27 May 2026 |
They partnered with Yoon & Verbal on a limited edition Royal Oak Concept.
Yoon and Verbal, the co-founders of AMBUSH, are nerds. That’s the ultimate compliment for a couple who deep dives into every topic, with knowledge maxxing being a core aspect of their personalities. Nowhere is that more evident than when the two speak about their relationship with Audemars Piguet. For Verbal, it all began with the purchase of a Royal Oak 53 mm T3 in Tokyo years ago which then led him to “geek out over the complications.” Meanwhile Yoon was drawn to the label like how many find themselves discovering it: a splurge purchase in honor of her first big paycheck. “For some reason the AP Royal Oak, without knowing much about watches, its design really stuck with me because I studied graphic design. I loved the very graphic geometric lines and seeing it, I’m like, I need to have this. And this was 20 years ago,” she recalls. From their initial purchases came a friendship with the brand, which brings the duo to last week, when they presented their timepiece made in conjunction with Swiss luxury watchmaker
Unveiled in Seoul, the Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon was three years in the making and reflective of the duo’s interest in not just collecting timepieces, but the craft behind watchmaking itself. “This watch means a lot to us. So unlike fashion and design — the production, the cadence, and the business is very different. Every time we’d suggest some design, they’d have to go back and make sure that it wouldn’t compromise the function. That slow process always breeds good products. Everything is intentional, every part has a meaning, but it has to be beautiful,” says Verbal.
That painstaking attention to detail and desire to push boundaries in traditional watchmaking is evident in the finished product. First came the size, 38.5 mm, which was a deliberate choice for its unisex appeal and ability to work well on slim and heftier frames alike. As for the face, the black aventurine dial is a call back to the history of watchmaking. “We were inspired by our visit to AP headquarters. I thought about the generations of people making parts and how you can see the night sky outside of this window. It really hit me that time is a commodity, something you can look at your phone but to really understand it, it’s the earth following the movement of the moon and stars,” explains Yoon. And so, what better way to honor that by having a literal glittering galaxy flashing from your wrist?
But perhaps the most striking detail was the result of trial and error: the vivid red tourbillon. Originally, the duo wanted the entire watch to be red, but that proved to be tricky, especially when it came to the sapphire glass, which appeared more pink. Instead, they landed on using the bold hue on the cage. Fittingly it served to tie in the celestial theme. “If you are into astrology, Mars energy is red and reflects a take charge, go for it energy,” explains Yoon. That same color story extends to the packaging, a circular box in the same shade of red that’s meant to be displayed. Finally to tie it all together, a sapphire and titanium caseback that offers a view of the Calibre 2982 which powers the timepiece alongside engraved inscriptions that read “Audemars Piguet”, “Y/V”, and “Limited Edition”, to reflect not just the collaboration but that only 150 units are available.
From left: Hailey Bieber, Aaron Piper, EJAE, Bright, CL, Bailey Sok
To celebrate, following the unveiling of the watch, Audemars Piguet along with Yoon and Verbal took over Futura Seoul for an evening. The contemporary art gallery, located minutes away from Bukchon Hanok Village (an area known for their traditional homes), reflected history and modernity — a fitting metaphor for the passage of time. Given the duo’s creative reputation, famous friends quickly filled the space. You had American celebs like Hailey Bieber, actor Aaron Piper, and EJAE come through to offer their congratulations. Thai megastars Bright and Win created a tizzy on social media while Korean idols past and present like Big Bang’s G-Dragon, 2NE1’s CL, and All Day Project’s Bailey Sok danced along to a thumping DJ. A fun time was had by all and yet, Yoon remains introspective about the launch and its impact. “One thing that hit me through this process is that what I worked on is going to outlive me on earth. It’s just kinda like whoa.”
