An Official Partnership Between 2023 Swiss Best Audemars Piguet Fake Watches UK And 1017 Alyx 9SM Designer Matthew Williams Just Launched Today In Tokyo
What We Know
Audemars Piguet has just released two new self-winding Royal Oak and two new Royal Oak Offshore replica watches wholesale in collaboration with fashion designer Matthew Williams and his streetwear label 1017 Alyx 9SM. Williams is something of a fashion industry maverick. He currently sits at the helm of luxury fashion house Givenchy as its creative director across both women’s and menswear, producing a mix of utility-goth, streetwear-meets-high fashion: structured but distressed aesthetic. We’re talking multi-layered but always sharp tailoring plus unusual accessories with their smooth metal details. It’s half grunge half streetwear and lots of disruption.
Prior to his LVMH appointment, Williams founded Milan-based brand Alyx, along with streetwear legend Luca Benini (of Slam Jam notoriety) back in 2015. Alyx proved to be the next step in Matthew William’s evolution from creative director, founding member of Kanye West’s Donda, and original member of NYC collective Been Trill (whose other founding members included Virgil Abloh and Heron Preston).
Williams is now more than established for his convergence of luxury fashion and utilitarian-inspired accessories such as the rollercoaster belt (which Kim Jones even commissioned versions of for and included on belts, caps, and backpacks at his Dior Men SS19 show).
A few years back Alyx worked in conjunction with MAD Paris and released a series of 40 34mm embossed Alyx branded Royal Oaks. Very much in line with Williams’ brutalist aesthetic, the customized luxury UK fake watches were clean, minimal, and even featured a mini roller coaster buckle in lieu of a signature folding clasp.
Now Alyx is back with an official Audemars Piguet partnership. There are four cheap replica watches for sale and an additional 5th piece that will be sold at auction today in Tokyo to benefit both NGOs Kids in Motion and Right to Play.
Two of the four top copy watches come in 18-carat yellow and the remaining two in white gold; there are two Royal Oak models (in 37 + 41) and two Royal Oak Offshore models (both 42mm). Rather interestingly, this is the first time that the same design has been developed for both collections simultaneously. Despite the use of an octagon and screws in both, Royal Oaks and Offshores tend to have quite a different feel so this is certainly a unique vantage point design-wise for AP and Williams.
In an effort to make the aesthetics as clean and pure as possible, Matthew Williams and Audemars Piguet have kept the dials super minimal by removing the hour-markers and the date aperture on the high quality replica Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches. Keeping the focus on the monochromatic vertical satin-finishing.
The 37 mm self-winding reference indicates the hours, minutes, and seconds, with luminescent yellow-gold hands and the signatures “Audemars Piguet” and “1017 ALYX 9SM”, the former in a gold applique and the latter is transferred. The 41mm self-winding chronograph actually has no visible subdials, instead, only the hands to rotate at three, six and nine o’clock. Both are produced in limited series. The 37mm houses Caliber 5909 has a power reserve of 60 hours. The 41mm Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph fake watches for men houses the Caliber 4409 with a 70-hour power reserve.
The two Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore replica watches with Swiss movements follow the same minimalist theme albeit much chunkier in true Offshore style. Only the date aperture, which is emblematic of the Royal Oak Offshore collection, remains at three o’clock, next to the AP monogram. The 1017 ALYX 9SM signature is for its part located at six o’clock. The chronograph counters at six, nine, and 12 o’clock have also been removed, leaving only the hands. These models are accompanied by an additional strap in black rubber. Both come equipped with the Caliber 4404 which comes with an integrated chronograph and a flyback function.
The auction piece is a 41 mm Royal Oak Chronograph model with a two-tone case and bracelet, combining 18k yellow gold and stainless steel, with a black PVD-coated gold dial decorated with vertical satin finishing. The dial also includes the signatures of both brands as well as yellow-gold chronograph hands. It also comes equipped with the Caliber 4409.
Each of these China super clone watches comes fitted with a sapphire crystal caseback that opens onto the oscillating weight developed for these limited editions. Made of 22k yellow or white gold, the weight features an engraving of the 1017 ALYX 9SM signature as well as the indication of Newton’s millimeter and rotor weight, a nod to the technical references indicated by Matthew Williams on his buckles.
What We Think
From where I am sitting, with my slightly outsider-y perspective (a perspective I cling to proudly in this world of horology) AP seems to be partnering with the right people: from Ghetto Gastro to Heron Preston and now ALYX. They certainly understand who is at the forefront of the so-called streetwear culture in 2023. But Streetwear as a term seems somewhat defunct in 2023.
Gone are the days of Stussy and Supreme and the subculture and graphic t-shirts that sprung up around them. And we have Mr Virgil Abloh to thank for that: He revolutionized the category.
Streetwear is now really just a moniker for fashion – the only real difference is the element of community and participation and inclusion that surrounds real “streetwear” brands (see Denim Tears or CRTZRTW). Perhaps we can look to streetwear as a cultural genre – which manifests itself through clothing, music, and sports and all those things are now so tightly wound into fashion, which means that all these cultures are naturally colliding.
What does this mean for the watch industry? Because I often genuinely ask myself, outside of horology, does subculture even exist anymore?
This collaboration seems like a good sign that 1:1 top Audemars Piguet replica watches have zero intention of dialing down their efforts to maintain a foothold in the pop-culture hemisphere. And I pray that it remains this way for 2024. You have to give credit to AP for recognizing that it’s not really about advertising these days. In 2023 it’s all about brands that have a genuine community around them, a genuine community that can serve as an aspirational springboard for those so called subcultures.
Williams certainly created a new way of engaging with clothing at Alyx through his utilitarian details, interactive hiking gear, and accessories. Let’s see if watch brands can figure out how to engage a new demographic through community and ingenuity a la Matthew Williams.