Audemars Piguet Royal Oak: The King of Steel Watches

　　A top-tier Swiss watch brandAudemars PiguetCaused a sensation in the watchmaking industry when it launched the Royal Oak collection. Before this, luxury watches with stainless steel cases had never appeared in the industry. The launch of the Royal Oak collection marked the birth of the first luxury stainless steel watch, priced no lower than precious metal models, setting a precedent where steel watches could be as expensive as gold ones. Let us explore why.

　　Why the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak is known as the King of Steel Watches

　　As is well known, the basic material for stainless steel is steel, which is extracted from iron. It is obtained from iron scrap via electric furnace steelmaking or electric arc steelmaking, or by smelting iron ore in high-temperature furnaces. The pig iron obtained through these methods is brittle due to its high carbon content and impurities, making it unusable without further processing.

　　Pig iron undergoes further processing using techniques such as basic oxygen steelmaking. Liquid pig iron at high temperatures is poured into a converter vessel, and oxygen is blown into the molten iron under high pressure, heating the mixture to 1,650 degrees Celsius. During this process, impurities in the pig iron are oxidised and removed as gases or slag. After impurities are removed, the steel is refined into different types based on composition and application; only steel that reaches a specific purity can be called stainless steel.

　　Do not underestimate the stainless steel used in these watches; it is quite difficult to process. This steel, having reached a specific purity, can only be handled with particularly robust tools. It must also undergo complex pre-treatment and fine polishing before it can provide a suitable construction material for a watch.

　　A high-quality case must undergo high-standard manufacturing and post-processing to achieve a perfect appearance. First, the metal strips used for the case are stamped into a basic shape using moulds, which are made individually according to the shape and size of each case. The first stamping does not yield the final shape of the case; it requires very complex, repeated stamping processes. The case back alone requires up to 10 to 15 stampings to be completed.

　　The blank case is then further shaped through casting and turning. To resolve the resulting internal stress, heat treatment must be performed after each process, heating the metal to approximately 1,000 degrees Celsius. After heat treatment, the case must be cleaned, deburred, and the edges polished with abrasive stones.

　　Once the case is formed, polishers use their superb skills to eliminate processing marks and restore the bright lustre of the metal surface. Polishing is performed on circular grinding wheels or abrasive belts with the addition of lubricants. From the first polishing stage to the next, the lubricants used become increasingly fine. After two or three stages of fine polishing, processes such as mirror polishing, satin brushing, or matte finishing are applied as required to reveal the final appearance of the case.

　　Due to its unique design and numerous facets, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak stainless steel watch presents more technical challenges than standard stainless steel watches. After the iconic octagonal stainless steel bezel is cut and formed, it requires 70 manual finishing steps to grind and polish the eight bevels, and the 8 white gold screws must also be polished to a bright finish. The monobloc case still requires 44 stages to complete the satin-brushed finish after the stamping process.

　　The construction of the integrated bracelet is even more complex. The bracelet links of varying lengths have a total of 138 edges that require manual grinding and polishing, ensuring each link achieves a perfectly symmetrical bevelled effect on both sides, as well as a visual aesthetic that alternates between polished and satin-brushed finishes. These exquisite techniques, which require endless dedication and ingenuity, give every Royal Oak stainless steel watch a distinctive lustre—gentle yet unforgettable—refracting a mysterious and intelligent light as the angle of light changes, truly deserving the title of the King of Steel Watches.

　　Having reached this point, I would like to recommend a best-selling Audemars Piguet watch. Interested parties, please add me on WeChat for enquiries.

　　Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Sports Watch 15703ST.OO.A002CA.01

　　Review:

　　The watch has a pragmatic and minimalist overall aesthetic, with 8 white gold screws on the stainless steel case highlighting a strong industrial style.

　　On the black grid-pattern dial, the hour and minute hands as well as the indices feature luminescence, ensuring you can accurately read the time even in darker environments.

　　The watch is paired with a rubber strap, giving it a highly sporty look.

　　Compared to the previous version, the angle of the hexagonal screws on the front is now more precise.

　　The printing and reflective effect of the date display are now more similar to the genuine article.

　　The dial and indices are identical to the genuine version, successfully recreating the beautiful, textured three-dimensional relief found on the original.

　　Summary: The above explains why the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak is known as the king of steel watches. Furthermore, the Panerai watches I recommend are finely crafted with guaranteed quality. Friends who wish to purchase, please add WeChat for consultation.

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