Audemars Piguet
Royal Oak Concept 'CW1', Reference 25980AI.OO.D003SU.01 | A limited edition alacrite and titanium tourbillon wristwatch with power reserve indicator, dynamograph and function selector | Circa 2005
Auction Closed
April 3, 04:38 PM GMT
Estimate
100,000 - 200,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
Dial: skeletonised
Calibre: cal. 2896 manual winding, 36 jewels
Movement number: 543'828
Case: alacrite and titanium, sapphire crystal display back secured by 8 screws
Case number: F34'611
Closure: titanium Audemars Piguet buckle
Size: 45 mm diameter
Signed: case, dial and movement
Box: no
Papers: yes
Accessories: Audemars Piguet Certificate of Origin and associated travel case
Please note the leather strap derived from endangered species is for display purposes only and is not sold with the watch. The watch will be shipped with a Sotheby’s branded calf leather strap.
Audemars Piguet Concept Royal Oak ‘CW1’ – The Paradox of Time
If there’s one timepiece that an armada of aliens would wear as they descend to Earth, it would undoubtedly be the Audemars Piguet Concept Royal Oak ‘CW1.’ A true spectacle of design, the Concept collection encapsulates the paradoxical nature of time: rooted in the past, yet with an unwavering gaze toward the future.
Crafted from alacrite and titanium, the shell of this forward-thinking watch has carried a cosmic quality from the moment Audemars Piguet unveiled this new iteration of Gérald Genta's famous Royal Oak design. With its robust presence, the CW1 balances a rounded yet angular frame that houses gravity-defying technological marvels. At its core is the Calibre 2896, a movement suspended in mid-air—not just in space and time—further enhancing the watch’s precision and overall functionality.
Much like a cutting-edge spacecraft with countless modes to navigate through the stratosphere, the CW1 is equipped with its own "gear stick" to journey through time, featuring an unconventional function selector that allows the user to seamlessly switch between winding, time-setting, and neutral positions.
With its skeletonized movement, the CW1 reveals a nebula of components working in harmony toward a singular mission: to become the first pioneer in the Concept series of watches. A rare breed—only 150 models exist—this celestial arrival on Earth at the start of the millennium, was designed with the intention of being disruptive, making it clear that the future had, indeed, just landed.