I’ll admit that when I heard there was a “Black Panther” Tourbillon watch, I thought it might be a collaboration with Romaine Jerome, whose Spiderman Tourbillon is their second Marvel Collaboration or with Memorigin the Honk Kong Tourbillon maker who currently sells three Marvel Super Hero watches for around $40k a piece. But high watchmaking house Audemars Piguet? That’s unexpected. And a little controversial among collectors.
AP Marvel Black Panther Tourbillon
Audemars Piguet announced their new partnership with Marvel Entertainment and unveiled the first timepiece from the collection at a celeb-studded virtual event in Los Angeles this Spring. The limited edition Wakanda-inspired watch was introduced to the world along with as a special auction of a unique white gold Black Panther variant, with a fully engraved case and bezel and hand-painted details on the Black Panther figure. The auctioned version raised $5,200,000. all of which went to charitable organizations aiding underprivileged youth.
Some timepiece purists are not thrilled to hear that such a respected house as Audemars Piguet would dare create a watch based on a comic book character (the design for the complicated watch actually began even before the release of the 2018 film). Others are concerned that the six-figure watch could be seen as tackily exploiting the recent death of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman. Whether or not the AP Marvel watch appeals to your sense of style or your sense of morality, one cannot deny that it is, like all of AP’s watches, a painstakingly crafted piece of art combined with futuristic technology.
The Royal Oak Concept Black Panther Flying Tourbillon – “Born in Le Brassus, Powered by Vibranium.”
Audemars Piguet introduces the first edition of their Marvel Super Hero watch series, the Royal Oak Concept “Black Panther” Flying Tourbillon, limited to 250 pieces.
Paying tribute to a new generation of influential Marvel heroes, the Black Panther Flying Tourbillon is dedicated to the Marvel character’s universe. Its futuristic design recalls the slick suit worn by The Black Panther, its purple and black colors are unmistakably those of the Super Hero and the sandblasted titanium case is a nod to Vibranium, the fictional indestructible, lightweight metal mined in Wakanda.
The contemporary two-tone design of the tourbillon cage matches with the watch’s overall aesthetics, granting the movement a unique 3D effect. The satin-brushed and polished black ceramic bezel furthers the watch’s high-tech design and opens onto a hand-painted 3D rendition of the Super Hero.
The Dial
Hand-painted white gold 3D Black Panther character, purple inner bezel, white gold Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating.
The dial presents a hand-painted rendition of the Black Panther hero, comprised of white gold. While the suit’s texture has been carved out by laser, the myriad of details adorning the hero’s hands, claws, muscles and facial features have been sculpted by hand.
Numerous layers of diluted dark paint have been meticulously added by hand to reach the perfect balance of texture, contrast and depth.
The Case
Sandblasted titanium case with titanium inserts, glareproof sapphire crystal and caseback, black ceramic bezel and crown.
The sapphire caseback showcases the movement’s sandblasted geometric titanium bridges, the back of the flying tourbillon cage and part of the gear train.
Size 42 mm
Thickness 14.6 mm
Water Resistance 50 m
The Bracelet
Purple rubber strap with titanium AP folding clasp. Additional black rubber strap.
Movement – Manufacture Calibre 2965
Functions: Flying Tourbillon, hours and minutes
Number of jewels: 17
Mechanism: Hand-Wound
Power reserve: 72 h
Total diameter: 31 mm
Number of parts: 242
Frequency: 3 hz 21600 vph
To see the Royal Oak Concept “Black Panther” Flying Tourbillon, make an appointment with Audemars Piguet.