Music and timepiece enthusiast Travis Scott has debuted his luxurious Royal Oak wristwatch for Audemars Piguet. AP has long partnered with celebrities to craft original watches, beginning with Jay-Z in the 2000s and extending to LeBron James in the 2010s. Recently, the company has tapped into some very lucrative and subversive ideas, teaming with Marvel to produce high-end watches showcasing Black Panther and Spider-Man.
Scott, one of GQ’s 2023 Men of the Year, is an appropriate choice to team with the company, as he’s long been spotted sporting AP timepieces at various events. Scott’s Royal Oak “Cactus Jack” Edition, which is nicknamed “The Chocolate AP” by the musician, is a stunning piece of work. The device comes equipped with a perpetual calendar, which doesn’t need to be reset until the year 2100, as well as a moon phase indicator. It’s crafted from a smooth brown ceramic and is an open-worked watch, so the wearer can see all of the gears turning away inside.
As the name indicates, the wristwatch contains plenty of Easter eggs for Scott’s Cactus Jack brand. The type used for the date indicators is based on the Utopia artist’s handwriting, and a sub-dial hand is shaped like the Cactus Jack logo. The moon phase indicator, which features the Cactus Jack smiley face in the place of planet Earth, is a sly touch amongst the bevy of well-considered modifications. The pink gold clasp is signed by both Scott and Audemars Piguet. Etched in the case are a variety of phrases: “Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar”; “Limited Edition of 200 Pieces”; and, “Utopia is a state of mind,” referring to the title of Scott’s most recent album.
Those features don't come cheap, though. Scott's timepiece will retail for an eye-popping $201,000.
“Watchmaking, to me, is the ultimate combo of engineering, fashion, tech, and design—a harmony of precision, craftsmanship, and perfect timing,” Scott explained in a press release to GQ. “I approached this collaboration similar to sampling or starting a beat, taking inspiration from classics while introducing innovation to push them into the future. I'm beyond amped about the results, a first-ever for the iconic Royal Oak.”
2023 has been a banner year for Scott, with his coronation by GQ and the release of his Utopia album, his first since the November 2021 tragedy at his Astroworld Festival. Earlier this week, Scott took some time out of his entrepreneurial duties and helped an arguing couple reconcile in the middle of his Miami concert.
The singer took to Instagram on Thursday to commemorate the moment, which has been years in the making. “It took me and the gang four years. And now it’s time. Literally never been more excited,” Scott captioned a video advertising his watch.
