Hands On: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept KAWS “Companion”
Pop culture meets horology - successfully.
Launched a few months ago, the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Companion” 43 mm is Audemars Piguet’s first collaboration with Kaws, the contemporary artist best known for work inspired by Mickey Mouse and The Simpsons. While the Kaws edition is not the first AP pop culture collab, it is arguably the best.
Initial thoughts
I like the Royal Oak Concept Kaws, more than any of AP’s other pop culture collaborations. I like the aesthetic, feel, and execution (though not the oversized case), which put this amongst the best contemporary art crossovers in watchmaking. The Hublot-Murakami series is another outstanding artist-watchmaker collab, but the AP-Kaws watch is executed to a much higher level of quality (and price).
Visually, the Kaws is big and bold, but rendered in muted, monochromatic grey – a paradoxical but complementary combination. At a distance the watch seems like yet another oversized Royal Oak, but up close it gets more interesting, starting with the fact that it has no hands in the traditional sense.
The lack of hands (which are replaced with peripheral pointers) make this a little more interesting, since the cal. 2979 is a new movement that’s a variant of AP’s more conventional tourbillon calibre. I appreciate the fact that the movement was developed for this watch, both in order to accommodate the figure on the dial and to incorporate the “padded” Kaws aesthetic into the movement bridges on the back.
Adding a mechanical complication to the Kaws sculpture on the dial, an automaton essentially, would have taken this to an entirely new level in terms of technical interest, but with a commensurate increase in price that would have probably have made it less economical as a product. sales aside, in terms of creative expression, I think that’s a missed opportunity.
The only shortcoming of the Kaws “Companion” is not the price (which is steep but par for the course), but the size of the watch. There are several current Royal Oak Concept models that are relatively wearable despite being unquestionably huge – the split-seconds chronograph is one example – but the Kaws unfortunately adopts the case of the earlier generation Concept that is larger and consequently less ergonomic.
Through the looking glass
Based on the 43 mm Royal Oak Concept, the Kaws edition features a titanium miniature of Companion, a character modelled on Mickey Mouse but with bones replacing his ears and Xs for eyes.
With gloves hands pressed against the crystal, the figure occupies most of the dial, which is why the Kaws watch has no hands. Instead, thanks to a movement conceived for this edition, time is indicated on the periphery of the dial. These peripheral hands are a first for AP, although other brands like De Bethune have used a similar approach for decorated dials.
Notably, the mechanics of the peripheral pointers have been left visible on the edge of the dial, which add a bit of mechanical interest to the aesthetic. The large gears of the pointers form a counterpoint to the geometric chapter ring with the hour scale.
Ironically, the tourbillon is less prominent than usual because it sits far below the figure. The position of the tourbillon is also symbolic as it sits at the character’s “heart”.
The case of the Kaws is typical of the Royal Oak Concept style, although tweaked for this specific model. Instead of the usual brushed finish, the case sports frosted surfaces outlined by polished borders and bevels. And the visible nuts on the bezel are marked with the trademark Kaws “X”, instead of conventional screw slots.
The case also sports the inserts on the flanks that are found on several Royal Oak Concept models. While these inserts make sense on the chronograph models with pushers, here they are purely decorative and just bulk up the case. I would have done away with them, just like I would prefer a more compact case.
That said, the flank inserts are examples of the impressive machining and finishing that characterises the Royal Oak. The inserts boast precise edges and perfect surface finishing.
Size wide, the Kaws is 43 mm wide and 17.4 mm high. It’s huge but lightweight as the case is entirely titanium. However, the case is longer lug-to-lug than other current Royal Oak Concept models, making it less wearable, which is a bit of a shame.
Key facts and price
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Companion” 43 mm
Ref. 26656TI.GG.D019VE.01
Diameter: 43 mm
Height: 17.4 mm
Material: Titanium and black ceramic
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 100 m
Movement: Cal. 2979
Functions: Peripheral hours and minutes, and tourbillon
Winding: Hand wind
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Power reserve: 72 hours
Strap: Light grey calfskin with titanium folding clasp, additional strap in dark grey calfskin
Limited edition: 250 pieces
Availability: At AP boutiques and AP Houses
Price: CHF200,000 excluding taxes
For more, visit Audemarspiguet.com.
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