Rockstar: Audemars Piguet 25980AI Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon

Of the holy trinity brands - Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin - Audemars Piguet has always been the adventurous sibling. Applying traditional watchmaking complications to ever more futuristic and modernist designs, AP’s catalog is full of unique takes on classic foundations and what we have here today is arguably the most forward looking extension of the famous Royal Oak design language - the Concept Tourbillon Alacrite 602.

Released in 2002 in celebration of 30 years of the Royal Oak, the Concept was unlike anything else in the brand’s catalog. Preserving the same octagonal bezel that made the Royal Oak famous in 1972, the Concept features a substantive 44mm Alacrite 602 case that flows directly into the bezel. Alacrite is rarely used in watchmaking, and is non-magnetic, extremely corrosion resistant, and possesses high surface hardness which results is an incredibly resilient case.

It’s not only consequential in its use of materials, it has the horological chops to match. On the left side of the dial, the skeletonized tourbillon is visible, supported by a tourbillon balance running north to south. At the 12 o’clock position, AP has situated a “Dynamographe”, a rarely seen feature which measures torque on the mainspring. At 9 o’clock, there’s a traditional power reserve display.

Perhaps the coolest feature: in place of a traditional crown with multiple settings, this piece has a pusher at 4 o’clock that toggles between R “remontoir” winding mode, N “neutral” mode, and H “hours” time setting mode. The mode display, alongside the subsidiary seconds, is visible at 6 o’clock. The whole of the dial has a sandblasted and brushed finish that reinforces the Royal Oak’s industrial DNA.

Futuristic, yet unmistakably Audemars Piguet, the Concept Tourbillon is the union of contemporary design, innovative movement architecture, and classical complications - all with a hypnotic tourbillon at the heart of the piece. For any lover of fine watchmaking who is looking for a Royal Oak straight out of the year 2100, you won’t find a cooler piece than the Concept Tourbillon.