25730ST Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Dual Time

Although AP might’ve been first to the integrated bracelet, they were a good 3-4 decades behind on the travel watch (depending on your definition). In fairness, it took VC an extra decade. This is the Royal Oak Dual Time; AP don’t make it anymore, discontinued almost a decade, but it’s one of the most usable complications to ever grace the Royal Oak silhouette. The complication was developed in the 80s for the reference 25685, a dressier affair, but made far more sense when married to the Royal Oak case in 1992, an era where AP brought many varied complications to the Royal Oak. This is that first reference, the 25730. It remains one of the most overlooked neo-vintage Royal Oaks, probably because it doesn’t have a cool-guy nickname. Maybe the Mach 48? Double Oak? That sounds like hotel, doesn’t it.

And I’m not even done with theories. Tetris came out in 1985 and I suspect the good watchmakers of Audemars Piguet were avid fans. Because by the 90s, they had looked at their vast range of complications and managed to squeeze them all into Royal Oak cases. Those few years saw the Royal Oak Day-Date, Perpetual Calendar, Chronograph, and Dual Time. I’m still waiting on the Royal Oak Star Wheel, but for now this will do. The dual time does things a little differently than a 24-hour bezel. Its dial still sports a secondary time at 6, but also a date at 2 and power reserve at 9:30 because, well, why not? The additional complication feels quite harmoniously arranged, almost a bit Lange. Later iterations adopted the brand-wide grande tapisserie, but the earliest examples such as this white dial still sported the gorgeous petite tapisserie pattern, much more difficult to manufacture. I also love that this dial has two applied dot indices at 2 and 6. The Dual Time was available first in this 36mm reference (wears more like 37), the 25730, but about a decade later was also introduced in the 39mm case in ref. 26120.

Of all 25730, the earlier petite tapisserie dials are generally considered more desirable. However, you’ll also find them in a few very collectible dials like Yves Klein and, in a rose gold case, a very rare pink mother of pearl. Both, however, pale in comparison to the 25730TT, in full tantalum. It’s one of very few mechanical Royal Oak references made in tantalum and with this complication really deserves more attention. Or, if you’re the sort of person that watches the Kardashians, look up the ref. 25757. This white dial is even starting to turn a like cream, just like The Owl. It has all the makings of a collectible reference that hasn’t really taken off yet. Godspeed, ‘Mach 48’.

This example is in excellent overall shape. The dial is light cream, with lume all still intact. The case has very sharp bevels, great factory proportions. Light wear throughout, commensurate with age. It comes with an extract from a well-regarded Belgian retailer.