Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

The Swiss manufacture Audemars Piguet presented the Royal Oak in 1972, designed by Gérald Genta. A high-end watch was made in stainless steel rather than the customary gold, and its construction was put on show: an octagonal bezel held by eight hexagonal screws and an integrated bracelet that continues the line of the case. Flat surfaces are satin-brushed, bevels are hand-polished, and the dial is decorated with Tapisserie guilloché — the fine Petite, the medium Grande and the large Méga.

The line comprises several families. The ultra-thin Jumbo Extra-Thin at 39 mm is closest to the 1972 original — for example the Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin “50th Anniversary” in yellow gold. The Royal Oak Selfwinding is a three-hand watch with date. The chronographs include the Royal Oak Chronograph and the 41 mm Selfwinding Chronograph, as well as a 39 mm chronograph in yellow gold on a brown leather strap. In a category of their own are the Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked 41mm Yellow Gold, a skeleton with two balances on a single axis; the Royal Oak Day Date with day and date; and the Royal Oak Mini with a quartz calibre and the Frosted Gold finish developed with jeweller Carolina Bucci.

Size, material and functions are the main criteria. Case sizes run from 23 to 44 mm: men's models are mostly 39 and 41 mm, while women's include 23, 34 and 37 mm, some with an Ice Blue dial and a bezel set with diamonds or baguette-cut stones. Materials include steel, ceramic, titanium, carbon, two-tone and precious metals: pink, yellow and white gold and platinum. Functions range from chronograph and flyback chronograph to perpetual calendar, tourbillon, repeater, moon phase and second time zone. There are limited editions too, such as the Leo Messi Limited Edition Chronograph with a tantalum bezel and the Royal Oak Extra-Thin Limited Edition for Italy, a series of 50 pieces. Closely related collections have their own pages: Royal Oak Offshore, Royal Oak Concept and Royal Pop.