The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept ‘Black Panther’

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 Marvel Entertainment, 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. 

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

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept ‘Black Panther’ on the wrist.

Despite early rumours that the watch community would be getting an Offshore inspired by War Machine (Don Cheadle, the actor who plays that character, was reportedly instrumental in cementing the AP-Marvel connection) 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 CEO François-Henry Bennahmias has been passionate about since day one.

Form language: Cutting edge material in service of a futuristic aesthetic

Through its juxtaposition of ceramic with various titanium executions, the ‘Black Panther’ Concept is a fresh twist on the traditional conception of two-tone. 

The 42mm case also falls within the middle ground of the collection, opening these watches up to wear with a broader audience.

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.

The lugs of the ‘Black Panther’ are clad in brushed, chamfered titanium inserts, and play into the timepiece’s overarching ‘armoured’ aesthetic.

Side profile of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept ‘Black Panther’, showcasing its ceramic crown and titanium crowd guards.

Side profile of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept ‘Black Panther’.

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. 

Off the page and onto the dial

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.

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.

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.

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. 

Wristcheck

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.

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. 

Old tech, new tech

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.

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.

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.

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 ‘kinetic energy’.) 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. 

Wristcheck

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.

Specifications

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

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

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

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

To learn more, visit Audemars Piguet online.