Audemars Piguet recently announced a collaboration with Marvel Entertainment. As a brand with a long history of creating fascinating models, including the T3 model, many enthusiasts have been eagerly awaiting the release of the first collaboration model. The first superhero to be revealed is Black Panther.
Text by Hiroyuki Suzuki
Royal Oak Concept "Black Panther" Flying Tourbillon
Audemars Piguet CEO François-Henri Bennahmias has had a dream for over 15 years. One of those dreams was to work with Marvel. This dream quickly became a reality in 2017, when he told actor Don Cheadle, a longtime friend of Bennahmias, about his idea, and he immediately called Marvel. Incidentally, Don Cheadle plays James Rhodey, Iron Man's sidekick in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and is the second War Machine himself.
It's been about 20 days since the surprise announcement on March 18th that Audemars Piguet and Marvel Entertainment have entered into a long-term collaboration agreement. As watch enthusiasts, we have only one question: which superhero will grace the dial of the first watch. The reason for this heightened anticipation is the memory of Audemars Piguet's past collaborations with movie culture, such as the T3 model. The first superhero to be unveiled is Black Panther.
Black Panther, who first appeared in Marvel Comics (Fantastic Four #52) published in 1966, was the first African-American superhero in the history of major American comics. His unique story, which was subsequently published in magazines such as Jungle Action, gained popularity, and he has been in the MCU since the 13th film, Captain America: Civil War.
What makes Black Panther, the King of Wakanda, a superhero is his suit made of the fictional metal vibranium that appears in the film. Wakanda, a highly advanced African nation, is set to be the only place where vibranium is produced, and vibranium appears in all sorts of scenes in MCU films, from Captain America's shield to the new power source for Iron Man's suit.
The case of the Royal Oak Concept "Black Panther" Flying Tourbillon, the first collaboration with Marvel, is of course made of vibranium! It's actually a combination of titanium and black ceramic, evoking the image of vibranium. The engraved lugs, which stand out against the matte finish, create a striking impression, as if torn apart by the Black Panther's sharp claws. The purple color of the inner bezel and rubber strap also expresses the transcendent power emanating from vibranium.
