REVOLUTION_International_Vol 54

instead of the “IP” [reference]. I mean, the platinum and
titanium combo looks amazing but it’s just less durable when
it comes to scratches.
I think today titanium is as luxurious a
material as those traditional precious metals.
It’s the same thing with ceramic.
Exactly.
Now when the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Black
Ceramic came out, it was in so much demand that people
were trying to think of any method that they could to
get onto the list. And part of the difficulty in making
this watch was to create a fully ceramic bracelet at their
level of quality, right? What did you think about this
watch when it released, and why did you pick it up?
So I waited a very long time for this. I waited like a year for
this. But when it first came out, I was like, holy sh*t. Is that,
is that ceramic? I didn’t even know because I just saw photos
on Instagram. This was during 2017, I think, at SIHH. And
yeah, I mean, I pretty much just fell in love with it instantly
because I’ve always wanted a black watch, but I don’t like
PVD or DLC or whatever.
There have been people who have attempted to PVD
Royal Oaks. The most famous was Karl Lagerfeld. It’s
interesting because that generation of PVD was very
fragile. There were even watches like the “End of Days”
which everyone acknowledges was not the most robust
watch in the world. It’s one of the best-looking watches
of all time, but the PVD which was meant to make it look
robust, actually has the opposite effect.
Exactly, and not only that but it’s less durable in the sense
that with ceramic, it’s the perfect material for a daily beater.
I mean, this watch isn’t a daily beater but the material is.
You know, I remember demonstrating to my friend with this
watch. I literally took a knife, and I started cutting into the
watch. You can literally do it. And I started cutting into the
knife and it actually took off the metal from the knife. Wow.
Yeah. And it made a line down the bracelet, but then you just
rub it off with your finger.
OK, let’s talk about a watch that has become even more
coveted and that’s the skeleton perpetual calendar, which
was also one of AP’s hallmarks and then on top of that
it is in ceramic. Now what’s cool about [AP perpetual
calendars] is that they are actually really slim.
Exactly, yes, I completely agree. The Audemars Piguet
RD#2 exemplifies that, it’s really the perfect example of a
slim and complicated wristwatch.
What emotions does this watch [the Openworked
Perpetual Calendar Black Ceramic] give you when
you put it on?
This watch is extremely special because it was the first super
expensive watch that I bought when I was 19. It was the steel
Below
The Royal Oak
Perpetual Calendar
China Edition,
limited to 88 pieces,
in titanium case
and bracelet, a
watch co-developed
with Austen and
Audemars Piguet.
164 VINTAGE