CALACATTA GOLD MARBLE
S ubjective c reativity
He peeps out through the sapphire crystal as if taking a slightly disturbing look at the world outside. Companion, the famous character created by contemporary artist Kaws, overturns conventions to become the star of the latest creation from Audemars Piguet
by Diego Tamone - ph. courtesy by Audemars Piguet
Afew years ago, some will have seen, flying over some of the world’s most important cities, a 42-metre high balloon in the form of Companion, perhaps the most famous character by the artist Kaws, which in a short time has become a contemporary pop icon. Others will have seen him floating serenely, securely tethered by strong cords, over Broadway, New York during a Thanksgiving Day parade. A few months ago, though, Companion also made a surprise appearance in the Vallée de Joux, in Switzerland’s Jura region, again in inflatable form but this time appearing
Left, the artist Brian Donnelly, known professionally as Kaws. Above, the AP factory in Le Brassus, dominated by the huge inflatable balloon. Opposite page, the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Companion” by Audemars Piguet
on the roof of the Audemars Piguet headquarters in Le Brassus.
For many, it was an unequivocal sign that something was about to happen in the factory. And that turned out to be true, as the Swiss brand, universally known for its iconic Royal Oak model, has launched a new designer collaboration. This time it has chosen to work with the eclectic artist from New Jersey, miniaturising his Companion, a sort of dystopian Mickey Mouse combining clown-like elements with cartoonish references to death, placing the figure literally in the centre of a watch, the Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Companion”, engineered by Audemars Piguet and then produced in a limited edition of 250. In this way the brand presents a very real and undeniably substantial interpretation of the amusing yet also disturbing character created by Kaws. Its technical content is based on a manually-wound mechanical movement with tourbillon, whose uniqueness lies in the way it displays the time, shown not by classic timepiece hands but by two rotating rings attached to two arrow indicators. This technical solution was chosen to ensure that nothing distracts from the Companion’s presence centre stage. audemarspiguet.com
Top, front and back of the model display the watch’s mechanism and the creativity involved in its production. Above, the final stages in assembling the manual movement and case. Below, the “Companion” by AP, in 250 examples
