Blackout P03 Owner Review : Radical, aggressive and bestial

Today, I'd like to review my Black Out watches. Given that some collectors sometimes have preconceived notions about the brand, it seemed natural to put pen to paper and offer the unfiltered opinion of a collector who is a customer of truly high-end brands, and therefore quite demanding by nature, yet who has found what he was looking for in these sporty barrel-shaped watches offered by the young Geneva-based micro-brand. I will therefore write two articles: one on my three P03s and another on my two XP1s, which will also address the current direction of a brand that is asserting itself and will also emphasize the customer experience since the takeover by the two current young managers. I confess… Many collectors in our small circles are sometimes surprised because they know my usual tastes… But I have always loved and admired Richard Mille. Richard Mille is the watchmaking house that broke the mold at the very beginning of the 21st century, paving the way for a host of independent designers by showing them that it was possible to produce differently, using new materials sometimes never before employed, and moving beyond sacrosanct classicism. The brand distinguished itself by offering a stylistic language that was a radical departure from what was commonly seen at the time: avant-garde shapes, skeletonization, rubber, carbon, NTPT, titanium, ceramic, and Alusic, often in bright and eye-catching colors. Subsequently, brands like De Bethune, Urwerk, and Greubel Forsey emerged, inspired by RM's success, and developed their ideas to cultivate a DNA of cutting-edge, ultra-complicated watchmaking with a striking look that broke free from traditional constraints. Thus, while Patek Philippe may have been the pioneer of classic high-end watchmaking, Royal Oak is undoubtedly the pioneer of modern and conceptual Haute Horlogerie. Nevertheless, Royal Oak stands out with a pricing policy that makes it simply unattainable, even for a loyal customer of high-end brands like myself. As I often say… it's not just about buying a Royal Oak… you also have to be able to maintain it… which is no small matter. Having seen repair quotes circulating on various private groups… let me tell you, these watches are unfortunately not for us mere mortals. For example, we're talking about a price of €60,000 for replacing a ceramic case that was stamped. From €20,000 for replacing the single white gold bezel on a very good friend's ex-RM005 (who has since managed to switch to a titanium RM67-01, which he absolutely loves)... To the most basic service for a two/three-hand watch starting at €4,000, with additional costs that can skyrocket as soon as any work is required. I don't think many people, at least in France, can afford such a pricing policy. Let me tell you, if it's just going to lead to sweating bullets and dreading the cost every time my watch has the slightest problem, even a simple scratch that I find too noticeable and that spoils the pleasure of wearing it, there's no point in worrying... Especially since I could potentially get my hands on a two- or three-hand watch from the older collections... An RM005, an RM010, or an RM016 would potentially be within my reach... But 1) I'd have to sell pieces I've really struggled to acquire, like my Nautilus 5711 1A, which is out of the question. 2) The additional costs are just too high, representing a potentially recurring expense that I would have trouble managing. 3) I can't shake the feeling that these simpler Royal Oaks from older collections are powered by the same Vaucher movement that I find in my beloved Parmigiani Fleurier Kalpa Grande, which sells for around €3,000-4,000… And if the movement in these Royal Oaks is reworked with a disengageable rotor and increased shock resistance… I'd pay between €70,000 and €100,000 for a finish that I find more austere, less pleasing to the eye, and undoubtedly less refined than on my Kalpa. And I wouldn't have my 5711 anymore, which I would miss terribly, as it has such strong sentimental value and brings back so many memories of a last-minute allocation at the Salon du Monde, just before it was discontinued. So, it's a no for a Royal Oak. The brand is unfortunately beyond my means, and I have to accept it; it's also good to hold onto dreams that will remain unfulfilled. So, how can you experience roughly the same atmosphere without breaking the bank? That's where Black Out's proposition comes in. In the summer of 2022, I attended this watch-themed dinner in the private room of a restaurant in the 2nd arrondissement. A good friend, a serious collector and confirmed Patek Philippe client (several Nautilus watches to his name), Roger Dubuis (he owns at least one Excalibur tourbillon) and Audemars Piguet, not to mention his pronounced taste for supercars (he switches brands frequently but has, for example, owned an Aventador, so he could practically afford a genuine Royal Oak), was also there. He's someone I greatly admire, who always has interesting anecdotes to share. And I particularly love the way he casually pulls horological