Today, the Swiss watch industry enters an exciting new era with a groundbreaking collaboration involving 32-year-old Houston-born rapper Travis Scott, his record label Cactus Jack, and the esteemed watchmaker Audemars Piguet. This collaboration heralds a significant moment, blending high fashion, luxury timekeeping, and the vibrant world of hip-hop.
Audemars Piguet, known for its luxurious and innovative designs, first captured the attention of the hip-hop world in the late ’90s. Icons like Jay-Z frequently referenced the brand in their lyrics, forever linking the worlds of rap music and high-end watchmaking. The Royal Oak, a symbol of wealth and boldness since its debut in 1972, has been a recurring theme in hip-hop culture. Continuing this cultural exchange, Audemars Piguet has now teamed up with one of the most influential rappers of his generation, Travis Scott.
Travis Scott, a key figure in the evolving landscape of rap music for the past decade and founder of Cactus Jack Records in 2017, brings his unique vision to this partnership. The collaboration features a distinctive iteration of the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked “Cactus Jack” timepiece. This watch stands out with its 41mm chocolate brown ceramic case, adorned with white gold hexagonal screws and complemented by a brown denim-textured calfskin leather strap.
The timepiece, while retaining the Calibre 5135 automatic movement known for its reliability and precision, introduces a skeletonized design, allowing a view of the 22K pink gold oscillating weight bearing the Cactus Jack logo. Unique touches include the minute track and the three calendar subdials, featuring typography based on Travis Scott’s hand-drawn designs. The days-of-the-week dial showcases the Cactus Jack signature hand, and the moon phase subdial deviates from tradition with the record label’s smiley face symbol.
This exclusive Audemars Piguet x Travis Scott Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked Cactus Jack, limited to 200 pieces and priced at $201,000 (be sure to check the most expensive watches), represents a melding of luxury watchmaking and contemporary hip-hop culture. The watch, available through AP’s website, features white gold hexagonal screws, a sapphire dial revealing the intricately openworked Calibre 5135, and a moonphase indicator at six o’clock showcasing the Cactus Jack smiley face.
In addition to the watch, the collaboration includes a line of clothing and accessories, such as hoodies, T-shirts, jackets, pajamas, shorts, and caps, sold exclusively online via shop.travisscott.com. A portion of the profits from this collection will be donated to a charitable cause chosen by Travis Scott, further cementing the partnership’s commitment to positive social impact.
This collaboration marks a significant moment for both Audemars Piguet and Travis Scott, attracting new audiences to the world of luxury watchmaking and exemplifying the ongoing fusion of high fashion and hip-hop culture.
