We’re continuing with the ‘new materials’ theme, with Audemars Piguet’s announcement of a new patented material called ‘chroma gold’, with a camouflage pattern.

This follows the brand’s announcement earlier this year of polychrome ceramic, a multi-coloured ceramic, with both created by using Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) technology to sinter in this case, powdered gold for this new gold alloy.

To create the camouflage motif, the different colours of gold each need to be created by melting the gold and then turning into a powdered form. Once this is done, the differently coloured powders are placed in a circular graphite mold to create the desired pattern.

The mold then has an electric current passed through the graphite which raises the temperature of the powder and which, in combination with pressure on the sides of the mold, achieves the sintering. The result is a disc with the colour patterning that was determined by the placement of the powders. The process also means that no two discs (and thus watch case, bezel or bracelet links made from the discs) are going to be identical

The components are then pre-polished and pre-satin-brushed before being hand-finished.

To give an idea of what this will look like when put into production, here are some mockups from Audemars Piguet of it in a 34mm Royal Oak form with yellow, white and pink gold.

[Photo credit: Audemars Piguet]

Categories: Audemars Piguet, Watch materials, watches, Women's watches