Pre-SIHH: Audemars Piguet Celebrates 25 Years of the Royal Oak Offshore
Honoring the past with a futuristic design.
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Bracelet that flows directly from the case without separate end-links. Genta\'s 1972 Royal Oak innovation.
Every AP Royal Oak: 5402ST A-Series, 14790, 15400, 15500, 15510, Jumbo 15202 / 16202, Chronograph 26240.
Gérald Genta's overnight 1971 sketch that invented the luxury steel sports watch.
Vulcanised rubber straps moulded to integrated luxury sport watch lug geometry. Zealande, Rubber B, OEM AP and Patek.
Honoring the past with a futuristic design.
The beginning of a journey takes but one step. In an age of square and round watches, the industry gripped in the throes of the quartz crisis was trying to outcompete itself on a battlefield of watch straps and materials. Standing above the fray and towards even more risk was a company near the brink, […]
Deployant
Audemars Piguet Offshore Grand Prix: Click here for a large 1920 pixel wide wallpaper of the dial side.
SJX Watches
One of the quieter hits from Watches & Wonders was Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo Automatic 37 mm, a watch that would probably have grabbed more headlines were it not for its visual similarity to the well-known 40 mm model. In pictures, it’s difficult to tell the sizes apart, but on the wrist the difference could not be more stark. Available in three versions in two different case materials — all regular production models — the 37 mm Octo Finissimo is powered by a new micro-rotor calibre that, while smaller than its sibling, manages to stretch the power reserve to 72 hours. Initial thoughts I’ve always appreciated the unique aesthetic of the Octo Finissimo, especially the matte titanium look that debuted in 2017. In some ways, it feels like the Royal Oak or Nautilus of my generation — an elegant sports watch with a distinctive voice. It’s a contemporary design that feels like it has staying power. This aspect of the Octo Finissimo should not be understated. The deluge of generic-looking integrated bracelet sports watches we’ve witnessed over the past five years proves that it’s very difficult to create a differentiated design within this format. For Bulgari, the development of the Octo Finissimo — with its wide bracelet and short-pitched links — was like capturing magic in a bottle. Unfortunately, the square shoulders of the 40 mm case ride up over my ulnar styloid (wrist bone) causing the case to sit at an odd angle — never flat and straight as intended ...
Monochrome
A category defined during the 1970s by a handful of models that all became proper icons of the industry – AP Royal Oak, PP Nautilus, VC 222, IWC Ingenieur, GP Laureato, to name a few – the luxury sports watch or integrated bracelet trend made a strong comeback about 10 years ago. Not only did […]
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Hodinkee
Here's the thing. The 50th Anniversary Nautilus Collection was going to sell no matter what caliber was used, what case material was chosen, or what format was given. This is just a reality of the strength of Patek Philippe in the world today, and how in-demand integrated bracelet watches are. And to be clear, the Nautilus, along with the Royal Oak, set the tone long ago and remains at the pinnacle of the category. Actually, one would say the Nautilus remains at the pinnacle of *watches* in general when it comes to simple demand. It's the one that the most powerful people I know lust after the most – and I'm not saying that's good or bad, but it really just is. And here's the thing: the 40th anniversary of the Nautilus was a bit of a let-down for me. Because the Nautilus really is *the watch* for so many of us, and indeed, I am a true fan and always have been, and indeed, always will be, no matter how many dinguses I see wearing them today. 3700G Circa 1980, 5711R Circa 2015, 5811G Circa 2024 – Yes, I like the Nautilus a lot. As many of you know, the very first Patek Philippe I ever purchased was a 3940G. The very second? A Nautilus reference 3700A (I paid $18,000 for it, in a group buy with Paul Boutros, who bought a 222 for even less 😵💫). Some years later, I bought a very rare 3700G (I sold it to a close friend and mentor when he sold his company because it was something he'd always dreamed of owning). In 2015, when Nautiluses were still sitting in cases,...
Teddy Baldassarre
Our editors might still be reorienting themselves to their local timezone after being on Geneva time the past week, but the challenges of Watches & Wonders Editors' Picks must continue while the show is fresh in their minds. For this edition, we tasked our editors with selecting the watch complication that has stuck with them most from this year's lineup. From the sophisticated to the decidedly playful, down below, you'll find the watch complications that have risen above the pack, as decided by our editorial team. Explore our full editorial coverage of this year's show here. D.C. Hannay: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronometre Perpetual Calendar Another luxury watch pick, another slam dunk for Jaeger-LeCoultre. Whichever way the wind is blowing in the Vallée de Joux, it’s been doing wonders for JLC of late, exemplified by the new Master Control Chronometre series. The brand has finally gone and made a modern, real-deal integrated luxury model, and enthusiasts are pricking up their ears. Along with the sleek Chronometre Date and the symmetrically gifted Chronometre Date Power Reserve, they’ve come up with a truly breathtaking riff on one of the most complicated complications, the Chronometre Perpetual Calendar. Absent of the hype surrounding the Royal Oak or the Nautilus, we’re presented with a beautifully balanced dial and cohesive design, packaged in a startlingly svelte 39mm case just 9.2mm thin. Also available in a glowing pink gold with a complementary br...
