Audemars Piguet Diamond Sapphire

In the 80s, Audemars Piguet was deep into textured gold. The Bamboo and Cobra models get most of the spotlight, but this is the round take on that same idea.

It measures 31mm, 33mm with the crown, but it wears larger. The diamond bezel is a thin, precise string of stones, so the dial takes up almost the entire visual footprint. On the wrist, it reads closer to something bigger because your eye goes straight to that expansive diamond field.

And the dial is the whole story.

Each diamond sits inside a hand-carved gold setting. Around every stone, you’ll see small engraved cuts that resemble flower petals radiating outward. That carving gives the surface constant movement. It never feels flat because it isn’t flat. Even before the diamonds start catching light, the gold is already alive with texture.

The blue sapphire markers aren’t just decoration. They give the dial rhythm and a hit of color. More importantly, they make it easy to catch the time at a glance without relying on Roman numerals or Arabic markers. Subtle, but practical.

The bracelet carries the same 80s AP language. It’s fully integrated and built from repeating, rounded links that create a woven, almost scaled pattern across the wrist. There’s weight, but it drapes properly. It fits up to a 7-inch wrist and feels like tailored gold rather than a rigid cuff.

Inside is the manual-wound caliber 2080. Slim, reliable, and exactly right for a case like this. You wind it, you feel it engage, and you’re reminded that beneath all the gold and stone setting, this is still serious watchmaking.

If you know the Bamboo and Cobra references, this is the extension of that energy. Same era. Same obsession with texture. Just translated into a round case with the dial doing most of the talking.

It’s bold in the way 80s AP could be bold, but it’s thoughtful. And that’s what makes it interesting today.