There was a time, not long agone, when I wore an Audemars Piguet (“AP”) Royal Oak watch on my wrist nearly every day. It was my dream watch. Ever since I saw the watch in one of the Audemars Piguet catalogs, I’ve decided that AP Royal Oak is my favourate watch. My first purchase was an AP Royal Oak 15300. The AP presently has a fairly new movement 3120 39 mm watch. I could not be happier. So I had the occasion to trade against Royal Oak 15202. If you want to get the ap royal oak watch then see below reviews.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Automatic 15300
The ref. 15300, in my opinion, is absolute perfection and a strong Royal Oak watch with a quick-set calendar function that makes it quite desired. The calibre 3120, dubbed “one of the best automatic movements ever created” by certain AP fans, is installed in the ref. 15300. The case diameter is 39mm, much like the “Jumbo,” however the ref. 15300 is 9.4mm in thickness that is thicker than its predecessor. Despite the fact that the case size is the same, the watch wears somewhat smaller than the “Jumbo.” This is due to the varied proportions of the case and bezel.
This watch, like every other Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches, is equipped with a stunning solid link bracelet. The bracelet has an AP rough brushed surface with some polished regions at the links’ ends and at the top and bottom of the middle links. The bracelet is sturdy and comfy; however, the clasp isn’t my favorite aspect of the piece. The clasp is a twin push button double folding clasp with AP shape blades on both ends. We like the blade clasp with fliplock on the previous model ref. 5402 watch since it seems more durable and comfortable.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo 15202
The Royal Oak Extra Thin Self-winding (ref. 15202), more generally known as the “Jumbo,” was redesigned in 2012, marking the 40th anniversary of the Royal Oak and a year after Gerald Genta’s death, restoring to almost its original shape as penned by Gerald Genta in 1972. Iconic and legendary are overused phrases, and I’m guilty of doing so too, but the Royal Oak Jumbo is certainly one of them.
With a case diameter that matches the original’s 39mm – a size that was originally deemed large in the early 1970s, leading to collectors dubbing the original “Jumbo” – many would be excused for believing the two watches were identical. Especially when compared to the flawless finishing of the steel case and bracelet, which features a mix of polished and satin-brushed surfaces that catch and reflect light like no other steel watch before it, giving the modern-day Royal Oak a not-so-subtle shimmer that is both playful and refined at the same time. The superb craftsmanship isn’t limited to the exterior, as the classic “Petite Tapisserie” patterned dial in deep blue – a few shades darker than other Royal Oak models – creates a fascinating contrast. While the same self-winding mechanism that was initially employed over 40 years ago remains graces the back of the watch.
An addition to my modest collection- 26300
I also added the Royal Oak Chronograph 26300 in my collection, another 39 mm watch I really wanted, after trading 15300 in 15202. The dial of the ref. 26300ST is an important part of the watch’s artistic character. The blue variation, which comes in a number of colorways and combinations, is simply lovely. This dial is extremely appealing, with the Royal Oak’s characteristic “Grande Tapisserie” in a stunning shade of electric blue. Bright orange highlights in the shape of an orange chronograph seconds hand, subdial hands, and minute track provide visual depth to the dial. A 12-hour subdial is located at 9 o’clock, a 30-minute subdial is located at 3 o’clock, and a running seconds subdial is located at 6 o’clock, all of which have dial-matching blue sunburst sections inside silver peripheries that resemble owl eyes. The ref. 26300ST also has a date aperture at 4 and 5 o’clock, which completes the Royal Oak Chronograph’s dial’s utilitarian elements. The ref. 26300ST’s inverted luminous triangle at 12 o’clock is the only part of the dial that has aged, since AP has gone on to double luminous stick indices on its later models.
The ref. 26300ST is driven by the same cal. 2385 that was used in its predecessor, the ref. 25860; it’s a shame that the movement is hidden behind a solid caseback. Aside from that, I believe the design of the ref. 26300ST is stunning. It comes in the same magnificent 39mm octagonal box that the original Royal Oak ref. 5402 popularised and distinctive stainless-steel integrated bracelet with AP’s traditional folding clasp, with all of the Royal Oak’s characteristic design components.