Swiss Haute Horlogerie manufacturer Audemars Piguet is delighted to announce its partnership with British luxury fashion house, Ralph & Russo. Pursuing Audemars Piguet’s commitment to fostering dialogues among creative fields, this collaboration brings together two family-owned companies driven by a strong spirit of independence and dedication to age-old craftsmanship, creativity, and reinvention.
TIME FOR A PERFECT STYLE
To mark the beginning of their partnership, Audemars Piguet joins Ralph & Russo on the catwalk this October at Paris Fashion Week as the house unveils its Spring/Summer 2021 Prêt-à-Porter collection, complemented by the watchmaker’s latest Royal Oak and Royal Oak Concept models.
All in attendance of this joint event celebrated within the industry and beyond will discover unique pairings of each brand’s latest collections that mirror one another in savoir-faire and refinement.
THE NATURAL SYNERGIES
The encounter between Ralph & Russo and Audemars Piguet this fall will provide an exclusive lens into the natural synergies between the world of Haute Horlogerie and luxury fashion.
Combining inventive designs with the technical precision of age-old skills, savoir-faire remains at the heart of both brands. With teams of highly trained artisans, each expert in fields old and new, Ralph & Russo and Audemars Piguet consistently reinterpret and develop coveted skills to set pioneering trends within their industry, while bringing people together all over the world through a unique language of emotions.
AUDEMARS PIGUET
CEO François-Henry Bennahmias comments:
“Audemars Piguet has always developed cross-disciplinary collaborations that have fuelled the creativity of our artisans. Our partnership with Ralph & Russo came together naturally.
Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo’s warm welcome strucked me when we first met. They represent talent at the highest level mixed with simplicity and authenticity.
The fun part was when we actually realised that our watches had already been paired with their exceptional designs many times by clients in real life. So, they didn’t need to wait for this partnership to match our two brands!”
TAMARA RALPH & MICHAEL RUSSO
“We have long been admirers as well as clients of Audemars Piguet and their exceptional watches. We were thrilled by the prospect of a partnership. Beyond our personal affinity for the brand, we felt a strong connection and alignment through our mutual dedication to both uncompromising craftsmanship and the creation of wonderfully unique styles that withstand the test of time.
We both share the same core values and ethos for our respective brands. Thus, we feel this is just the beginning of what we hope will be a longstanding relationship. Moreover, we look forward to sharing the runway with Audemars Piguet this fall to officially launch our partnership.”
NEW ROYAL OAK SELFWINDING MODELS FOR THE SMALLER WRISTS
To complete Ralph & Russo’s Prêt-à-Porter collection, Audemars Piguet presents its latest Royal Oak Selfwinding models in 34 mm conceived for the smaller wrists. This new line includes 4 models in stainless steel and/or 18-carat pink gold which will appeal to different styles.
The 18-carat pink gold model is adorned with a diamond-set bezel and a silver-toned guilloché “Grande Tapisserie” dial. The dial’s guilloché design has become one of the Royal Oak’s trademarks. It’s achieved through a complex manufacturing process based on a rare in-house know-how. It’s no longer taught in horology school but passed down across generations at Audemars Piguet.
DEXTERITY AND PRECISION BY AUDEMARS PIGUET
Little squares are carved out on the dial’s thin metal plate by an engraving machine dating back to the 1970s that reproduces the motif of a stencil. Small lozenges are simultaneously cut out in the thin grooves separating the squares in a seamless “weave” that creates a tapestry appearance. This process requires extreme dexterity and precision.
