Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XXV

1 0 8 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold The Royal Oak is one of watchmaking’s unshakeable giants. A classic and unmistakable 1970s icon, it is the beloved timepiece of many a hopelessly passionate horologist. When it comes to reimagining such treasured icons for a contemporary spruce, there lies a very thin line between enhancing the original classic and changing too much and thereby upsetting the legion of admirers. Thankfully, Audemars Piguet know exactly what they’re doing and to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the women’s Royal Oak, the Le Brassus manufacture has launched a sparkling new women’s creation: the Royal Oak Frosted Gold. This instantly impressive new timepiece owes its sure-fire success to two talented women: Jacqueline Dimier and Carolina Bucci. Dimier is a lauded figure in the world of haute horology and watch designer who has always matched all peers in a male dominated sphere. Dimier shaped the nature of many Audemars Piguet timepieces for both men and women, establishing a lasting design language that still resonates in the Le Brassus manufacture today. Dimier joined Audemars Piguet as a designer in 1975 and her first task was to evolve Gérald Genta’s original Royal Oak design into a modern wristwatch for women. Rather than going for the obvious and toning down the masculine image, Dimier opted for the unexpected and enhanced the Royal Oak’s bold character, making the most of the proportions to obtain more levity and a slick final aesthetic. Florentine jewellery designer Bucci has outdone herself with the challenge of reimagining the Royal Oak in order to celebrate its 40th birthday. The wonderful shimmering sparkle of the new model is the result of a surface treatment process that has its roots in an ancient gold hammering technique, known as the Florentine technique. Bucci has reinterpreted this process in jewellery design today and the Audemars Piguet’s experts have developed it into a horological craft suited to the unique case and bracelet construction of the Royal Oak. This stunning reinvention of an iconic design is available in white and pink gold. The silver-toned dial has a beautiful Grande Tapisserie pattern with pink gold applied hour-markers and Royal Oak hands with a luminescent coating. The two gold options are available in 33 mm and 37 mm. The real magic here is that the Royal Oak is utterly different and yet retains all its usual elements. As Audemars Piguet eloquently states, “It is a very delicate alchemy to operate: nothing is added, nothing is removed, but the watch is transformed.”