Recent technological advancements have made titanium watches not just easier to make but more affordable. The metal is popular for how light it is — nearly half the weight of steel on average — and its corrosion-resistant properties. Luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet has used the material on its timepieces in the past, including variants of the iconic Royal Oak, but its latest release pairs grade 5 titanium with an even more interesting material called BMG.
BMG stands for bulk metallic glass and on the new Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin 16202XT, it’s used for the bezel and bracelet links. Not only does it offer a striking appearance when presented under light but BMG also benefits from its strength, resistance to wear, and anti-corrosive properties. If you’re unfamiliar with the material, you’re not alone. It’s very uncommon in the watch world but the palladium-based alloy has been utilized in electronics and even the medical field for helping fix fractures. While this is the first commercial Royal Oak from AP to feature the combination of titanium and BMG, the pairing was used for a one-off model for the Only Watch charity auction in 2021, which alone garnered over $3 million.
The 16202XT put into production today sports a beautiful smoked burgundy dial color with a date window and lumed pink gold hands and applied indices, all covered by a glare-proof sapphire crystal. Stretching 39mm in diameter and thinned out at 8.1mm, the case boasts 50m of water resistance and houses the caliber 7121 automatic movement that’s common in the 16202 series and visible through the caseback here. The watch is also adorned with a titanium and BMG bracelet with a folding clasp.
If you’re interested in getting the Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin 16202XT, the price is available upon request. Head over to Audemars Piguet’s website to make an appointment.
