Audemars Piguet celebrated the opening of its brand-new AP House in the iconic Garage Traversi, a former garage in Milan, by introducing a new miniature model of the Royal Oak. With a diameter of only 23 mm and available in 18-carat yellow, white, or rose gold, the Royal Oak Mini combines the strong aesthetic codes of the original Royal Oak with the dazzling brilliance of Frosted Gold for maxi effect.
Text by Anja Van Der Borght
“The new mini creations not only pay homage to Audemars Piguet’s long tradition of miniature and jewel watches but also to the women who have made their mark on the brand’s history, including Jacqueline Dimier, to whom we owe the first Royal Oak for women,” says Ilaria Resta, CEO of Audemars Piguet. “Or Carolina Bucci, the mastermind behind the Frosted Gold finish.”
Visual Effect
“When I was asked in 2016 to reimagine the icon, which I believed was already perfect, for the 40th anniversary of the Royal Oak for women, it was no easy task,” says Bucci. Gérald Genta, who began his career as a jeweler, created the Royal Oak in 1972, a watch with a faceted case and bracelet that plays with light like a diamond. The integrated bracelet also resembled the refined metal bracelets that women’s watches had been equipped with since the 19th century. “I didn’t want to take anything away or add anything, but rather play with the design and treat it like my jewelry,” says Bucci. “I wanted interaction with the surface and to create an effect that you could see from the other side of the room. We decided to apply the Florentine finish – my signature technique that I use on my jewelry – to the Royal Oak.”
“The end result looks stunningly simple and sublime, but the technique is incredibly complex,” says Resta. “I held the hammer pen in my hands and was trembling for hours afterward. With this diamond-tipped tool, tiny indentations are made on the gold surface with utmost precision.” The art lies in generating the same pressure across the entire object to achieve a beautiful consistency for a sparkling effect akin to gemstones. Ilaria wears a rose gold Royal Oak Mini during our meeting, which she combines with two watch bracelets (without the watch case), in Frosted yellow gold and white gold, respectively. A particularly contemporary way to combine the watch that also emphasizes its jewelry aspect.
Royal Oak Mini. Price: 34,600 euros.
