Audemars Piguet Royal Oak: Iconic Design Discussion

Key Points from the Discussion

• The enduring success of the Royal Oak, particularly its visual consistency over five decades, is attributed to its close adherence to the original design, a stark contrast to the more frequent evolutionary changes seen in models from other brands like Rolex.
• While acknowledging the charm of the Royal Oak's existing features, some collectors express a desire for a movement update, specifically the inclusion of a quickset date function, provided it does not compromise the watch's iconic size and thickness.
• The 15202 reference is often cited as the pinnacle of Royal Oak aesthetics, but its non-quickset date mechanism, which requires a special tool for adjustment, is a recognized inconvenience.
• The discussion explored the possibility of incorporating modern materials like Cermet for the bezel or case, while also considering the potential for a new in-house movement to offer enhanced functionality like a quickset date.
• The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak reference 15300, with its Caliber 3120 movement and a slightly increased thickness of 9.4mm, is appreciated for its overall size and classic white date wheel, though some prefer a two-hand configuration.
• The community anticipates the 2022 Royal Oak models with a mix of excitement and skepticism, with some believing the current design is already so perfect that significant improvements are hard to imagine.