Audemars Piguet, which has headquarters in Le Brassus, Switzerland, was founded in 1875 in Vallée de Joux by Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet. Just like its peers Rolex and Patek Philippe, the brand is known for superb craftsmanship and simply its name in general, with many people buying it as their first watch when they come into money.
New Audemars Piguet releases in 2024
Audemars Piguet is a brand known for some of the most expensive watches in the world, with the likes of Tom Brady, Ed Sheeran, and LeBron James sporting one. It has also become known for celebrity collaborations, including with John Mayer and Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack. But a brand like this doesn’t need celeb endorsements as they’re already famous in their own right, with the Royal Oak showing up in the dreams of every watch collector and enthusiast around. Audemars Piguet has just come out with several new watch releases, each more dazzling than the next (quite literally.)
Audemars Piguet Mini Oak collection
The most iconic watch from Audemars Piguet to date is the Royal Oak, which was first created in 1972 and was the first luxury sports watch made from stainless steel. Now, in an ode to the current trend of smaller watch dials, the brand has released a mini-version of the iconic timepiece.
The “Mini Oak” (doesn’t that sound just adorable?) is a fresh spin on the 1997 20mm Mini Royal Oak and has been updated for 2024. There are three versions in the new collection: Yellow, pink, and white gold, all featuring a Frosted Gold finish, which resembles diamond dust. This finish, which is inspired by a Florentine jewelry technique was first introduced by designer Carolina Bucci in 2016.
The Mini Oak comes with a Petite Tapisserie dial with gold hour markers coated in luminescent material (just how we like it) that matches the case color. Echoing the Audemars Piguet Offshore diver, the hands are thick, though the dial remains uncluttered without a date or seconds indicator.
Despite their small 23mm size, the Mini Oak watches boast intricate designs. The frosted gold, which resembles diamond dust, contrasts beautifully with the polished bevels of the octagonal bezel and the bracelet links. The satin finish on the case and bracelet adds further texture. The solid caseback features a mix of sandblasting, satin brushing, and polishing, mirroring the case’s craftsmanship. They’re powered by the Calibre 2730 quartz movement with seven years of battery life (which can be deactivated by pulling out the crown) and 50 meters of water resistance.
Audemars Piguet [RE]Master02
While we’re used to watches in a circle, square, or even a rectangle shape, unique-shaped watches are certainly making a comeback, and some have never gone away, in the case of the iconic Cartier Crash. The Audemars Piguet [RE]Master02 perfectly exemplifies this trend, with the original being part of a limited run of 30 between 1959 and 1963.
The latest model comes in Audemars Piguet Sand Gold, measuring 41mm in diameter and 9.7mm thick. The dial shows us the outlandishness that Audemars Piguet is famous for, departing from a flat design and featuring the Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50 shade that was seen on the Jumbo Royal Oak. Made with PVD; the dial features twelve triangular segments, each complete with a satin finish and divided by Sand Gold lines that act as hour markers. It’s powered by the Caliber 7129 and measures just 2.8mm thick, meaning the majority of the design is simply for aesthetics.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold
Just like the Mini Oak, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold makes use of designer Carolina Bucci’s 2016 technique. The two new versions of the Royal Oak are available in 18-carat white or yellow gold and feature a showstopping “Crystal Sand” dial finish.
The white gold version comes with 18-carat pink gold hour markers and hands that feature a luminescent coating, while the yellow gold has 18-carat white gold markers and hands, all completely with luminescent coating. Both Audemars Piguet watches stick to the trend of smaller dials with 34mm cases and are driven by the Calibre 5800, a movement that was first introduced in 2020.
Audemars Piguet Double Balanced Wheel Openworked
Doing what Audemars Piguet does best, these 37mm Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked models are made from 18-carat white or pink gold. The monochromatic look is complemented by a light blue or purple inner bezel, of which you can see the workmanship beautifully. These are powered by the Calibre 3132, and it almost feels like a shame that they came out with so many other models, as they seemingly deserve more fanfare.
Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Gem Set
Audemars Piguet has given their more accessible Code 11.59 collection a luxury makeover, with the two 38mm models decorated fully in gems, basically taking them from commoner to Queen. These timepieces come in 18-carat white or pink gold and feature an array of 533 brilliant-cut diamonds and sapphires. Powered by the Calibre 5909 movement, these new models take the sleek design of the collection and give it a dazzling facelift. The dial itself isn’t skipped, as it’s complete with 134 diamonds and 399 sapphires in gradient blue or pink, creating a head-turning display.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Full Gem Set
Camouflage may remind you of your little brother’s cargo pants in the 90s, but it’s back, and whether you like it or not, brands are hopping on the trend. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-winding Full Gemset collection features a blink-and-you-‘ll-miss-it camouflage pattern throughout the dial, case, and bracelet, all possible through 861 baguette-cut gemstones in a gradient blue or green, brown and black mix.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chroma Gold
Not straying far from the camouflage trend, Audemars Piguet released the Royal Oak Chroma Gold, though the pattern looks a little higher-end. Chroma Gold is a revolutionary camouflage gold alloy, and despite the fact that it looks like different colored gold spliced together, it’s actually an intricate blend of white, yellow, and pink gold blended into a single piece. The creation process, which involves Spark Plasma Sintering, takes the sintering time down from hours to minutes and produces a solid, multi-toned piece of gold material that is unique to each watch. Though it’s not yet available commercially, Audemars Piguet shows this technique in the Royal Oak Chroma Gold watch.
