The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked Cactus Jack, reference 26585CM.OO.D301VE.01, is a 41mm luxury timepiece distinguished by its groundbreaking use of chocolate brown ceramic. This collaboration with artist Travis Scott features a 9.9mm thick case and an octagonal bezel with rose gold screws, maintaining the iconic Royal Oak silhouette. The watch is powered by the self-winding manufacture caliber 5135, which offers a 40-hour power reserve and a frequency of 19,800 vph. It is presented on a textured brown calfskin leather strap with a rose gold folding clasp engraved with both the Audemars Piguet and Cactus Jack signatures.
The perpetual calendar complication is presented on an openworked sapphire dial that reveals the movement’s intricate rhodium and pink gold components. It provides comprehensive timekeeping functions including day, date, week, month, leap year, and an astronomical moon phase. Unique design elements include custom typography modeled after Travis Scott’s handwriting for the calendar indications and a day hand shaped like the Cactus Jack logo. The moon phase at 6 o’clock features the brand’s signature smiley face with a sewn-shut mouth, which, along with the hands, glows blue in the dark, while the other calendar indicators emit a green luminescent glow.
General reviews of the Cactus Jack edition highlight it as a bold and polarizing fusion of high horology and contemporary street culture. Collectors often praise the technical mastery required to produce the first brown ceramic Royal Oak and the cohesive execution of the collaboration’s thematic details. While the 20-meter water resistance is noted as a limitation typical of high-end perpetual calendars, the watch is widely regarded as a significant cultural milestone for Audemars Piguet, though its aesthetic and celebrity association may not appeal to traditionalists. Limited to only 200 pieces, it is considered a highly exclusive and technical masterpiece.