Every Audemars Piguet Royal Oak reference, 1972 to today. From Gérald Genta's "A-Series" 5402ST to the Jumbo 16202, the 41mm 15500/15510 and the modern Skeleton Tourbillons.
Introduced1972
References15
Spanning1970s - 2020s
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak debuted at Basel 1972 as a 39mm steel sport watch designed by Gérald Genta with an integrated bracelet, an octagonal bezel held by eight visible hexagonal screws, and a "Petite Tapisserie" textured dial. It cost more than a Rolex GMT in gold. Most observers, including Jean-Claude Biver writing later, expected it to fail. The original "A-Series" of 1,000 units sold slowly, then the next 1,000 ("B-Series") sold faster, and by the late 1970s the Royal Oak was reshaping Swiss horology by proving that a steel watch could outprice precious-metal sport watches if the design was strong enough.
Sizes and movement eras structure the modern catalogue. The classic 36mm 14790 ran 1992-2005, the 39mm 15300 followed 2005-2012, then the 41mm 15400 (2012-19) and 15500 / 15510 (2019-22 / 2022-) became the modern volume references. The Jumbo Extra-Thin (39mm, ref. 15202 then 16202) preserves the Genta proportions in the high-end catalogue. Chronograph references 26331, 26240, and the openworked 26239 / 26579 round out the family.
Filter:
5402ST
A-Series
1972-1989
39mm case50m WR
DialBlue "Petite Tapisserie", silver applied AP logo
MovementCal. 2121 (ultra-thin automatic, central rotor)
BraceletIntegrated stainless steel
First Royal Oak. The original 1972 launch was the "A-Series" of 1,000 numbered pieces. Genta-designed, originally marketed as the "steel watch that costs as much as a gold one". A-Series pieces in good condition trade above $200K.
5402BA
1977-1989
39mm case50m WR
DialChampagne or yellow gold tapisserie
BezelOctagonal yellow gold
MovementCal. 2121
BraceletIntegrated yellow gold
First gold Royal Oak. Yellow gold became the dressier alternative to the steel A-Series; later white gold and two-tone followed. Far rarer than the steel.
14790ST
1992-2005
36mm case50m WR
DialBlue, silver, black, white, MOP - Petite Tapisserie
BezelOctagonal stainless steel
MovementCal. 2225 / 2226 (date)
BraceletIntegrated stainless steel
The 1990s 36mm Royal Oak. Smaller than the 39mm Jumbo; the volume reference for AP through the 90s. Dial-colour range expanded over the 13-year run.
First 41mm Royal Oak. "Grande Tapisserie" dial pattern (larger squares than the 39mm Petite). Volume reference for the 2010s.
15500ST
2019-2022
41mm case50m WR
DialUpdated Grande Tapisserie, larger applied indices
BezelOctagonal stainless steel
MovementCal. 4302 (in-house, 70h reserve)
BraceletIntegrated stainless steel
Replaced the 15400 with the Cal. 4302 (longer power reserve, larger balance). Subtle proportions update on the dial: AP and indices grew slightly larger.
15510ST
2022-present
41mm case50m WR
DialSmoked / coloured Grande Tapisserie
BezelOctagonal stainless steel
MovementCal. 4302
BraceletIntegrated stainless steel
Current 41mm volume Royal Oak. Coloured smoked dials added across the run; case proportions unchanged from 15500.
15202ST
Jumbo
2012-2022
39mm case50m WR
DialBlue, silver, black "Petite Tapisserie"; 50th-anniversary 2022 with platinum tapisserie
BezelOctagonal stainless steel
MovementCal. 2121 (off-centre rotor, ultra-thin)
BraceletIntegrated stainless steel
40th-anniversary Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin (2012). Preserved the 1972 5402 case proportions and Cal. 2121 architecture. Production discontinued for the new Cal. 7121 reference in 2022.
16202ST
Jumbo
2022-present
39mm case50m WR
DialBlue, silver, "smoked" green; Petite Tapisserie
BezelOctagonal stainless steel
MovementCal. 7121 (in-house, 55h reserve)
BraceletIntegrated stainless steel
Current Jumbo Extra-Thin. New Cal. 7121 replaces the 50-year-old 2120/2121 architecture. Off-centre rotor preserved; new architecture brings improved finishing and small thickness changes.
25860ST
1997-2005
39mm case50m WR
DialVarious incl. white, black, blue, "Bagnoire" panda
BezelOctagonal stainless steel
MovementCal. 2385 (Frédéric Piguet 1185 base)
BraceletIntegrated stainless steel
First-generation Royal Oak Chronograph. 39mm case. The "Kasparov" 25860ST.OO.1110ST.04 (named for the chess champion that wore one on AP's ad) is a notable variant.
Replaced 26331 with the in-house integrated Cal. 4401 (column wheel, vertical clutch, 70h reserve). First Royal Oak chronograph with a fully in-house movement.
26239BC
2022-present
41mm case50m WR
DialOpenworked (no dial; movement visible)
BezelOctagonal white gold
MovementCal. 4401 openworked
BraceletIntegrated white gold
50th-anniversary openworked chronograph. Hand-finished skeletonised Cal. 4401 visible through the dial-less front.
26579CE
2019-present
41mm case50m WR
DialBlack ceramic, openworked
BezelBlack ceramic
MovementCal. 5135 perpetual calendar
BraceletIntegrated black ceramic
Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar in fully ceramic case + bracelet. Black ceramic (CE) example; white ceramic (BC) sister reference exists.
26585CE
2019-present
41mm case50m WR
DialBlack ceramic, openworked
BezelBlack ceramic
MovementCal. 2950 flying tourbillon
BraceletIntegrated black ceramic
Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked in black ceramic. Combines the Genta case with high-complication AP architecture.
No references match all selected filters.
Why 39mm and 41mm coexist
The Royal Oak's native size in 1972 was 39mm. As wrist sizes grew through the 2000s, AP enlarged the watch first to 41mm (15400, 2012) while keeping the 36mm (14790) and 39mm (15300) in catalogue. The 39mm Jumbo Extra-Thin (15202 from 2012, then 16202 from 2022) preserves the original proportions for traditionalists. The 41mm references (15400, 15500, 15510) cover the volume market. AP's catalogue has, since the late 2010s, treated 41mm as the "new normal" and 39mm Jumbo as the heritage piece.
The "Jumbo" history
"Jumbo" originally meant the 1972 ref. 5402ST itself - the Royal Oak was nicknamed Jumbo because it was big for 1972 (39mm). Today Jumbo means the 39mm Extra-Thin reference (15202, then 16202), which AP has kept as the closest-to-Genta-original specification: same case proportions, automatic movement with off-centred rotor, and a slimmer profile than the 41mm references. The 16202 (2022) carries Cal. 7121 with longer power reserve and improved finishing.
Three movement-era markers
Three calibres define the modern Royal Oak. Cal. 2120 (since 1967, ultra-thin automatic) powered the 5402, 14790, 15202. Cal. 3120 (2005-onwards) powered the 15300, 15400, 15500. Cal. 4302 / 7121 (2019-onwards) powers the modern 15500, 15510, 16202 with longer power reserve. The shift from 2120 to 7121 in the Jumbo (2022) was a significant re-architecture; collectors track 15202 vs 16202 closely as a result.