SJX Watches
Patek Philippe celebrates the semicentennial of its coveted sports watch with the 50th Anniversary Nautilus Collection, a trio of two hand precious metal watches in white gold and platinum – and an unexpected pocket watch desk clock. The deletion of the seconds hand is a return to the line’s aesthetic roots, also demonstrated by a new 38 mm case size, very close to that of the original. But, it remains on the precious metal path Patek Philippe began in 2021 when it axed the steel ref. 5711. Initial Thoughts These anniversary editions are the truest to the original Nautilus that we’ve seen in recent memory. The sans seconds ref. 3700/1A, launched in 1976, was powered by the JLC 920-based cal. 28-355C, which the calibre 240 was meant to replace. While Audemars Piguet stuck to the two hands plug date format with the Royal Oak Jumbo, Patek Philippe migrated the Nautilus to its new sweep-seconds platform. I believe something was lost when Patek Philippe added a sweep seconds hand to the Nautilus, though understandable from a business perspective given that watches with seconds hands generally have broader appeal than those without. That is recovered here, and the deletion of the calendar sets it apart from the original enough to not be a “reissue”. A smaller 38 mm Nautilus, with better proportions than the existing Ladies models, in also appreciated. The 38 mm platinum ref. 5610/1P-001. It is a shame then that the return of a two hand Nautilus is to be a fleeting one,...
Fratello
Just as Stevie Wonder is the musician’s musician, Jaeger-LeCoultre is the watchmaker’s watchmaker. But what is meant by this? Well, for starters, Jaeger-LeCoultre is a prolific movement manufacturer that supplies other high-end brands. Famously, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s ultra-thin caliber 920 powered the big three ’70s sports watches - Patek Philippe’s Nautilus, AP’s Royal Oak, and Vacheron Constantin’s […] Visit Introducing: Three New Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grand Complications to read the full article.
Monochrome
Every brand at one point dreamt of having an icon on their hands. A cornerstone model that stands the test of time, design trends, and, more importantly, captures the hearts of fans and collectors worldwide, indefinitely. Watches like the Lange 1, the Submariner, the Nautilus, the Speedmaster or the Royal Oak. For Nomos, even though […]
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Teddy Baldassarre
Let's face it: a gold chronograph is not exactly the most subtle style of wristwatch you can sport. Combine the high complication, the complex multi-level dial, and the gleaming precious-metal execution of the case (and, in some instances, also the bracelet), and the result tends to be a prominent, weighty, and expensive timepiece that inevitably attracts attention. Unlike standard, three-handed gold dress watches, gold chronographs are not built to be shy, discreetly hiding their assets beneath a shirt cuff. All the more reason, then, to make sure that if you're bold enough to rock one of these watches, that the face it's presenting to the world is one that inspires awe and admiration. Here are 10 of our favorites from an elite lineup of respected watchmakers. [toc-section heading="Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold Selfwinding Chronograph"] Price: $95,400, Case Size: 41mm, Case Height: 11mm, Lug Width: 23mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 50 meters, Movement: Automatic Audemars Piguet Caliber 4401 Audemars Piguet’s frosted white gold, used here for the 41mm case of a vibrant, blue-dialed chronograph within Audemars Piguet’s flagship Royal Oak collection, is achieved through a process of hammering the gold with a diamond-tipped tool to create tiny indentations - a process that dates back to ancient Florence. The dial’s surface is enhanced with the signature Royal Oak Grand Tapisserie texture and highlighted by contrasting golden-toned subdials at 3, 6,...