gems out of his bag… It was at this small watch gathering that I saw him suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere produce a sporty, skeletonized, carbon fiber tonneau-shaped watch that strongly resembled an extreme Royal Oak. “So, you didn’t tell me you had a Royal Oak, you sneaky devil!” “No, it’s not one. They treated me so badly down south that I bought this to thumb my nose at them. You’ll see, it’s fun!” “Don’t lie to me, it’s a Royal Oak, well done!” “No, I assure you, look closely!” And the watch became the darling of the dinner party, passing from wrist to wrist, with me even finding it hard to give it back. It was during this meeting that I discovered the Black Out P03 Tourbillon. I saw it again a few weeks later on the wrist of another good friend, a collector and loyal Vacheron client, whom I used to meet from time to time back when the Parmigiani boutique in the Palais Royal Gardens was sadly closed. This goes to show that these look-like watches have managed to appeal to a clientele that sometimes has the means to buy the real thing… Or who already owns the real thing and bought these replicas to have something aesthetically similar while preserving the original, for example, for holidays… As a side note, Black Out was originally a watch customization company founded in 2007 by Fabrice Letellier (they were the ones who customized Karl Lagerfeld's all-black Royal Oak 5402) that started making look-like watches. However, customer service was rather inconsistent, which led to the brand becoming quite controversial, with very negative reviews and numerous after-sales service issues. It was sold in 2022 to two young childhood friends with a genuine vision, who now manage it with real dynamism and a strong social media presence: Etienne Rousseaux and Timothy Plubeau. The P03 was certainly a lookalike of RM, but it reflected the shift towards reliability and a renewed sense of seriousness following the brand's acquisition. Etienne and Timothy decided to test a formula with these P03s, produced in small batches, while they refined their project. They then discontinued them (like all lookalike collections), to finally present a new line of sporty tourbillon tonneau watches with their own distinct identity, still using innovative materials (namely the XP1, which I own in titanium and carbon fiber and which I will discuss shortly). They used a rather innovative and virtually unprecedented approach: importing high-end tourbillon movements from Hong Kong and having them tested and refined by a former Patek Philippe watchmaker at the brand's workshops in Carouge, near Geneva. It was therefore an original idea combining Asian accessibility and Swiss expertise, tested and approved by yours truly! This P03 was produced in a limited run of 80 pieces in various colors (blue, red, white, all black, and yellow). It's crafted from forged carbon (except for the case back ring, which is black-treated steel, making the watch feel slightly heavier on the wrist than one might expect from a super sports watch made entirely of forged carbon). Powered by a PTS Resources flying tourbillon movement, admittedly from Hong Kong, but fully refined in Geneva. The finish is meticulous, with a light brushing on the bridges that beautifully reflects the light (as evidenced by the macro shot of the tourbillon cage taken by @nobox.nopapers, who did a little photoshoot of my all-black version). It boasts a super-powerful lume that charges instantly in daylight (see this other photo of my white P03). It has a 72-hour power reserve (and it lasts, even exceeding that). Winding is quite smooth with a pleasing click. All this for 3000 euros! The watch is nonetheless imposing: 53 x 45 x 15 mm. Its large size is, in my opinion, its main drawback. But let's just say it contributes to an uncompromising wearing experience and gives it a very aggressive overall look! According to a Patek consultant who was a watchmaker at the Salon before joining the sales team and who examined them closely (P03 as well as XP1), for €3,000, "they do more than hold their own!" The fact that there is a real after-sales service capable of maintaining them in Geneva (therefore geographically close, unlike Ofteq, Zeroo Time and other Cronus Art watches which have to go back to Asia I don't know how), that the brand is developing thanks to its original Sino-Swiss proposition and that it is even now aiming for the international market, tends to give me confidence and makes me think that they are made to last. So I don't feel like I'm wasting my money, because the brand has a clear direction and has found its signature style and clientele… Better yet, I even think that given Black Out's current momentum… These discontinued P03s could potentially establish themselves in the future as THE benchmark for high-quality RM look-alikes, somewhat like what the Gevril Tribeca became for the Paul Newman Daytona. Without reaching the same heights, of course, it's entirely plausible in my opinion that the value of these watches will increase somewhat to reach levels similar to those of the Gevril… This