Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Chronograph yellow gold THG 3

Despite the svelte profile though, the gold 15202 is a very hefty watch. This tactile illusion is due, of course to the fact that gold’s density is nearly three times that of stainless steel, giving the assertive wrist presence of a far larger sports watch to one which may otherwise slide easily under the cuff of a dress shirt. When you examine the bracelet and case when thinking about the weight of the golden, the slender profile but strong gold appearance gifts a contrasted personality which works well. It is secure, but a contemporary design icon in an old-school material.From the dial-side, the look and texture of the 15202 is distinctly classic — such as a classic re-issue of the original 5402 in golden. Inside though, beats another story. Here we’ve got the Caliber 2121, now produced in-house by Audemars Piguet (from the Royal Oak’s formative years, the 2121 was actually created by Jaeger LeCoultre). It’s an ultra-thin automatic motion measuring 3.05mm thick, and characterized by a unique 2.75Hz (19,800 vibrations per hour), although slightly lower-than-average alternance is not readily visible as the 15202 does not feature a running seconds hand. Contrary to the 5402 that prompted it, the 15202 gets a sapphire crystal exhibition caseback, by which the cal. 2121’s 21-carat gold strand is visible, as it glides back and forth about the circular rail running the circumference of this movement — one of those tricks enabling the 2121’s signature thinness.In complete, the 15202 will probably be available in three variants — the newest gold alternatives (yellow gold onto champagne yellow, or yellow gold on blue) join the existing stainless steel 15202 which was re-introduced back in 2012. While the stainless steel Extra-Thin Jumbo Royal Oak begins at approximately $22,000, people seeking to ‘stay gold’ can expect to part with more double that $55,000 for its 18-carat gold variants.

Audemars Piguet‘s flagship Royal Oak Concepts are usually in novel materials like carbon composite and ceramic, exemplified by the very latest Supersonnerie. In contrast, the freshly unveiled Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Chronograph is classic yellow gold with a green crocodile strap and set with large baguette-cut diamonds for a retro-bling look.

While yellow gold far less common than rose or white gold in contemporary watchmaking, AP has made the metal a focal point of the latest Royal Oak watches, with a suite of 2016 models in the metal, as well as a limited edition Royal Oak Extra-Thin “Jumbo” for The Hour Glass. Continuing the theme, the new Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Chronograph is also exclusive to the same Singapore-based retailer.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Chronograph yellow gold THG 3

Fitted with a 5.66 carat diamond-set bezel, the 44mm case is entirely yellow gold, with the option of a diamond-paved case. All of the hands are yellow gold, with even the markings on the dial in a matching shade. It’s a look that’s a tad out of sync with the current economic climate, but one that’s different from the usual black and grey high-end complications.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Chronograph yellow gold diamond pave 1

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Chronograph yellow gold diamond pave 2

The Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Chronograph is descended from the original Royal Oak Concept in alacrite, a watch that remains surprisingly fresh for something that made its debut in 2002. Mechanically the new Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Chronograph is similar to the original, but more complicated.

Hand-wound with near 10 days of power reserve, the Concept Tourbillon Chronograph has a tourbillon at nine o’clock and power reserve at 12. The scale on the right is a linear minute counter for the chronograph, which counts the seconds via a central seconds hand.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Chronograph yellow gold THG 2

The six o’clock indicator is for the function selector, indicating the crown position, a trademark of Renaud & Papi (the subsidiary of AP specialising in complications). And the baseplate of the movement is carbon composite, as are the bridges, explaining the marbled grey surface.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Chronograph yellow gold THG 4

Price and availability 

The Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Chronograph in yellow gold is a limited edition of five pieces, available at The Hour Glass.

The version with the diamond bezel (ref. 26224BA.ZZ.D400CR.01) is priced at S$590,900, while the version with diamond on the bezel and case (ref. 26225BA.ZZ.D400CR.01) is S$625,600.