Teddy Baldassarre
If there’s anything you should know about me, it's that small watches are essentially my kryptonite. My affinity for the teeny and tiny isn’t abating anytime soon, and luckily, we’ve seen the watch industry, in recent years, begin to catch up to my own (and many others') desire for small watches. From Bulgari’s new tiny movement to the recent Minification of the Royal Oak, all signs point to watchmakers meeting the rising demand for small watches. But Longines was slightly ahead of the curve in serving up what the tiny watch enthusiast community had been asking for, delivering the deliciously bite-sized Mini DolceVita officially in 2023, and has expanded on this offering in the years following the launch. Obviously, I’ve long been bitten by the Mini DolceVita bug, and down below, I’ll be sharing what keeps me coming back to it beyond its petite frame. [toc-section heading="History and Context"] Longines early 20th-century design archive One thing that gets under my skin is when people automatically apply “Tank Dupe” to any and every watch with a rectangular case. Longines, like many other watchmakers, began making rectangular-shaped watches in the early 20th Century – like, in the 1910s, early. In the brand’s early archive, there are quite literally dozens of different rectangular watches along with other geometric shapes, reflecting the style and aesthetics of Art Deco. So, though the Cartier Tank is, inarguably, the most iconic rectangular case desi...
SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet’s Code 11.59 has spent much of its life living in the shadow of the Royal Oak, but the latest 38 mm iteration suggests the collection might be finding its footing. The smaller Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding 38 mm refines the line’s distinctive case architecture with more convincing proportions, slimmer leather straps, and richly textured embossed dials. Neither overtly sporty nor conventionally dressy, the 18k rose gold Code 11.59 positions itself as a modern dress watch with real character that is quite convincing on the wrist. Initial thoughts It’s no secret that the Code 11.59 lives in the shadow of AP’s flagship product, the Royal Oak. In the seven years since its debut, the Code has yet to have its breakout moment. Many may remember the troubled launch of the collection, which met with an unnecessarily negative response from the market. But there’s a thin line between love and hate, and AP has been steadily improving the proportions, textures, materials, and complications over the past few years, and the tipping point could be imminent. The Code claims the middle ground in the false dichotomy between dressy and sporty, which makes it difficult for casual enthusiasts and collectors to fully understand. The 38 mm size, now with a new strap design, helps position the Code more concretely in the the dress watch camp, where its 9.6 mm thickness and 30 m water resistance rating feel more appropriate. Despite the criticism that’s been l...
SJX Watches
Having celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2025, Audemars Piguet (AP) has kicked off 2026 with a slate of new models, including one of the most complicated watches in its history. But it was a simpler watch that that generated the most buzz at the glamorous launch event in the Swiss alps: the Neo Frame Jumping Hour, which is both a new watch and the beginning of a new collection that replaces the [Re]master series. The Neo Frame is a regular production wristwatch in 18k rose gold inspired by the Pre-model 1271, a historical AP reference from 1929. Though rooted in the Art Deco era, the Neo Frame is an eminently modern watch with a novel case and dial construction and the brand’s latest-generation automatic movement. Initial thoughts The name Audemars Piguet is nearly synonymous with that of its signature product, the Royal Oak. While many brands would probably trade their entire catalogues to have a single hit like the Royal Oak, AP has sought to diversify its product line up with the introduction of collections like the Code 11.59 and the short-lived [Re]master series. Despite these efforts, the Royal Oak family remains AP’s commercial engine, making the introduction of a new collection, anchored by a rectangular jumping hours watch, especially notable. The jumping hours complication seems to be enjoying renewed interest among collectors, which makes release of the Neo Frame feel timely. But up close and on the wrist, it doesn’t look or feel like anything else on t...
Worn & Wound
I have what you might call a love/hate relationship with Audemars Piguet. They are, without a doubt, makers of some of the finest watches in the world. Objectively speaking, there’s a level of craft involved with the production of AP watches that is hard to match at the scale at which they operate. Every Royal Oak I’ve ever handled feels like a perfectly made thing without any compromises. I honestly can’t say the same about equivalent watches from other brands in the so-called Holy Trinity. And yet, there’s so much baggage with Audemars Piguet in our current watch culture. I wrote about it here, specifically as it relates to the Royal Oak and how it has become a signifier of wealth and status that has overshadowed watchmaking and watch culture. I find this flex culture to be a huge turn off, and the way AP seems to lean into it, by producing more and more varieties of Royal Oak, some with mini sculptures of Marvel characters on the dial, to be a signal that they’re a willing participant in the watering down of their brand. But then Audemars Piguet will go ahead and release something beautiful that is not a Royal Oak and I’m reminded that derisively referring to them as The Royal Oak Company (something I’ve done frequently over these last few years) is ultimately unfair. Earlier this week, as part of a larger drop that included several exotic Royal Oaks, a pocket watch, and more, AP launched what might be one of the riskier watches they’ve introduced in...
