Never in my wildest dreams, I would’ve imagined I’d be writing something like this. As you all know, I’ve been a fan of Audemars Piguet since 1998 when I purchased my first Royal Oak Jumbo ref. 5402 A-series and it is no secret that AP is one of my three favorite watch brands.
Just so that everything that I am about to say makes more sense, I’ll first tell you why I fell in love with AP in the first place. There are three main reasons:
In 1998 I was living in Mexico City, and wearing something other than a Rolex was the safest bet to not get robbed, and that’s exactly when I discovered Audemars Piguet and purchased my first pre-owned piece from them. Back then It was very understated to wear an AP Royal Oak and you would rarely run into anyone wearing it. I still remember when I found a picture of the former president of Mexico José Lopez Portillo wearing a Royal Oak Jumbo in the late 70s. He was probably the one that made the brand so important among the Mexican elite and Mexico’s political circle. As a side note, my Royal Oak Jumbo ref. 5402SA Case No. 273 —stolen at the end of September of 2019— belonged in the past to one of Lopez Portillo’s closest friends, the former governor of the state of Hidalgo, Mexico, Javier Rojo Gómez.
Second, the Royal Oak was born the same year I was born in 1972 and because of that, I created an emotional bond with that particular watch and with the brand. Could there be a better ‘birth watch’ for someone born in 1972?
Third, I loved the unconventional look of the Royal Oak, its seventies aura, and the rich history behind it along with the uninterrupted history of a brand still owned by the direct descendants of their founding fathers.
Even after today’s release, I still have much respect for Audemars Piguet and their CEO François-Henry Bennahmias who I know well and have met personally on many occasions. I really hope that my honest thoughts on the just-released Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept 'Black Panther' Flying Tourbillon are received as constructive criticism and don’t get me blacklisted with AP. All that I am about to say are my own personal views and I will present them in the most professional and respectful way as I always do.
When I first learned about a collaboration between Audemars Piguet and Marvel I was shocked. I couldn’t believe that the one watch brand that has remained in the hands of the direct descendants of their founders since 1875 was doing something with a comic book company —owned by The Walt Disney Company. Much respect for Marvel and their comics but to me, blending ‘haute horlogerie’ and superheroes is a no-go in my book.
While AP mentions the Mickey Mouse watches designed by Ingersoll and by Genta as a precedent for the release of the Royal Oak Concept 'Black Panther' Flying Tourbillon, I can’t agree with that and such comparison should’ve never been made.
If Gérald Genta blended fine watchmaking with animated dial displays in the early 1980s it’s because he had to let out that crazy side that all geniuses have and his execution made some sense at the time. Even though Gérald Genta was the man behind icons like the Royal Oak, the IWC Ingenieur SL, and the Patek Philippe Nautilus, his namesake brand was nowhere near the reputation or prestige of Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, or Patek Philippe.
If as a watch brand you do something this crazy is because you have nothing to lose, but in the case of Audemars Piguet, they are putting on the line 146 years of very rich horological history.
To set the record straight, Ingersoll was not one of the luxury watch brands that have been part of ‘The Holy Trinity of Watchmaking’ since the 1800s like AP. I really can’t think of Vacheron Constantin or Patek Philippe releasing a watch like this or doing a collaboration with a partner like Marvel.
Your brand reputation should be considered the most precious asset you have and when protected and nurtured, it will ensure your success. But if your brand reputation is disregarded and squandered, it can also seal your failure. Your brand reputation equals power and losing it is as easy as it gets.
The press release sent out by Audemars Piguet for the launch of this 250-piece limited edition mentions:
Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Concept “Black Panther” Flying Tourbillon plays with these echoes of the past while paying tribute to the Manufacture’s strong connection to pop culture and the entertainment industry. In 1999, Arnold Schwarzenegger commissioned a personalized Royal Oak Offshore for his movie End of Days, marking the beginning of a series of commemorative timepieces designed by the Manufacture in collaboration with the Hollywood actor. Since then, Audemars Piguet has collaborated with a variety of celebrities and athletes on personalized watch designs and developed many extraordinary friendships with friends of the brand including Jay-Z, Michael Schumacher, Serena Williams, Freida Pinto, Lu Han, Svetlana Zakharova, and LeBron James.
I am sorry, but I am not sure why Audemars Piguet chose such a highly complicated watch to pay homage to pop culture and added a comic book superhero to its dial. I mean, the Royal Oak Concept 'Black Panther' Flying Tourbillon ref. 26620IO.OO.D077CA.01 comes with all the AP DNA and superlative craftsmanship and finishing, but keeping the superhero off the dial and the Marvel copyright engraving off the case back should’ve been things to consider. The watch would’ve been really nice minus these elements.
The 42 mm titanium case is well proportioned, the use of purple is fantastic and the pattern on the finishing of the movement baseplate and mainplate is really nice. If AP had released this watch without the ‘Black Panther’ on it, I am sure it would’ve been a total success and a very well-received novelty.
After today’s release, I am unsure where the brand is going with this Marvel partnership and all I can hope for is that any other timepieces coming out of it remain in line with the history, prestige, and exclusivity that Audemars Piguet has held for 146 years.
Sticker Price CHF 150,000 Swiss Francs —approximately $162K USD. For more info on Audemars Piguet click here.
