Posts Tagged ‘Royal Oak’
1 of 50 ‘Al Naboodah’ 15313ST Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
I don’t know anything about Al Naboodah, an Emirati family holdings group. But I do know they’re doing alright fiscally, because if you’re not you don’t get to order a small run of 50 Royal Oaks with your brand logo colors around a few indices. On the surface, this is a very simple vanity play…
Read More14790ST ‘Yves Klein’ Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
We love a Royal Oak around here. However, not all are created equal. In the pantheon of neo-vintage Royal Oaks, a few dials are clear standouts. Right up near the top are the rare, electric-blue Yves Klein dials. Klein was a French artist who became known for frequent use of a vibrant blue hue which…
Read MoreTuscan Dial 258205SP Audemars Piguet Royal Oak QP
There are a lot of criticisms one could lobby at the Royal Oak compan . . .errr, I mean Audemars Piguet. However, the more deeply I investigate interesting edge cases of the Royal Oak, the more I respect their resolve. See, the Royal Oak hasn’t remained one thing. AP have clung to its inherent appeal,…
Read More‘The Owl’ 25572ST Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Day Date
Not all Day Dates come in Oyster cases. Shortly after the 5402 graced the world with its presence, AP experimented with a few variations on the theme. Out of this early/mid 80s era came many of the iconic complicated Royal Oak offerings we revere today. However, the very first complicated offering to feature in AP’s…
Read MoreTropical 14790ST Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
Through both a design and historic lens, the 14790 is perhaps the truest iteration of the 36mm mid-sized Royal Oak. After introduction taking over from the first ref. 4100 in 1992, it remained in production longer than any other mid-sized Royal Oak to date. This open window allowed for a huge degree of variants to…
Read MoreTropical 25686ST ‘Yves Klein’ Audemars Piguet Royal Oak QP
There are some watches so attractive that I feel something adjacent to physical pain at the fact that they will never be in my watch roll. Usually, they are highly unique: things like a Frodsham Double Impulse, a ‘Vieux Panier’ Vacheron 43031, royal blue dial E855 Memovox, . . .the list is endless. However, sometimes…
Read More25654BA Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual
While the Royal Oak was intended to be a time-only sports watch, its abilities quickly diversified after the 5402 with a range complications. The most iconic of these must be the Quantieme Perpetual (or perpetual calendar moonphase to us peasants). It is a beautifully contrasted blend of sporting pretense and haute watchmaking that, before the…
Read MoreTropical A-Series 5402 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
A-series; whether for history, rarity, investment, or ego, the first-ever Royal Oak run holds a special place in the heart for many enthusiasts. There can be no denying the attractiveness of the first 5402, perhaps the purest expression of Genta’s pen in steel form. Consensus holds that over the course of the A-series, about 2000…
Read More‘Ferrari’ Red 14790ST Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
Through both a design and historic lens, the 14790 is perhaps the truest iteration of the mid-sized Royal Oak. After introduction taking over from the first ref. 4100 in 1992, it remained in production longer than any other mid-sized Royal Oak to date. This open window allowed for a huge degree of variants to emerge…
Read MoreTropical 25730ST Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Dual Time
Is there a more unique intersection of steel 36mm Royal Oak, usable complication, petite tappisserie, and character? This is, without question, the most outrageous dial I have ever seen to grace a 25730ST. Outrageous is an adjective chosen carefully; some will describe this dial as the work of the heavens and others as outright damage.…
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