Raises $8.5 million for charity at the watch’s Dubai launch
Audemars Piguet has unveiled the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon ‘Spider-Man’, the second timepiece to come out of the Swiss watchmaker’s collaboration with Marvel after 2021’s ‘Black Panther’ edition. Limited to 250 pieces and priced at $291,000, the watch gets a 42 mm titanium case with a black ceramic bezel and crown and features an openwork design.
The new hand-wound Calibre 2974 movement is based on the Calibre 2948, and to achieve the impressive three-dimensional appearance of Spider-Man’s character within the watch, the watchmakers and craftspeople at Audemars Piguet had to reduce the movement’s architecture to its bare minimum, creating a high level of transparency. The silhouette and volume of the character are carved from a block of white gold using a CNC machine, after which the superhero’s suit is laser-engraved to create the desired texture. After this stage, a single artisan meticulously performs touch-ups and engraving-related finishings by hand, adding further uniqueness to each timepiece. The character is hand-painted in the superhero’s signature matte red and metallic blue colours. Audemars Piguet says the whole process of crafting the Spider-Man character takes a minimum of 50 hours of work on each watch, with the meticulous process pushing the boundaries of craftsmanship for the artisans in Le Brassus.
The dial features black PVD-coated gold hour markers and Arabic numerals overlaid by polished hands with white luminescence that turns blue in the dark, in a nod to Spider-Man’s world. The case of the watch combines polished, micro-blasted, and satin-finished finishes, while the movement features various decorations such as traits-tirés, sandblasting, and polishing.
In addition to the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon ‘Spider-Man,’ a unique piece called the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon ‘Black Suit Spider-Man’ is also part of the collaboration. It features a white gold case with spider leg motifs filled with luminescent hybrid ceramic, a black ceramic bezel, and a dial depicting Spider-Man in a black suit from the 1980s comics. The luminescent material on the hands, hour markers, and the character glows green in the dark. For the first time, the 42 mm Royal Oak Concept case is equipped with an interchangeable strap system. The ‘Spider-Man’ version comes with a black and grey rubber strap and a second black and red rubber strap matching the superhero’s famous suit. The ‘Black Suit Spider-Man’ version includes a black rubber strap with a velvety texture and a second black calfskin leather strap with a textile effect and white stitching.
At the launch event held in Dubai, the unique piece, along with two other lots, was auctioned off to benefit the non-profit organizations First Book and Ashoka for a whopping total of $8.5 million. These organizations empower young people to create positive change and make a difference in the world. The collaboration between Audemars Piguet and Marvel began in 2021 and showcases the brand’s ability to draw inspiration from pop culture and the world of entertainment.