THE JOURNAL
Audemars Piguet presents the new Royal Oak Frosted Gold watch
Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet presents the new Royal Oak Frosted Gold watch, paying tribute to the 40th anniversary of the Royal Oak ladies' watch. Collaborating with Florentine jewellery designer Carolina Bucci, Audemars Piguet reinterprets the legendary design of the Royal Oak ladies' watch with a modern touch, creating a shimmering new timepiece in white gold and pink gold.

In 2016, Audemars Piguet pays tribute to the extraordinary female designers throughout its history: in 1976, Jacqueline Dimier reinterpreted Gérald Genta's 1972 classic original design to create the first Royal Oak ladies' watch; today, the Royal Oak Frosted Gold watch makes its sparkling debut through the unique interpretation of jewellery designer Carolina Bucci.
The Royal Oak Frosted Gold watch embodies Audemars Piguet's heritage of integrating fine jewellery techniques, achieving a sparkling visual effect through the ancient gold hammering technique, also known as the Florentine technique. Carolina Bucci reinterprets this ancient craft with a modern design, which Audemars Piguet watchmakers have integrated into the art of Haute Horlogerie, perfectly applying it to the uniquely constructed Royal Oak case and bracelet.

The unique texture created by the Florentine technique, combined withRoyal Oak Seriesthe brushed and polished finishes of the case and bracelet, became the catalyst for this collaboration. Carolina Bucci's workshop has a decades-long tradition of using the Florentine technique to craft jewellery. The workshop uses a diamond-tipped tool to beat the gold, creating tiny indentations on its surface that produce a sparkling, diamond-like effect. In recent years, Carolina Bucci has focused on highlighting this frosted effect in her product designs, applying it widely to bracelets and pendants.

The challenge for Audemars Piguet's watchmakers was to apply the frosting technique to the case and bracelet of the Royal Oak watch while preserving the clean, classic lines of the collection. Furthermore, due to the unique tapering structure of the bracelet, the watchmakers had to carefully consider the sequence of the polishing and brushing processes. Artisans from Carolina Bucci's workshop and Audemars Piguet's watchmakers spent months experimenting to make the surface shimmer more brilliantly in the light while maintaining the softness and flexibility of the Royal Oak bracelet. This is a highly meticulous and complex process: adding nothing, removing nothing, yet completely transforming the Royal Oak watch.

With 40 years of history behind the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ladies' watch, the Royal Oak Frosted Gold watch is designed to highlight Audemars Piguet's commitment to continuous innovation, as well as to pay tribute to the classic timepiece designed by Jacqueline Dimier. As one of the few modern female watch designers, Jacqueline Dimier established a design style for Audemars Piguet that continues to influence the brand's watchmaking philosophy today.
Joining Audemars Piguet in 1975, her first creation was to reinterpret Gérald Genta's Royal Oak watch into a modern timepiece suitable for women. Rather than softening the classic, bold style of the watch, Jacqueline Dimier used her unique design language to showcase the strong character of the Royal Oak, creating a lighter, more rounded appearance through beautiful and harmonious proportions.

This aligned perfectly with Carolina Bucci's philosophy. Although she and Jacqueline Dimier share different generational perspectives, they hold the same design philosophy for the Royal Oak: creating a new timepiece with a design that highlights feminine charm while preserving the classic elements of the Royal Oak. Today, Audemars Piguet combines Jacqueline Dimier's classic design with Carolina Bucci's modern approach, merging contemporary watchmaking with jewellery craftsmanship to present the new Royal Oak Frosted Gold watch—a classic legend, enduring and renewed through 40 years of time.
Related reading:
Which is better, Audemars Piguet or Patek Philippe?
The innovative design of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
More stylish than a gold Rolex: The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
The aesthetic of the world begins with the off-centre: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore watch
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore watch: Upholding tradition, looking to the future
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