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SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet (AP) debuts a trio of new perpetuals calendars, led by the first open-worked version of brand’s cutting edge perpetual calendar launched last year with the skeleton cal. 7139 inside the Code 11.59 and Royal Oak. And rounding out the trio is the first all-ceramic Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar powered by the cal. 7138. Initial Thoughts The open-worked version of AP’s latest-generation perpetual calendar movement arguably does most justice to a clever movement that is one of the most notable such movements on the market. While there was little visual difference between solid-dial versions of AP’s new perpetual calendars and the preceding versions, the open-worked examples are less similar, at least up close, as the perpetual calendar works are so clearly different. The new open-work dial givers owners a look at what is going on under the hood as they adjust the calendar, which I see as a significant value add given the unusual and innovative mechanics. While AP could have been more daring, the last year’s crop of Royal Oak Perpetuals were good looking watches. The new pair, in both Code 11.59 and Royal Oak formats, look nearly identical from an arms length to their predecessors. The open-worked models are mostly monochrome, the Code 11:59 is rhodium-plated white gold with a black ceramic mid-case while the Royal Oak is titanium with polished Palladium 500 bulk-metallic glass (BMG) accents and rose gold dial furniture. Neither break new ground for the b...
SJX Watches
Ahead of its much anticipated Watches & Wonders return, Audemars Piguet (AP) has reached deep into its archives for what in past years would have been a [RE]Master model. But now AP has renamed its vintage reissues, and it is the Neo Frame Jumping Hour that takes inspiration from a similar guichet model from 1929. This perfectly timed launch comes at a time of renewed interest in the digital display format. Initial thoughts Each time an established brand launches a completely new collection, the public response can be either positive (think Rolex Land-Dweller) or underwhelming. AP has come face-to-face with this in the past with the Code 11.59, which was bold but not well received initially (though much of the early criticism can be chalked up to cynicism). That experience hasn’t stopped the brand from continuing to diversify its portfolio away from the Royal Oak, and the latest effort capitalises on the growing interest in guichet watches. In doing so, AP reimagines an obscure piece from its own past, adding strong touches of modern design to create something with a more distinctive visual identity than one might expect from a simple jumping hours watch. Though the Neo Frame nomenclature might take a while to enter the vernacular, the guichet design feels like it’s coming to market at the right time. Ironically, the sleek profile of the Neo Frame’s case looks much like a sports smart band - albeit much glossier. Specifically, the way the polished black face connec...
Hodinkee
The new openworked Caliber 7139 debuts in a Code 11.59 and Royal Oak, while the non-openworked Royal Oak gets an attractive new edition in blue ceramic.
Monochrome
With 3 of its 4 main collections based on the original Royal Oak design, it’s fair to say that Audemars Piguet is a bit conservative in some aspects. But, from time to time, and not without great boldness, the brand releases something unexpected and not octagonally designed. As the best example of what AP can […]
SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin’s latest Overseas Tourbillon pairs a titanium case with a deep red dial, recalling last year’s perpetual calendar, showcasing the cal. 2160 with peripheral rotor, refined finishing, and a slow beating one minute tourbillon. It represents the finest of industrial fine watchmaking with high-end construction inside and out. Initial Thoughts Last August Vacheron Constantin launched a pair of new Overseas Perpetual Calendars, one in burgundy and the other pink-on-pink. I felt the “deep red” dial – as Vacheron Constantin calls it – works particularly well against the white gold case, and the light blue accents were a nice touch. Nothing has changed on that front, the colour pallette looks just as good now as it did then, but is now lighter, thanks to the titanium case, and equipped more impressive movement. While the Overseas Perpetual’s movement somewhat lags behind its competition, the Overseas Tourbillon has a more competitive calibre, which holds its own against the Royal Oak Tourbillons, and wins by default against the non-existent Nautilus Tourbillon. That said, it is hardly a value within its segment, with estimated pricing comparable to Audemars Piguet’s blue-chip Royal Oak Tourbillons, though that is more than fair when you put aside brand caché and focus purely on the product. Case and Bracelet The Overseas case is well made and well finished by any standard, though not quite as complex as its counterparts from Audemars Piguet and P...
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Fratello
At the beginning of every year, Audemars Piguet graces us with a series of novelties. Last year was a big one for Audemars Piguet, with the unveiling of some brilliant new releases to mark its 150th anniversary. Among them were the new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar and the Royal Oak Chronograph. These two watches introduced […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Favorite Recent Audemars Piguet Releases to read the full article.
