d say!”

To realize Mayer’s vision for this stunning dial, the artisans at AP embossed the brass dial plate with a new pattern consisting of irregular shapes, which resemble crystals. To achieve this level of detail and complexity, the stamping dial was created atom by atom, through a metal deposition process known as electroforming. 

While the dial’s base is in deep blue PVD, Mayer chose a light blue color for the week indicator that “could fall back into the dial when simply reading the time but easily be found when looking to read the week complication,” he explains. For the first time, the “Swiss Made” inscription is printed in white at the bottom of the moon phase subdial rather than on the dial’s outer edge at 6 o’clock.

The obvious comparison here is with the AP x Cactus Jack partnership, launched last year. Like that debut, this 200-piece edition watch is also a Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar, but the execution is completely different. While the Travis Scott model was full of colorful details and nods to Scott's brand, this Mayer edition is more toned down in its approach. The white gold case is like many other Royal Oaks, and the treatment of the perpetual calendar display is down the line. The blue, though, is truly spectacular. 

“John’s love of complicated watches combined with his creativity made this an organic and fun collaboration. He wholeheartedly delved into the intricate design details of the dial, so there is a moment of discovery each time the watch is worn, which gives us a glimpse of infinity,” says AP’s new CEO, Ilaria Resta.

No one doubts the impact that John Mayer has had on watches, and we suspect that with this collaboration, a new nickname for this very serious Royal Oak will need to be born.

Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked In Sand Gold

Starting off strong with a new take on the openworked Royal Oak tourbillon that first saw daylight in 2022, the real story about this calibre 2972-powered beauty isn't the movement, but rather the material. It's the debut of a brand new proprietary case material: Sand Gold.

This 41mm Royal Oak marks the debut of Audemars Piguet's Sand Gold, a new shade of gold named after the soft golden hues of sand dunes that waver between pink and white. This new alloy offers a similar interplay of color, depending on the light. It's an 18k alloy, resistant to discoloration over time, and one that offers plenty of potential within the world of Audemars Piguet. In addition to the case being realized in Sand Gold, the openworked bridges of the movement have been galvanically treated to match the case. Aside from being an absolutely gorgeous new interpretation of the openworked design, the Sand Gold signals a return to a creative approach to gold.

Camouflage Ceramic

Sand Gold isn't the only new material Audemars Piguet has brought to play. Another entirely on-brand innovation AP is previewing is Camouflage Ceramic, a first in watchmaking, which sees multiple shades of ceramic seamlessly combined in a camo pattern. Made possible thanks to spark plasma sintering (SPS), this material is created using coloured powders and placed in a circular mould, which is then sintered in a rapid process, giving rise to a ceramic disc. At the moment, we don't have an actual watch made from this new material, but it's not hard to see the possibilities, especially when AP say the technique can also be applied to other materials, notably gold.

The Royal Oak 'Jumbo' Extra-Thin Openworked Now Comes In White Gold

One watch that has nowhere to hide is the latest version of the Royal Oak 'Jumbo' Openworked model (16204), which is now offered in a white gold case, along with the existing pink gold, yellow gold and steel variants. While the case material has changed, the calibre remains the same — the 7124 — specifically made for this 'Jumbo' case — which offers an unprecedented view into the inner workings of the Royal Oak, with anthracite grey color treatments to accentuate the meticulous openwork.

RD#3, Gets Smaller And More Sparkling

Released to celebrate the Royal Oak's 50th anniversary back in 2022, the RD#3 quickly rose to the top of the list of 'must-have' Royal Oaks, with a profile and aesthetic that strongly echoed the original 'Jumbo', except with the notable addition of an automatic flying tourbillon, thanks to the incredibly thin 3.4mm calibre 2968. The same remarkable movement beats in the heart of this new 37mm RD#3, which bears a smoked blue dial with a Petite Tapisserie pattern, which serves as the backdrop not just for the tourbillon but also the 12 diamond baguette hour markers, and a further 32 diamonds set into the white gold case. The best of what AP has to offer, inside and out.

