Audemars Piguet has partnered with Marvel to deliver a luxury watch like no other, the Black Panther inspired flying tourbillon. This limited-edition watch presents a laser-carved, hand-painted model of the Wakandan legend crafted from white gold and encased in satin-brushed titanium. This marks the very first entry devised in partnership with Marvel, and was brought to light this weekend in a virtual event hosted by Audemars Piguet CEO François-Henry Bennahmias, and Kevin Hart. Only 250 pieces will be issued, and it’ll cost a king’s ransom to get your hands on one. Hit the jump to learn just exactly how you can snag this one-of-a-kind timepiece. Marvel x Audemars Piguet releases new luxurious Black Panther flying tourbillon fit for a king
Black Panther flying tourbillon
Whether Audemars Piguet’s latest debut feels like a once-in-a-lifetime collectible, or something Elon Musk would get laughed out of the MET Gala for wearing, there’s no denying the watch’s originality, or craftsmanship. The Black Panther flying tourbillon is centered around the iconic hero immortalized in white gold. Laser-carved detailing textures the suit to its original vibranium perfection, while the mask, claws, and other detailing was carved and painted by hand.
The case itself, however, is not made of the (you know, fictional) vibranium, but sand-blasted titanium to mimic the rugged feel of the Black Panther’s signature suit. Beneath you’ll find a black ceramic bezel that, like the case, was five a satin-brush finish. On the technical side of things, we’re looking at 3Hz calibre 2965 oscillation which keeps the watch accurate to under 1/6 of a second, and is water-resistant up to 50 meters. And for anyone as curious as I was, a flying tourbillon is an aesthetic choice which places an oscillating balance wheel mechanism, or tourbillon, inside a visible cage to counter-balance the watch and keep more accurate time.
Pricing and availability
As mentioned above, only 250 Black Panther flying tourbillons will be produced by Audemars Piguet, and are only available to view by appointment. The watch itself is estimated to cost $161,824, though it recently sold at auction for over $5 million. So unless you happen to be like the king of Wakanda himself, it seems unlikely that any of us will be making out with this unparalleled collectible while supplies last.
Electronicsforward’ take:
Researching this, I feel I may have been a bit hard on the folks over at TAG Heuer for their $3,000 diving watch. While there is certainly something to be said about the luxury brand promoting Black artistry and excellence at this time, it does make me wonder if anyone at Audermars Piguet has checked in with the rest of the planet since the film’s release. Or before it. Considering everything going on in soccer that’s counter to the film’s theming, you’d think somebody would mention that there are more effective ways $161,000 – and certainly $5,000,000 – could be used to address those problems. All-in-all, a technically dazzling timepiece that misses the thematic mark by a lightyear.
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