Watch design is an art, from the case, strap, and even the crown contours, to the intricate movement inside, every detail of a watch is a unique craftsmanship. As early as 1972, the Swiss luxury watch brand Audemars Piguet introduced the first high-end sports watch with a manually polished stainless steel case, named the Royal Oak, blending sports style with traditional watchmaking craftsmanship, ushering in a new era in the luxury watch industry. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Royal Oak, the brand recently brought the flagship exhibition “50 Years of Royal Oak” to the West Kowloon Cultural District Art Pavilion.
Since April of this year, Audemars Piguet has been holding a series of limited-time exhibitions in London and Tokyo. The current “50 Years of Royal Oak” exhibition in the West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong showcases stunning art installations, guiding watch enthusiasts into the world of the Royal Oak collection, tracing the birth of classic timepieces.
Before admiring the watch design, visitors will first pass through a specially crafted “time tunnel” to enter the exhibition hall, reviewing the important historical moments of the legendary and innovative Royal Oak watch series. Pay close attention, and you will notice that the design of the tunnel entrance intricately echoes the avant-garde innovation of the Royal Oak watch’s octagonal bezel profile.
Walking along the tunnel, you can admire the interactive piano installation “Listening to the Wind” created by local digital artist Henry Chu for this watch. “Listening to the Wind” uses computer algorithms to transform the ticking sound of the first Royal Oak watch into a rhythm that carries the brand’s past, present, and future. Each time a key is struck, it triggers the leaves to move, activating long strips of fabric swaying in the air, presenting different volume changes and resonating with the flow of the wind. With the creation of new melodies, the natural scenery of the Ru Valley, the birthplace of the brand, will cleverly echo the bustling beauty of Hong Kong that passes by, expressing the journey of the Royal Oak watch around the world.
The movement is like the heart of a watch, while another interactive art installation “The Sound of the Royal Oak” in the exhibition allows everyone to listen carefully to the sound of the legendary 2121 movement hidden in the first Royal Oak “Jumbo” 39mm model. The 12 light poles of the installation are arranged in a circular shape like the hour markers of the Royal Oak watch. Just wave your hand above the light poles, and a harmonious and pleasant sound will be emitted, reminiscent of the ticking sound from the thin automatic movement, allowing people to feel the unique “heartbeat” of the watch from the rhythm of the sound.
The “Heart of the Royal Oak” exhibition area showcases a series of historically valuable archival materials, including watch advertisements, design sketches, photos, tools, watch parts, etc., while also presenting selected Royal Oak watches from 1972 to 2022 from the Audemars Piguet Museum and private collections. The highlight exhibits include 4 different year models of the 5402 Royal Oak watch. In addition, there are the 16202 model and the latest “Fifty Years” watch from 2022, symbolizing the transformation of classic watches from the past to the present, revealing exquisite craftsmanship and design aesthetics in the details of the watches.
Learn more: Audemars Piguet
