Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

Gerald Genta was the first — and arguably, the most important — "celebrity" watch designer.

Having conceived many important silhouettes, his most memorable work — the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak — was sketched in one day and changed the shape of the watch industry.

The Royal Oak essentially created an entirely new category of 'luxury sport' timepieces, and with it came a new design language that inspired countless other maisons. What's particularly delightful about the design of the Royal Oak is that it works brilliantly in a number of sizes and case materials, from steel to carbon fiber to solid gold.

This example, a Reference 15500ST, is a time-and-date model featuring a 41mm stainless steel case with its signature octagonal bezel with a brushed hood; exposed screws; finely polished facets; a signed crown; and a fantastic, integrated stainless steel multi-link bracelet with a signed push-button deployant clasp.

Shaded in a metallic grey, this piece displays the time via applied, luminous indices and matching a handset set against a textured grey Grand Tapisserie pattern that has become synonymous with the maison. Within you’ll find an in-house, self-winding Calibre 4302 decorated with Côtes de Genève and an upgraded 70-hour power reserve — which is thankfully visible through an exhibition caseback.

In excellent condition, this piece is accompanied by its factory accoutrements including its complete inner and outer box set, instruction manual, and an international warranty card. Exceptionally finished and well-sized, it deserves a chance to become a collector's daily driver.

It doesn't get much better than a Genta-designed, stainless steel sports watch from one of the 'Holy Trinity.' Once you try this on, we're sure you'll agree.

There are certain watches that define a brand, informing its design ethos and becoming nothing short of iconic in the minds of collectors. For Audemars Piguet, that watch is the Royal Oak, in all its multitudinous incarnations. Yet the manufacture from Le Brassus did not earn its seat in the triumvirate of leading watch brands — the so-called Big Three — on the success of the Royal Oak alone.

In fact, both Jules Audemars and Edward Piguet came from long lines of watchmakers, and made their reputations long before the Royal Oak was conceived. Their reputations rested on their ability to create incredibly elegant timepieces in numerous styles. While some of these timepieces were simple, elegant dress watches, others were one-off or short-series pieces produced at the rate of a handful per year. (Some years, Audemars Piguet only produced a few hundred watches in total.) Calendar watches, chronographs, minute repeaters — all the delights of haute horlogerie were part and parcel of the AP oeuvre long before the Royal Oak made its debut in 1972.

Technical innovations from AP abound and include the first minute-repeating movement, the first skeleton watch and an ultra-thin automatic tourbillon. Newer collections, such as the Code 11.59 from 2019, see the maison continue to develop new and exciting watches and calibers, the likes of which aren’t based upon tired horological tropes from models past. (Though if vintage reissues are your bag, AP does have a special “Remaster” line — currently consisting of just one model — that reimagines some of its classical, complicated pieces from the mid-20th century.)

Our Pledge

Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.