P03, now sold out, is inspired, there's no denying that. But as I said… This is a watch that completely solved my RM dilemma… Because, I repeat and insist: while I could possibly consider (but probably not commit to, especially regarding after-sales service) a two- or three-hand RM from older collections, the added value for the price and the sacrifices required simply aren't worth it, in my opinion. And I must also add that what I particularly love about RM… is when they go for slightly crazy complications and combine everything with cutting-edge materials, like on the RM009 Tourbillon in Alusic, which is undoubtedly one of my ultimate grails… Which means we're talking several hundred thousand euros, sometimes even reaching a million. So it will remain a sweet dream that I indulge in for long minutes on Instagram, scrolling through RM hashtags and often discovering one-offs I never knew existed, which I then don't hesitate to share in my stories! For 3,000 euros, I have something that gives me a taste of the same identity, the same visual codes as those extreme RM watches that I so admire. And I keep my Haute Horlogerie pieces, often hard to find because they're truly niche and for which I fought so hard. And when the urge strikes me to play the oil tycoon or the successful Dubai entrepreneur, I just have to rush to the safe and pull one out! For the skeptics, I can assure you that I wear these Black Out watches with exactly the same pleasure as my true Haute Horlogerie pieces, which are none other than Patek Philippe, Czapek, Parmigiani, and Romain Gauthier, often with complications. So I have absolutely nothing to prove as a collector! The friends who converted me to Black Out are themselves seasoned collectors and Haute Horlogerie enthusiasts, so by nature, they are quite demanding and discerning. Even better, my Black Out watches are practically the only non-Horlogerie pieces in my collection that have stood the test of time, to the point of truly earning their place: they succeed where my former Tudor Black Bay watches, to name just one, failed. I simply never tire of them and often enjoy looking at myself in the mirror, laughing at their striking presence and killer look on the wrist. Since 2022 and my first purchase, I always take a Black Out with me on vacation, whether it's a P03 or an XP1, alongside a sporty Horlogerie watch for a change. These Black Out watches prove that it's possible to make a good watch and sell it at a reasonable price, something too many brands, lured by the prospect of easy profit at the expense of customer experience, tend to forget! So to speak… The P03 captivated me so much and is such a delight… that I chose to buy three of the same watch in different colors that RM actually produced (so I chose the white one (my favorite of the three), the yellow one, and the all-black one), because I knew it would be discontinued fairly soon. Finally, like many of my watches, my P03s are associated with a multitude of horological Proustian moments, and those who know me well know that the story behind my acquisitions means a lot to me. They remind me, of course, of that dinner party in the summer of 2022 when I discovered them! But also those good times shared with Etienne, who is a perfect gentleman, during our meetings in Montmartre, when the shop on rue de Rennes did not yet exist and where I would wait for him enjoying a Lebanese ice cream from Bachir after a good day's work… Or that moment when we found ourselves on the same train taking us both back from Geneva to Paris, at the end of my summer holidays in the Alps, and where he secretly delivered the yellow P03 to my carriage… Also when I took my bus on that July morning in 2022 to meet him in a small café not far from Abbesses to take delivery, with stars in my eyes, of my white P03, which was my first. I even associate a specific piece of music with this acquisition because it was the one I was listening to on the way: it was "You Are The Music" by David Guetta, which I like to put on every time I post Black Out videos on social media because they remind me of it. These P03 watches are therefore beautiful acquisitions that have their rightful place alongside my true Haute Horlogerie pieces and, moreover, have paved the way for the brand: to continue offering very sporty, skeletonized tourbillon tonneaux, presented in innovative materials, and made reliable in Geneva, reconciling Asian accessibility with Swiss craftsmanship, but without resorting to mere look-alikes and asserting a true identity following the launch of the XP1 and the collections that followed. They often elicit curious comments from people unfamiliar with them, who mistake them for genuine Royal Oaks and yet acknowledge their quality even when I tell them they are look-alikes and present them to them. I will return to the XP1 in a second article, as it symbolizes the brand's definitive direction: making a previously inaccessible category of watches affordable, establishing it as their hallmark while asserting their own unique style. In short, their current slogan is: "The inaccessible becomes possible!"