New Takes On The Tourbillon

There are also updates to the Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon. We've got two new dial variations to the 41mm model, one in pink gold and one in steel. The steel version boasts a smoked burgundy dial, more vivid in the center and deepening to a darker, almost black hue at the edges of the dial. This dramatic colourway allows the large tourbillon aperture at six to shine.

On the pink gold model, the dial is no less impressive. The two-tone dial is dominated by a finely sandblasted central section in rich, textural grey, accented with a fine ivory chapter ring that provides an exceptionally pleasing bridge between the gold of the case and the steely sandblasted section.

Frosted Gold And Golden Dials

It isn't just dials that are getting a textural makeover; it's also the cases. The latest Royal Oak Frosted Gold Selfwinding 37mm model features the ever-popular frosted finish made famous through Carolina Bucci, with a sunburst golden dial to match the yellow gold case. The base dial tone is achieved through galvanic treatment, and a black spray varnish effect has been painstakingly added by hand to give the dial a smokey gradient effect, which adds even more drama to this smaller Royal Oak.

This same dial treatment has been applied to the latest 41mm Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph in yellow gold. While the 37mm model featured an untextured dial, this larger chronograph boasts the iconic Grande Tapisserie pattern dial. This pattern, combined with the black smoked pattern and the bright gold chronograph registers, adds up to one of the most memorable Royal Oak dials we've seen in recent times.

Gem-Set In Green And Blue

Sticking with the 37mm size, there are also two new versions of gem-set Royal Oak in white and pink gold on leather straps. The white gold model features a fully diamond set case and bezel, contrasted with a light green dial and matching strap. The dial features eight small brilliant cut diamonds at the 12 marker, perfectly in proportion with the Grande Tapisserie pattern. The pink gold model follows a similar formula, with a pale blue dial and strap. The main difference here is that the bezel is set with brilliant sapphires rather than diamonds.

Two New Takes On The 34mm Royal Oak

On the smaller end of the spectrum, we get two new takes on the 34mm Royal Oak model. The first is a pink gold model with a vivid pink dial featuring a Grande Tapisserie pattern. The tone sits somewhere between copper and salmon, and looks like a surefire winner. The second smaller model is a two-tone model in steel and pink gold, with a grey Grande Tapisserie dial and pink gold dial hardware to continue the bi-metal theme. This model somehow manages to evoke historic two-tone Royal Oaks while still feeling entirely contemporary. Both watches are powered by the automatic calibre 5800, with the movement visible through a sapphire caseback.

The Big And Blue Royal Oak Offshore

Moving onto something larger, there's a new member of the Royal Oak Offshore 43mm family — a sporty stainless steel number with a blue rubber strap and a rubberized bezel. The dial, as is common on the ROO line, features a Mega Tapisserie pattern and has been given a smokey blue finish to match with the rubber elements. Aside from the colors, this model stands out for the fact that it's powered by calibre 4302, a time and date automatic — meaning this ROO is one of the few that isn't a chronograph.

Code 11.59 By Audemars Piguet Turns Five

Finally, to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet, we're treated to seven new additions to the contemporary collection. There are two new 38mm models in light and dark blue — both with pink gold cases. The 41mm models get new time and date modelsC with dark blue and green dials. These colourways are extended to the chronograph models, which also get a handsome black addition to the collection. All these new models highlight the sophistication of the Code 11.59 design, as well as Audemars Piguet's technical skills in all aspects of watchmaking.

“I have recently gone through our plans for the coming year and it has been really amazing because usually the launch time for new products in watchmaking is much longer,” says Ilaria. “I’m especially excited about the way we are reinventing the historical complications and pushing them forward in modern ways. I’m also excited about new materials like the Camouflage ceramic, it offers an infinite number of possibilities for us to play with. What I see as a challenge is to keep the brand relevant, young, cool and authentic for every generation. We have done this year after year, nothing is taken for granted. We have to earn this every time and that’s what keeps us on our toes,” she says.