Audemars Piguet is marching to the beat of its own drum when it comes to the rainbow-style watch. The look most often materialises as an array of multi-coloured stones set around the bezel of a timepiece, but has, in some cases, appeared as varying bright hues on hour markers and indices. Having already done the traditional take on models like the Royal Oak Frosted Gold Double Balance Wheel Openworked, Audemars Piguet offered a new twist on the trend last month when it debuted a Royal Oak Selfwinding Carolina Bucci Limited Edition featuring an iridescent mirror dial, which appears black or charcoal at first glance but reveals various ROYGBIV colours as the wrist moves beneath certain lighting. That model came in the brand’s ultra-hot black ceramic version of the 34 mm Selfwinding reference.
Flipping the script, the latest all-black ceramic timepiece with a rainbow dial iteration comes in 43 mm on the Royal Oak Offshore. This model comes with a black rubber strap (turquoise, yellow and green straps are also included), instead of a black ceramic bracelet, and features a tapisserie dial—the company’s instantly recognizable waffle-shaped design—with rainbow colours arranged in various squares to mimic the look of a music equalizer used in music studio sound mixing. It is also available in a 43 mm titanium version on a blue rubber strap and a 37 mm titanium reference with a blue rubber strap featuring a mosaic design, both limited to 500 pieces each. For those that prefer a blinged-up rainbow watch, there is also a 37 mm titanium piece with the same blue rubber mosaic strap that comes with multi-coloured gems both on the bezel and in the equalizer design on the dial.
The 43 mm black ceramic reference, however, is limited to 250 suggesting that the company already knows this will be the model clients are vying to put on the wrist and in the vault. While the Carolina Bucci mirrored-style rainbow dial on the Royal Oak is arguably still the must-have, at 34 mm, its fit may be a bit diminutive for some. Besides, the likelihood that you would be able to get your hands on one a month after the launch is slim to none. But don’t expect the Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Music Editions to be any easier. A word to the wise: If you want one, you better start courting your local AP retail managers ASAP.
Previously published on Robb Report.
