There has always been an intersection between hip-hop culture and watches. However, it’s often been a one-way street, with the latter appearing in the songs and social circles of the former. And while the influence of celebrities and pop culture over the horological world at large has long been recognised — one need only look to the enduring legacy Paul Newman’s approval has bestowed upon the Rolex Daytona — the exalted world of Swiss watchmaking has not been swift to officially embrace the hip-hop and rap subcultures, despite benefiting from them.
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That said, Audemars Piguet has been a touch more receptive, having previously collaborated with Jay-Z in 2005. This year has seen the manufacture attempt to embrace the cultural zeitgeist, with some collaborations more well received (1017 ALYX 9SM Royal Oak) than others (Royal Oak Spider-Man Tourbillon, anyone?). Now, the Swiss manufacture has linked up with American rapper and singer Travis Scott, by way of his Cactus Jack label. Turns out the “the chocolate AP” Scott rapped about in his song Meltdown from his recent album Utopia is real after all.
Fortunately, the resultant Audemars Piguet x Travis Scott Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar ‘Cactus Jack’ is rather more well-executed than its web-slinging stablemate. Marking the first Royal Oak to be crafted from brown (or ‘chocolate’) ceramic, a signature Cactus Jack shade, the 41mm case is both light- and scratch-resistant. A sapphire crystal dial showcases the openworked calibre 5135 within, with the movement utilising a rhodium-plated components that complement the rose gold hues around the subdials.
Cactus Jack signatures are incorporated by way of the typography on the calendar an week indications, which reference Scott’s hand-drawn model. The hand of the day subdial takes on the shape of the lifestyle label’s logo, while the moonphase at 6 o’clock eschews the typical anodyne natural interpretation in favour of Cactus Jack’s smiley face graphic with its mouth sewn shut. The moon is coated with luminescent material that glows blue in the dark, while other calendar indications relieve a green luminescent treatment.
Flip it over and you’ll find the brown ceramic and sapphire crystal caseback engraved with ‘Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar’, ‘Limited Edition of 200 Pieces’, and ‘Utopia is a state of mind; the latter a reference to Scott’s latest album. Visible through the caseback, the rose gold oscillating weight is decorated with satin-brushing and polished chamfers and engraved with the signatures of both collaborators. The timepiece is presented on a textured brown leather strap secured with a rose gold clasp.
“Watchmaking, to me, is the ultimate combo of engineering, fashion, tech, and design—a harmony of precision, craftsmanship and perfect timing,” explained Travis Scott. “I approached this collaboration similar to sampling or starting a beat, taking inspiration from classics while introducing innovation to push them into the future.
“I’m beyond amped about the results, a first ever for the iconic Royal Oak. For it to be my brother Francois’ final project as CEO of AP makes it even more epic – we are sending him out with a Mega fucking epic mic drop… LETTTSSSSS GOOOOOO.”
While Scott’s enthusiastic turn of expression may be comically at odds with the typically buttoned-up world of Swiss watchmaking, there’s no denying that the collaboration hits the mark. Seamlessly combining the core design codes of both collaborators, the Audemars Piguet x Travis Scott Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar ‘Cactus Jack’ represents a union of culture and craftsmanship.
The accompanying images are also a far cry from the typical renders supplied by the manufacture. Taking the same lookbook-style approach as the collaboration with Matthew Williams’ 1017 ALYX 9SM, the images showcase how the watch is intended to be worn; i.e. its place within a specific culture, rather than as an individual entity removed from it.
The Audemars Piguet x Travis Scott Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar ‘Cactus Jack’ is limited to 200 examples. Priced at $201,000USD (approx. $305,000AUD), it is available exclusively via Travis Scott’s webstore (and alas, has already sold out). For those who missed out on the wrist candy (or chocolate, as the case may be), Cactus Jack and Audemars Piguet have also released a collaborative capsule of clothing and accessories).
Words by T. Angel
