In partnership with Audermars Piguet
In the world of horlogerie, impact – is often – everything. But as we've learnt, that doesn't always mean that bigger is better. The pieces that have a lasting effect tend to take us by surprise, leaving a legacy on the wrist, (and in our hearts), that doesn't rely on size to still feel mighty. I have personally made no secret of my love for the 'tiny watch trend', a movement that has infiltrated, and continues to influence the sartorial landscape over the past year. In my opinion, it's the chicest form of 'downsizing'... and with the debut of the Royal Oak Mini, Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer – Audemars Piguet – signifies a new standard in the realm of petite timepieces.
As many would know, the Royal Oak has become a part of the watchmaker's DNA, possessing such defining aesthetic codes that make the silhouette unmistakable even at a distance. In its reimagined quartz model, measuring a mere 23mm diameter, its presence has never felt stronger. But this isn't the first time in Audemars Piguet's history that the Royal Oak has received the miniature treatment. First launched in 1997, the Mini Royal Oak debuted at 20mm, and if there's one thing I adore more than a petite timepiece, it's seeing a watchmaker with such rich archives reinterpret past creations in contemporary settings.
Rethinking proportions, architecture and design, the new Mini Oak collection is presented in a choice of 18-carat yellow, white or pink gold and finished with Audemars Piguet's signature Frosted Gold technique. Inspired by an ancient Florentine jewellery technique, the shimmering aesthetic was revisited by jewellery designer Carolina Bucci and adapted by the watchmaker's artisans in 2016. The incorporation of the Frosted Gold is stylistically and technically memorable – (the effect is created using a diamond-tipped tool to create the sparkle reminiscent of precious stones) – but is also a sentimental continuation of the watchmaker's connection to jewellery. It was, in fact, Gérald Genta (a trained jeweller) who created the original Royal Oak in 1972, after all.
The result is a creation that leans into jewellery sensitivities, while simultaneously possessing one of the best quartz movements (Calibre 2730) for watches of this size. The slimmer design and battery life of over seven years proves that the Royal Oak Mini has been designed with a contemporary lifestyle in mind, while the diamond-dust effect, tone-on-tone Petite Tapisserie on the dial and elaborate integrated bracelet elevate the piece through the manipulation of light.
"Small, charming, creative, almost frivolous," were the words used by Sébastian Vivas, Heritage and Museum Director of Audemars Piguet, to describe the new Royal Oak Mini collection. I think it's fair to say, there is no more accurate representation. Uniting heritage and modernity through powerful design, in all its glamour, the Royal Oak Mini doesn't just glisten, it sparkles.
