Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15000 Series

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15000

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak is one of the most iconic watches ever made. It celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, proving that its design remains exceedingly popular today.

In 1972, this luxury timepiece broke the codes of watchmaking with its octagonal bezel, integrated bracelet, and steel construction, which were all unorthodox choices at that time.

Royal Oak models from the era, called “Jumbo” models, are highly collectible and valuable, but Audemars Piguet didn’t rest on its laurels. The collection had a second wind in the 2000s with contemporary references that made it the powerhouse that it is today.

Here is a simplified guide to the modern Audemars Piguet Royal Oak series:

 

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-Winding Blue Dial 15500 / Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-Winding Blue Dial 15400
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-Winding Blue Dial 15500 / Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-Winding Blue Dial 15400

 

Royal Oak Ref. 15300

A bolder take on the classic Royal Oak, the Royal Oak 15300 was introduced in 2005 and remained in production until 2012. This timepiece took the 39mm case size and the octagonal shape of the Jumbo but with modern proportions – achieved through a thicker case and a more solid bracelet. (photo: Audemars Piguet)

 

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-Winding Black Dial 15300
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-Winding Black Dial 15300

 

Boasting a versatile look, its black Tapisserie dial has a large AP logo at 12, a mini date window at 3, and baton indices and hands with rounded edges. Thanks to its low-beat Caliber 3120 self-winding movement, it also features a thin central seconds hand.

The 15300 comes exclusively in steel and rose gold with a choice of black, blue, or white dials. Its brushed link bracelet remains faithful to its predecessor by having an old-style clasp and an AP logo, while its 50-meter depth rating makes it suitable for casual water activities.

 


 

Royal Oak Ref. 15400 and 15450 

Next, we have the Royal Oak 15400 and 15450, which both appeal to men with larger wrists and women who love wearing sports watches. Introduced in 2012, these vintage-looking pieces are offered in larger 41mm and 37mm sizes with about 9.8mm thickness, and boast a modern folding clasp, replacing the older logo-engraved clasp.

 

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-Winding Blue Dial 15400
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-Winding Blue Dial 15400

 

Much like its predecessor, the 15400 and 15450 come with a choice of either a steel or rose gold construction, and run using the same Caliber 3120 movement. AP also retained the black, blue, and white dials but added a new and chic slate color dial option.

Rather than an AP emblem, the dials of these watches have double baton indexes at 12, along with a date indicator beside 3. This unique layout is made possible because of the smaller ‘AP’ text placed lower down the dial. Both models were discontinued in 2017 but are still highly sought-after in the pre-owned market.

 

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-Winding White Dial 15400
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-Winding White Dial 15400

 


 

Royal Oak Ref. 15500 and 15550

The Royal Oak was revamped again in 2019, with major updates on its performance. Both the 15500 and 15550 feature the 41mm and 37mm case sizes and the modern-style AP folding clasp introduced in the 2012 models. They also come with a choice of black, blue, white, or slate dial colors for the steel version, and a black dial for the rose gold edition.

Technically speaking, these releases are the same Royal Oaks you have known for decades, but what gives them away are their thicker baton indices, omitted “Automatic” label at 6, and stretched ‘AP’ and ‘Audemars Piguet’ logos below 12 that endorse greater readability.

 

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-Winding Rose Gold Black Dial 15500
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-Winding Rose Gold Black Dial 15500

 

They also rely on the automatic Caliber 4302 movement, equipped with a skeletonized 22k gold oscillator, improved power reserve of 70 hours, and a higher frequency rating. This mechanism powers all Code 11.59 watches and can be viewed through a transparent caseback.

Due to this caliber’s large size, the 15500 and 15550’s date windows are placed near the edge of the dial again, mimicking the 15300’s design. (photo: Audemars Piguet)

 

Caliber 4302 Automatic Movement
Caliber 4302 Automatic Movement

 


 

All Royal Oak 15000 models retain all the distinguishing elements of the original Royal Oak while being thoroughly modern and well-designed sports watches. Explore our wide selection of Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15000 timepieces at SwissWatchExpo.com.

 

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