John Mayer didn’t just get a new watch — he designed one for Audemars Piguet

When you own one of the most iconic watch designs in history, it makes sense that only the biggest names in celebrity are allowed to come in and tinker with it. When it comes to collaborations, Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak roster is stacked indeed, drawing luminaries from various fields like fashion, movies, sports, and music for fresh dials and colourways. In the past year alone, it had worked with the likes of Travis Scott, fashion brand 1017 ALYX 9SM, haute couturier Tamara Ralph, and even Spider-Man.

But its latest partnership with John Mayer is one so synergistic we’re a little surprised it didn’t happen sooner. Not because the man is an accomplished singer-songwriter with a closet stuffed with Grammys (seven, at last count), but because his collection of watches is arguably just as impressive, estimated to be worth about US$40 million (S$53.9 million) — about a quarter of his net worth according to CNBC’s The Filthy Rich Guide.

This stash includes rare models from the Royal Oak line like the Royal Oak Minute Repeater Supersonnerie in titanium and Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in white ceramic. But what Mayer envisioned for his design is completely original: A Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar with a “Crystal Sky” dial. The closest Audemars Piguet has come to such a design is in the long-discontinued models with hand-hammered “Tuscan” dials, but this reference uses a stamping die created through electroforming for even greater textural detail. This process involves submerging a mould in a liquid metal solution and running an electric current through the liquid, causing metal particles to stick to the mould. The metal builds up over time, allowing the creation of this glittering “crystal sky”.

Mayer also made some minor aesthetic tweaks that eagle-eyed owners of regular Royal Oak Perpetual Calendars should notice: The numbers “31” on the date subdial are now in white instead of red, and are also smaller and slightly stepped to distinguish it from the adjacent number “1”. He chose a light blue shade for the week-indicating hand, and the words “Swiss Made” now reside inside the moon phase sub dial for the first time, rather than at the dial’s edge at 6 o’clock.

“My favourite watches have dials that you can stare endlessly at,” said Mayer in a press statement. “Great watch feels like a picture window — you look into it, not at it. In the case of this QP [Quantieme Perpetuel (perpetual calendar)}, it’s like looking up at a moonless sky. There is a true sense of nature in it. and when you couple that sense of depth and vastness with the complication of a perpetual calendar, it is a very powerful combination of technical prowess and aesthetic design.”

Perpetual calendars are certainly technical feats, but another factor that makes his reference even more collectible is the fact that this will be the last limited edition to carry the Calibre 5134. The automatic movement is a descendent of the legendary Calibre 2120/2800 from 1978, which was the thinnest self-winding perpetual calendar movement of its time, measuring just 3.95mm thick.

In 2015, the Calibre 5134 was launched to accommodate bigger cases, debuting in the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar 41mm with 40 hours of power reserve and a 2.75 Hz frequency, and decorated with Cotes de Geneve, circular graining, sun ray brushing, polished chamfers, and a 22K pink gold oscillating weight stamped with the brand’s signature Tapisserie motif. The movement can be admired through a sapphire crystal case back, and is framed with a white gold ring engraved with “Royal Oak Quantieme Perpetuel” and “Limited Edition of 200 Pieces”.

“John’s love of complicated watches combined with his creativity made this an organic and fun collaboration,” added Illaria Resta, Audemars Piguet’s CEO. “He wholeheartedly delved into the intricate design of the dial, so there is a moment of discovery each time the watch is worn, which gives us a glimpse of infinity.” We’re not sure about infinity, but it certainly is a watch that invites us to defy gravity and plunge into a starry sky, pushing fellow collectors to the edge of desire, all while shining a new light on the musician’s creative prowess. After all, there is no such thing as a good partnership without an equally satisfying story behind it.

TIME FOR THE RED CARPET

More cross-industry collaborations to add a little star power to your wrist.

Bulgari Bulgari x Lisa

Bulgari teams up a second time with Blackpink’s Lisa, transforming the Bulgari Bulgari watch into a whimsical accessory. Unlike its predecessor, which boasted a rose gold bezel and stainless-steel case with an iridescent dial, the 2024 edition flaunts a white mosaic dial made from 400 hand-cut mother-of-pearl tiles — a design inspired by the singer’s beloved edelweiss flower. The caseback is further engraved with an edelweiss motif, while the crown retains its cabochon rubellite accent. Available in limited series, the Bulgari Bulgari x Lisa Limited Edition features 1,100 pieces of the 33mm model and 400 pieces of the 23mm version, both powered by quartz movements.

Dedicated to the band’s latest album and world tour, Memento Mori, the all-black watch features a skull and hourglass motif, with small black ceramic spheres filling the skull's centre, moving as the wrist moves. Red “DM” initials adorn the 6 o'clock position, with pyramid-shaped studs found replacing the indices and decorating the black ceramic bezel. The 42mm sand-blasted and polished black ceramic watch houses the automatic HUB1710 movement, with a 50-hour power reserve and 100m of water resistance. Limited to 100 pieces, the watch comes with two interchangeable straps and is delivered in a special box containing a 10-inch vinyl single of “Wagging Tongue”, produced using green energy and recycled PVC.

Victoria Beckham brings the grace and elegance of her spring/summer 2024 runway looks to a capsule collection for Breitling’s all-occasion Chronomat 36. There are six limited edition models co-designed by the pop star-turned-designer, each with dials taking on the hues of her seasonal palette. The dials in peppermint and midnight blue are available in both metals, while the dove grey and sand dials are unique to the stainless steel and gold models, respectively. Victoria Beckham's initials adorn the seconds hand counterweight and bracelet. Limited to 400 pieces for each reference, the watches are presented in a co-branded box, with a travel pouch included for gold models.

Louis Vuitton Tambour Moon Flying Tourbillon Poincon De Geneve Sapphire Frank Gehry