The new Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph by Audemars Piguet plays with colour and light
Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacture Audemars Piguet unveiled its new Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph in 38 mm that will be available solely in Audemars Piguet boutiques. For the first time, the Manufacture is offering a solid 18-carat pink gold timepiece with a bezel that has been set with an array of baguette-cut amethysts. These purple gemstones surround and match the tones of the timepiece’s purple dial to perfection. Developed by the Manufacture’s artisans, the timepiece’s dial displays a range of purple hues that dance and change colour in the light.
A new Selfwinding Chronograph reference in 38 mm
This new reference, combining pink gold and purple tones, expands the Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph 38 mm range that was first unveiled by the Manufacture in 2019. Both elegant and stylish, its pink gold case and bracelet feature alternating polished and satin-finished surfaces that are the signature of Audemars Piguet. The case houses the selfwinding Calibre 2385 with the following functions: chronograph, hours, minutes, small seconds and date, while the pink gold caseback has been finished with a sandblasted and satin-finished decoration and features a “Royal Oak” engraving.
A new purple dial for endless variations
The purple dial has been decorated with a “Grande Tapisserie” pattern, offering an unprecedented colour-changing effect akin to that of a chameleon – a first for the Manufacture. This is achieved thanks to a new colour treatment that consists of applying multiple layers of purple PVD to the dial. The tones range from pink to purple, passing by all the different nuances of blue, depending on the angle of the watch and the play of light.
The dial is completed by three chronograph counters, also in purple. The 18-carat pink gold applied hour-markers and the Royal Oak hands are designed to match the case and bracelet, providing an enchanting contrast with the colour of the dial.
Amethyst – Between excellence and technical challenges
The bezel of this new chronograph is set with 32 baguette-cut amethysts (~2.85 carats) which harmoniously blend with the purple chameleon dial. This is the first time that the Manufacture presents a bezel entirely set with purple gemstones.
Amethysts are a type of mineral quartz that often come in different shades of purple. These diverse hues make the gemmologist’s task particularly difficult as they need to search for gemstones that have uniform and identical hues in order to create a harmonious gemsetting. Nowadays, these gems are recognised and appreciated for their healing properties and powers that are said to ward off negative energy. The gemstones are often used in jewellery as they offer an alternative to the more popular precious stones as well as new colour options. Amethysts bring a refined elegance to the Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph, while at the same time charging it up with positive energy.