In 2022, a serendipitous partnership was forged between Grammy- and Oscar-winning D.J., songwriter, and super-producer Mark Ronson and Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet (A.P.), when Ronson became a brand ambassador for the company. Expressing his familiarity with A.P. through music, Ronson revealed that he first heard the name Audemars Piguet pronounced correctly in a Jay-Z song. His interest in the brand was heightened when he spotted a 1980s gold Royal Oak, A.P.’s flagship model, on the wrist of someone in a trendy Parisian bar, while he was hanging out with French electronic duo Daft Punk. Intrigued, he went on a quest to find the watch.
In July, Ronson solidified his relationship with the brand by performing at a closing-night concert for the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, curated by him and sponsored by A.P. Wearing a 1982 gold Royal Oak from his personal collection, Ronson elevated his partnership with the brand. A.P. has been a global partner of the festival since 2019, but their involvement dates back to 2010, when they began supporting the digitization of the event’s sound archives.
Over the past few years, an increasing number of watchmakers have followed Audemars Piguet’s lead and immersed themselves in the music scene, aiming to build their reputation and connect with younger consumers. Luxury brands recognize the allure of collaborating with top musical talent and the social media buzz generated by such partnerships, leading them to focus their resources on cultural tastemakers who can attract new audiences to mechanical timepieces.
Hublot, for example, partnered with French music producer DJ Snake to create an edition of their iconic Big Bang watch, encased in iridescent titanium. The collaboration with DJ Snake began three years prior when he presided over the decks at the closing party for the FIFA World Cup in Russia, for which Hublot is the official timekeeper.
Luxury brands have traditionally partnered with classical musicians and symphonies, but they are now seeking connections with performers of contemporary music genres like hip-hop and electronic dance music. The association of dance music with luxury settings like Mykonos, Ibiza, and Lisbon has made these genres attractive to watchmakers looking to tap into the younger market.
Pro Hunter, a London-based watch customizer, capitalized on this changing demographic by collaborating with Dutch record label Armada Music to create a customized Rolex Submariner. The collaboration arose when Armada’s Maykel Piron, a watch collector and Pro Hunter client, noticed a previous collaboration between Pro Hunter and Dutch jeans brand Denham. The collaboration reflects the evolving face of luxury, with younger individuals, including crypto lottery winners, tech enthusiasts, and women, showing increased interest in luxury watches.
Audemars Piguet was ahead of its time in cultivating friendships within the hip-hop scene over two decades ago. Led by François-Henry Bennahmias, the brand began building connections with hip-hop artists when Bennahmias was the managing director of A.P.’s North American division. The brand introduced the Royal Oak Offshore Jay-Z 10th Anniversary Limited Edition in 2005, marking a decade of Jay-Z’s involvement in the music industry. The timepiece was a collaboration with the hip-hop mogul himself and came with a specially engraved Apple iPod loaded with his albums. In 2010, A.P. partnered with megaproducer Quincy Jones on another collaborative model.
A.P. continues its commitment to music with the recent introduction of the Royal Oak Offshore Music Edition, a black ceramic 37-millimeter timepiece featuring an equalizer-inspired dial, knurled-texture studs reminiscent of jack plugs, and audio fader-inspired crown guards. Other watchmakers have also embraced the cultural influence of hip-hop. Richard Mille collaborated with Pharrell Williams on the RM 52-05 Tourbillon, capturing the artist’s imagination of Mars and Earth within an astronaut’s helmet design. Zenith named British D.J. Carl Cox as a global friend of the brand, with an exclusive timepiece, the Defy 21 Carl Cox, featuring a vinyl record-shaped rotating disk and glow-in-the-dark carbon elements.
These collaborations between watchmakers and musical artists represent the intersection of two art forms. Luxury brands are seeking authenticity and a connection with individuals who can share their dreams on stage. The shift towards partnering with musicians and embracing contemporary music reflects a broader change in the demographic of luxury, with younger audiences becoming more interested in high-end watches.
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