The Royal Oak that Makes Audemars Piguet a Love-Hate Affair

　　If you search for Audemars Piguet online nowadays, all that pops up isAudemars Piguet Royal Oak. Moreover, the best-selling watches from Audemars Piguet are the Royal Oak collection, and second is the derivative of the Royal OakRoyal Oak Offshore collection. Today, production of the Royal Oak accounts for approximately 70% of the Audemars Piguet brand. Historically, Audemars Piguet also produced "unconventional" pocket watches, all of which were heavyweight pieces. I have a reference catalogue from 1974 when Swiss watches exhibited in China; Audemars Piguet valued the Chinese market at the time and became the leading Swiss watch exhibitor, yet there was not a single mention of the Royal Oak inside. In the blink of an eye, over 40 years later, the entire Audemars Piguet brand has practically hitched its fortunes to the Royal Oak.

　　On the eve of the 1971 Basel Watch Fair, Gérald Genta received a phone call at four in the afternoon from Georges Golay, the then-managing director of Audemars Piguet. Mr Golay stated over the phone that the Italian market was eager to see an "unprecedented stainless steel watch", and Genta needed to deliver a brand-new design by the following morning to meet this demand. In short, it was to be a sports watch suitable for all occasions while possessing an unprecedentedly exquisite appearance.

　　The next day, Gérald Genta submitted his original sketches for the Royal Oak collection. When we look at this design today, it might seem normal, but 45 years ago, this was definitely a "quirky" design.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak collection automatic mechanical watch15400ST.OO.1220ST.02

　　At that time, the mainstream watches on the market still had round exteriors, and quartz movements were at the height of their popularity. The Royal Oak case featured sharp, distinct angles, and the screws were deliberately exposed on the front. Furthermore, although the Royal Oak was a steel watch, upon its release, its pricing far exceeded the gold-cased models of many brands. This approach completely overturned conventional perceptions of timepieces.

　　When first released, Royal Oak models used a "front-loading design", with the case and case back integrated into a single piece. After mounting the octagonal bezel on the front, 8 screws were secured. This design was intended to achieve water resistance and ultra-thinness. Modern Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks have been changed to a "sandwich design", where the case consists of a middle case, bezel, and case back.

　　At the same time, the "sandwich design" case is also secured by 8 screws. It is worth noting that these 8 screws are not rotated and tightened from the front. The hexagonal recesses on the bezel and the screw heads are already locked in place, and to secure the case properly, the nuts must be tightened from the back. Aside from its unusual case structure, the surface finishing of the Royal Oak's case is also highly commendable.

　　Audemars Piguet Royal OakIt inaugurated a brand-new era; modern watch history even uses the advent of the Royal Oak collection as a dividing line, splitting horological history into distinct pre- and post-Royal Oak stylistic eras.