On April 15, 1972, the watch world changed forever. That day at Basel Fair, Audemars Piguet debuted their iconic Royal Oak, which after half a century and 500 models released has only seen its popularity only grow and grow.
To kick off the celebration of that 50th anniversary milestone, AP has revealed the brand’s first dedicated installation in The Dubai Mall at the Fashion Avenue Atrium. For watch fanatics, be sure to rush there soon, as it will only stay in that location until April 24.
Luckily, this is only the beginning. The brand is planning a series of public immersive sensory experiences and events from this month until September in key cities across the world, offering a journey into the Royal Oak’s multifaceted world through an experiential overview of its decades of design and technical innovation.
At The Dubai Mall installation, visitors can dive deep into the Royal Oak’s cultural universe and follow the journey of this timepiece from its first inspirations to its evolving conversation with the larger cultural world. According to the brand, “its 5-decade history is presented through surprising and immersive edutainment content inspired by the Royal Oak’s multiple facets, past, present and future, and the daring vision that has animated it since its inception. A display of contemporary and heritage timepieces will complement the experience. Visitors will also be able to test their knowledge of the Royal Oak and of the brand as a whole through an entertaining digital challenge,” says Audemars Piguet.
Additional immersive experiences will be available to the public in Zurich from 6 – 12 May, in New York City from 19 – 25 May and in Shanghai in July.
The Royal Oak’s anniversary is concurrently being celebrated in Tokyo, Hong Kong and London with a series of local pop-up exhibitions, which echoes the youthful spirit of the sensory in-situ installations. These pop-up exhibitions on view from April through September follow the Royal Oak’s evolution within the watchmaking landscape and beyond through a display of contemporary and heritage timepieces spanning the collection’s history.
There are also exclusive dinners taking place in major hubs including Singapore, Taipei, Bangkok, London and Turin, where clients and collectors are invited to exhibit their iconic Royal Oak timepieces alongside a selection of models from the Heritage collection.
Here’s the full schedule:
Immersive installations
The Dubai Mall, Dubai April 15 – 24
Central Station, Zurich May 6 – 12
Taikoo Li Qiantan Plaza, Shanghai July
Hudson Yard Main Plaza, New York May 19 – 25
Pop-up exhibitions
Harrods, London April 4 – 29
21_21 Design Sight, Tokyo April 15 – June 6
West Kawloon, Hong Kong September