Luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet continues to present the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spider-Man” watch, the second project in the collaboration with Marvel that began in 2021. Combining traditional craftsmanship with futuristic technology, the 42 mm timepiece in titanium and black ceramic is a feat of “openwork” engineering and highlights the brand’s limitless creativity with complex functions.
This model also reflects Audemars Piguet’s desire to connect with different cultures, looking beyond the world of Haute Horlogerie and drawing inspiration from the world of pop culture. Limited to 250 pieces, the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spider-Man” will be launched alongside a unique edition, which will be auctioned to benefit First Book and Ashoka, non-profit organizations that work to empower young people to create change and make a positive impact.
Watches inspired by the character Spider-Man attract a lot of attention from fans of both film and watch worlds.
Your friendly neighbor
Following the launch of the Royal Oak Concept “Black Panther” Flying Tourbillon in 2021, this second collaboration with Marvel features Spider-Man, one of Marvel’s most famous Super Heroes.
Marvel's Spider-Man unites a large fan base worldwide, while promoting family and community values. The Super Hero quickly became a pop culture phenomenon after appearing in comic books, video games, consumer products, etc. More than sixty years after his debut, Audemars Piguet and Marvel are pleased to honor this great icon.
Spider-Man was an instant hit with audiences upon his debut. An ordinary young man, Peter Parker suddenly finds himself with extraordinary powers after being bitten by a radioactive spider. With his newfound superpowers, Peter embodies the adage, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Audemars Piguet’s commitment to the First Book and Ashoka organizations is similarly rooted in this motto. This charitable effort began in 2021 with the launch of the Royal Oak Concept “Black Panther” Flying Tourbillon.
Amazing openwork movements
Presented in a 42 mm titanium case contrasted with a black ceramic bezel and crown, the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spider-Man” skeletonized movement emerges as the hero of this watch.
Based on the Calibre 2948, the new manual-winding Calibre 2974 required all the openwork expertise of Audemars Piguet’s engineers, watchmakers and craftsmen to see the light of day. By reducing the movement’s structure to a minimum, they were able to achieve a level of transparency that allows the Spider-Man character to appear three-dimensional, as if floating in space, through the sapphire crystal. The silhouette and volume of the character are cut from a block of white gold using CNC machines.
The superhero’s suit is then laser-engraved to achieve the textural differences that give it its woven look. This requires complex machine programming and a lot of experimentation to achieve the desired result. After this step, the finishing touches involving engraving are meticulously done by hand by a single craftsman, making each piece unique. The final character is hand-painted to give him a recognizable two-tone aesthetic, contrasting putty red and metallic blue. During this stage, the artist emphasizes shadows and contrasts to give Spider-Man more perspective. Stretching across the entire thickness of the watch, our hero alone requires more than 50 hours of work, pushing the limits of the artisans in Le Brassus’s craftsmanship.
Close-up of the watch face
The dial features alternating black PVD-coated gold hour markers and hand-applied Arabic numerals in the same material, all with a polished finish and enhanced with a white luminescent material that turns blue in the dark, a subtle nod to the world of Spider-Man.
The watch is adorned with exquisite decorative details, faithful to the watchmaking tradition and the design codes of the brand. The case alternates between polished and micro-blasted finishes on the top and bottom, while the sides are satin-finished. The movement, however, features a range of other decorative techniques, from traits-tirés to sandblasting and polishing.
Limited to just 250 pieces, this model also comes with a unique design called the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillop “Black Suit Spider-Man”. This unique watch has a white gold case decorated with spider legs.
The case is first laser-engraved to create the spider legs, which are then filled with luminescent hybrid ceramic. It is then polished and laser-engraved again to create the spider web pattern in the background. The case also incorporates a black ceramic bezel that complements the caseback, which bears the white “Royal Oak Concept Unique Piece” inscription. Spider-Man appears on the dial in a black suit, a nod to the suit worn by the superhero in several early 1980s comics, most notably 1984’s The Amazing Spider-Man #252. This lesser-known representation of the character makes the piece all the more unique and mysterious, as does the luminescent material, which glows green in the dark, seen on the hands, hour markers, and part of the main character.
“In this second collaboration with Marvel, we want to pay tribute to Spider-Man, one of the most iconic Super Heroes in the Marvel universe, who knows that with great power comes great responsibility. And, to mark this occasion, we are pleased to reiterate our commitment to First Book and Ashoka’s work to empower young people to become agents of change; they are our real-life heroes,” said François-Henry Bennahmias, CEO of Audemars Piguet.
Flexible strap change
This is the first time the Royal Oak Concept 42mm case has been equipped with a flexible strap system, allowing the owner of the watch to change the strap and clasp in just a few simple steps.
Fitted with a black and grey rubber strap and titanium AP buckle, the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spider-Man” also features a second black and red rubber strap, matching the Marvel Super Hero’s famous suit.
One-of-a-kind black Spider-Man watch
The unique Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Black Suit Spider-Man” edition will come with a black rubber strap with a smooth velvet fabric top and a second black calfskin strap with a woven effect and white stitching.
To continue this long-standing partnership, Audemars Piguet will also be auctioning its one-off Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Black Suit Spider-Man” watch, as well as several other lots. All proceeds from the auction will be donated to First Book and Ashoka.
