The trendsetters start a new revolution.
From Zenith and Carl F. Bucherer to Venezianico and Doxa, brands with totally different DNA have been experimenting with the same material in recent years — forged carbon. Small pieces of carbon fiber composite material are combined with resin by heating it to the right temperature under pressure.
This material's triumph in the watch industry began with Audemars Piguet in 2007. Forged carbon debuted in the Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi Team Chronograph (26062FS) model. After laying the foundations, the engineers who introduced the material to watchmaking faded into the background.
AP left it to others to continue experimenting with forged carbon before returning to it in 2024. And now they've forged another revolution. This time round, they've revisited the technology to achieve different colors. In the traditional approach, the desired tone for forged carbon is achieved by coloring the resin.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date
This method has a number of drawbacks, as the final result remains a mystery: soluble pigments can dissolve in the resin and create an unpredictable tone. The watchmakers at Audemars Piguet justifiably strive for greater control over the materials they handle. That's why they've come up with a way to color the carbon fibers directly here.
In their Chroma Forged Technology, solid pigment particles adhere to the surface of the carbon fibers — no more amateur work with resin. The colored carbon fiber is then manually layered in a mold for combination with the resin to achieve the desired motif.
A new cycle has also been developed to create carbon blocks that are less porous and more durable. The material is cured under pressure for ten hours. The specialists at Audemars Piguet have also reduced the percentage of resin used in the material to make it more durable.
Once the carbon block has been cured, it's subjected to 6-8 hours of machining to hone the case shape. The Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT model was born as a result of these developments, where luminescent pigment has been used so the material can also glow in the dark. The novelty houses a caliber 4407 movement with a 70-hour power reserve and GMT function.