Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet is pleased to unveil a new 43 mm Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date model, premiering the use of a brand-new coloured forged carbon. Created in Audemars Piguet’s R&D workshops using the Chroma Forged Technology (CFT), this innovative deep black material offers a new aesthetic with subtle touches of colour. This non-porous CFT carbon also provides unprecedented resistance to humidity, heat and shocks. The ultra-light forged carbon case middle of this new Royal Oak Concept, which features blue luminescent pigments, is complemented by a black ceramic bezel, crown, push-pieces and caseback.
The two-tone timepiece is enhanced by a dark architectural dial with electric blue accents. Combining watchmaking complexity with ultra-contemporary design, this timepiece embodies the constant quest for innovation that has driven the Le Brassus Manufacture since its inception.
Audemars Piguet’s Chroma Forged Technology
After an absence of eight years at Audemars Piguet, forged carbon is making its grand return in the new Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date model.
Unlike previous generations of carbon, Audemars Piguet’s Chroma Forged Technology (CFT) makes it possible to colour the carbon fibres directly instead of the resin and arrange them as desired in the component produced, opening up new creative possibilities. Its lower resin content compared to traditional forged carbon makes it less susceptible to scratches.
The manufacturing process involves numerous steps and great expertise. The carbon fibres are first cut into small pieces and coloured with pigments. A multitude of colours is possible, allowing for a wide range of creative developments. The coloured carbon pieces are then manually placed in a mould according to the intended design and completed with resin. This process is repeated to build several layers like a mille-feuille pastry. The content of the mould is then compressed to obtain a block free of air bubbles. Finally, the mixture is placed in an autoclave to be cured under pressure for about ten hours to reveal the properties of the resin and produce a carbon block that is then machined for six to eight hours to create the final component.
As the blending stages are carried out by hand, each case middle produced has a slightly different motif, making it a unique piece that seamlessly combines cutting-edge technology and the expertise of the Le Brassus artisans.
The new 43 mm Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date by Audemars Piguet
The new 43 mm Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date model combines watchmaking complexity, innovative materials, ergonomics and bold aesthetic in a two-tone design pairing the dark tones of the openworked dial with electric blue touches for a trendy look.
The ultra-light CFT carbon case middle, adorned with blue glow-in-the-dark fibres to enhance the watch’s playful aesthetic, is complemented by a black ceramic bezel decorated with satin-brushing and polishing. These meticulous finishes are also visible on the black ceramic crown, caseback and push-pieces. The case and crown are slightly curved to follow the natural shape of the wrist. The push-piece guards at 2, 4 and 9 o’clock are contrastingly honed in titanium in an echo to some of the lighter components of the openworked dial.
The futuristic aesthetic of the new 43 mm Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date model
Conceived like the bridge of a movement, the openworked dial is the result of very precise machining. Circular apertures have been cut into a single sandblasted nickel silver plate, finished with black PVD and decorated with diamond-polished rhodium-toned bevels, to reveal part of the micro-mechanics ticking within. The two-tone design adds depth and play of light to this edgy timepiece, which is further emphasised by the absence of a logo on the dial. In keeping with the blue highlights of the case middle, the inner bezel and the external zones of the three counters are finished in an electric blue hue, which contrasts with the grey and black tones of the movement while enhancing legibility.
The futuristic look is accentuated by white gold hour-markers and hands, which, like the hands on the counters, are filled with luminescent material that appears white during the day but turns blue in the dark. Lastly, the tachymeter scale on the inner bezel and the gradations on the counters are transferred in white for optimum readability.
The timepiece is mounted on a blue rubber strap with black accents for a sporty touch. Fitted with the interchangeability system introduced in the 43 mm Royal Oak Concept collection in 2023, the watch also comes with a second black and blue rubber strap.
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