Three new designs will be added to the collection at SIHH 2018, including two all-gold versions set with diamonds and a “frosted gold” finishing variation.
Besides the launch of three new Royal Oak Offshore timepieces, Audemars Piguet will be introducing a new line of Millenary women’s watches next year, unveiled ahead of time at Dubai Fashion Week. Three new designs will be added to the collection at SIHH 2018, including two all-gold versions set with diamonds and a “frosted gold” finishing variation.
Launched in 1995 and last updated in 2015, the Millenary stands apart from the sportier Royal Oak with its delicately exposed layers on an oval-shaped dial. While the case and dial remain unchanged, new white and pink metal bracelets with Polish finishings have been added to match the current cases, giving it a timeless appeal.
Dubbed as the “second skin” bracelet, this modernised Polish adaptation of the classic Milanese style follows a right-then-left threading for a more comfortable feel around the wrist. Each bracelet is handmade individually and has adjustable links for every 5mm, ensuring the perfect fit for every woman.
Aside from the new metal bracelets, the third Millenary watch features an opal dial and a unique Frosted Gold finishing technique. Both are first-time elements in the collection, with the latter only used in the Royal Oak collection thus far.
Created in collaboration with Florentine jewellery designer, Carolina Bucci, the Frosted Gold finishing is defined by its shimmering sparkle – a result of the surface treatment process rooted in an age-old gold “hammering” technique, also known as the Florentine technique. The effect is achieved by beating the gold with a diamond tipped pneumatic tool vibrating at 200Hz (12,000 beats/minute), producing tiny indentations on the surface to give a sparkle effect that looks like diamond dust.
In the 2018 variation, the bezel, inner bezel, top of the lugs and case’s sides at 9 and 3 o’clock have been frosted.
There will also be a new line of straps to complement the Millenary collection, offering a variety of textures (rubber, alligator, textile, or velvet) and colours (blue, gray, red, pink, light green, or purple) to attain unique looks for different occasions. More details on pricing and availability will be released in mid-January 2018.
For more information, log on to the official website here.
Images: Courtesy of Audemars Piguet