SJX Watches
A. Lange & Söhne launched the Odysseus Honeygold last year and it’s easily the brand’s most luxe sports watch. Presented end to end in 18k Honeygold, this Odysseus is impressively well made, impressively heavy, and impressively expensive. I recently got the chance to spend some time with one of the 100 pieces made, and it was certainly a good experience. Initial thoughts The Odysseus was never a pretty watch, and this isn’t more visually appealing than the titanium or steel version. The design doesn’t have the finesse of its rivals, most notably the Royal Oak or Nautilus. But the Odysseus does have tactile and intellectual appeal, and that translates into physical attraction. The Odysseus is impressive like many Lange watches are thanks to its build quality. In Honeygold it looks and feels even more luxurious. The warmth and weight of the metal give it greater appeal, in fact Honeygold gives this a large-yacht-on-the-Mediterranean type of feel that its counterparts in more common metals lack. Look and feel aside, this has all of the strengths and weakness of the earlier versions. Strengths include the quality of course, as well as good ergonomics, which matter more here because of the weight. One of the weaknesses is the clasp, which is practical and easy to operate, but a little too large for a sports watch that is also supposed to be elegant. With a price tag of US$110,000, the Odysseus Honeygold is very expensive for what it is, even by Lange standards. But wha...
SJX Watches
AP House Singapore is staging its first exhibition, making full use of the expansive space inside Singapore’s iconic colonial-era Raffles Hotel. 150 Years of Refined Elegance is a showcase of miniaturisation, covering Audemars Piguet’s smallest and thinnest movements, including an 18 mm-wide minute repeating calibre from the late 19th century. Taking place in the basement of the “house”, the exhibition starts with watches from the 1920s and ends in the current day that includes the Royal Oak Mini and the recently launched 38 mm perpetual calendar models. The Royal Oak Mini in “Frosted” gold Although not described as such, the exhibition naturally focuses a great deal on ladies’ watches, one of the recent themes of AP’s marketing. Unsurprisingly, one of the prominent figures in the exhibition is Jacqueline Dimier, chief designer at AP from 1975 to 1999 who conceived of the 29 mm Royal Oak for ladies shortly after the launch of the original “Jumbo” ref. 5402ST in 1972. Exhibition details The exhibition is open daily from 11 am to 8 pm and takes place at AP House Singapore located in the Raffles Hotel Singapore. Entry is free but registration is required; visits can be scheduled at Audemarspiguet.com.
Teddy Baldassarre
While it’s more widely known for its jewelry these days, Piaget, founded in the small Swiss village of La Cote-aux-Fées by Georges Piaget in 1874, has been a watchmaker from the beginning. Its original trade, in fact, was making movements, and the company began making complete watches in In the 20th century. Before getting into the Piaget Polo, it's worth it to get into the brand's history in thin watchmaking. Since 1957, when Piaget created the historic 2mm-thick Caliber 9P, the company has been world renowned for the elegant thinness of its watches and movements. The world’s thinnest self-winding mechanical movement, Caliber 12P, followed Caliber 9P just three years later, in 1960, and Piaget has building upon these foundations ever since. Its most recent triumph in this area was the Altiplano Ultimate Concept, which debuted in 2018 as a prototype and hit the market in 2020; the entire watch, case and movement, is just 2mm thick, matching the wafer thinness of the original Caliber 9P. Along with Bulgari, another watchmaker known more for its jewelry, Piaget continues to embody the ne plus ultra of what ultra-thin watchmaking can accomplish. [toc-section heading="The Integrated Bracelet Era Begins"] However, while “thin and elegant” remains the calling card of the Piaget watch brand overall, the market was looking for something a little different - a little bolder, perhaps - in the 1970s. Audemars Piguet had introduced its groundbreaking Royal Oak “Jumbo...
Worn & Wound
I love the Zenith Defy. I never miss an opportunity to tell people that it’s my favorite sports watch line of all time. I’m guessing that I’ve had a version of this conversation so many times over the years that my colleagues and watch-friends can feel it coming at this point. I can sense that eye roll is not far behind me going over once again how the Defy has always represented the ideal meeting place between the avant-garde and true sports watch engineering. Look, I make no apologies. If you can’t see that the Defy has been a subtle influence on everything from the Royal Oak to the most generic Rolex sports watches, well, stay tuned for my long threatened multi-part solo podcast series unpacking my personal obsession with these watches. One of the things that has always fascinated me about the Defy is how it can be anything. The watches in this collection have never fit neatly into a specific mold, and unlike, say, the Rolex Submariner, which has basically looked like the same watch since its debut, the Defy has always been a shapeshifter. The only thing steady about the design has been that it could always morph and change into something radical and different, and often something that is not to everyone’s taste (even longtime fans of the collection). That’s basically what’s been on my mind since learning of the new Zenith Defy Extreme Lapis Lazuli, a maximal take on the sports watch that latches on to some current trends. This is a Defy Extreme, so it...
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