It's the flagship watch from Audemars Piguet, and it has been about for just over 40 many years. In that time it has achieved red-letter status and it's one with the most recognizable watches all-around. But what makes this particular wristwatch so irresistible?

In my years as a collector and as a specialist in timepieces, I've noticed that it's not just the common luxury buyer that wants a Royal Oak. Even long-time connoisseurs appreciate its quality, and the vintage designs that can still be found don't sit on the shelf for prolonged.

Audemars is one with the last entirely family-owned brands that make high-end luxurycheap longines watches. Back in 1972 they enlisted the help from the legendary watchmaker Gerald Genta to design an "unprecedented steel watch". And he did it in just one day.

Taking inspiration from a steel diver's helmet and the portholes of ships, Genta worked by means of the night and came up with the schematics for the prototype. The iconic octagonal shape was born. Eight highly visible screws created from white gold were sunk right by means of the bezel to the situation back, creating a appear which has stood the test of time.

The dial is decorated with a Tapisserie technique, manufactured with a 100 12 months old pantograph that duplicates the pattern from a mold onto the dial. It breaks up the light and accentuates the relief.

The prototypes for the original run actually had to get produced using white gold instead of steel because the machinery available couldn't handle the steel specifications of Genta's design.

Skeptics predicted that thebuy tudor watcheswould fail miserably. It took a extended time to sell the primary 1000 Royal Oaks, but the second 1000 moved much faster, and once they started moving, nothing could stop them.

This to start with batch of watches make up the so-called "A Series"-and they are any collector's 'Holy Grail' view to find.

The Royal Oak was in the league of its own when it had been very first created. It was the initial "sports watch" that was also a true luxury timepiece. It had been rugged, durable and water-resistant, but it looked and felt liketissot watches replica. Both the steel and gold versions incorporate intensive hand-applied finishing techniques like beveling, lapping, polishing, and brushing. Each link during the bracelet is often a diverse size, and each detail is actually a function of art.

Selling at 3300 Swiss Francs when it had been introduced it had been a lot more expensive than a gold Patek Philippe dress view and a lot more than 10 times the cost of a Rolex Submariner.

In the early 1990's Audemars Piguet released the Royal Oak Offshore, targeting a fresh, young market place, and like its predecessor it proved the skeptics wrong and soared in popularity. Movie stars, sports champions and best-selling musicians embraced it with just about cult-like devotion.

To me, though, the original Royal Oak is in a various league. I was pleased when Audemars released the ref 15202 "Jumbo" range that stays true to the original in pretty much every way. A few minor improvements had been made, like a whole new clasp mechanism and a crystal case back that allows you to view the movement, but all the regular features are identical.