{"id":7275,"date":"2021-10-08T15:05:48","date_gmt":"2021-10-08T15:05:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swisswatchexpo.com\/TheWatchClub\/?p=7275"},"modified":"2025-08-03T02:48:33","modified_gmt":"2025-08-03T02:48:33","slug":"audemars-piguet-royal-oak-dials-101","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swisswatchexpo.com\/thewatchclub\/2021\/10\/08\/audemars-piguet-royal-oak-dials\/","title":{"rendered":"Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Dials 101"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak<\/a> celebrates its 50th<\/sup>\u00a0anniversary in the coming year. Launched in the midst of the 1970s Quartz Crisis, it is the forerunner to the genre of timepieces we now know as luxury sports watches. With its steel construction and geometric relief, it broke all the prevailing watch codes of the time.<\/p>\n

The Royal Oak has all the makings of an iconic design. Being penned by the hand of Gerald Genta, and having an incredible shape and finishing are all great things, but the thing that is overlooked the most is the unique design of its dial.<\/p>\n

Called \u201ctapisserie\u201d dials, the waffle-pattern of the Royal Oak\u2019s face has been closely associated with the brand. Let\u2019s look at the history of these dials and the different types available.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"Audemars<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak White & Black Dial Steel Mens Watch 15400ST<\/em><\/h5>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

Making the Royal Oak Dial<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Since the very first Royal Oak was sold to the Shah of Iran, they have featured dials with a tapisserie pattern on them. The weaving pattern that forms small squares captures light and accentuates the Royal Oak\u2019s silhouette.<\/p>\n

In the very beginning, AP sub-contracted the production of their dials to one famed dial manufacturer \u2013 Stern Creations. If the name Stern rings a bell, that\u2019s because it was founded by the Stern family, the clan who would later on purchase a Geneva watchmaker called Patek Philippe.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

The delicate operation involves the use of a burin \u2013 a precision metalwork chisel that reproduces the motif on a disc. This system is combined with a machine that forms the smaller lozenges between the square knobs.<\/p>\n

Since 2012, all dials have been done in-house by Audemars Piguet, after acquiring ‘guilloch\u00e9’ making machines from Canada and the United States. Today, there are 3 main tapisserie dials that can be seen on Royal Oak watches.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

Types of Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Dials<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

There are minute distinctions between the dials of the Royal Oak, but they can easily be spotted upon closer inspection.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\"Audemars<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak with a Petite Tapisserie Dial<\/em><\/h5>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

Petite Tapisserie<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Petite Tapisserie can be found on the first Royal Oak Jumbos, majority of the Royal Oaks from the 80s and 90s, and on 40th<\/sup>\u00a0anniversary Extra-Thin Royal Oak Jumbo models.<\/p>\n

These feature smaller pyramidal squares on the dial and a tighter pattern. It will be noticed that older Petite Tapisserie patterns from before 2012 have 10 squares between the center pinion – where the hands are attached – and the date aperture. These have been reduced to 9 in the newer Petite Tapisserie dials.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"Audemars<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak White Dial Steel Mens Watch 15400ST<\/em><\/h5>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

Grande Tapisserie<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n

The Grande Tapisserie dial can be found on models introduced in the early 2000s and onward. Compared to the Petite Tapisserie pattern, the squares on the Grande Tapisserie dial pattern are noticeably larger by at least fifty percent. In addition, the dial has flat areas where the brand name \u201cAudemars Piguet\u201d and the \u201cAutomatic\u201d label are imprinted on.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\"Audemars<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Black Dial Mens Watch 15703<\/em><\/h5>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

M\u00e9ga Tapisserie<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n

The M\u00e9ga Tapisserie dial, as the name connotes, showcases the largest pattern found on the Royal Oak\u2019s dial. It is at least double in size when compared to the Grande Tapisserie.<\/p>\n

You will find the M\u00e9ga Tapisserie dial on majority of Royal Oak Offshore<\/a> models, including the Themes, Safari, Diver, Bumblebee, and Rubber Clad watches, as well as in all of the models within the new 43 – 44mm range of the Royal Oak Offshore line. What differentiates the M\u00e9ga Tapisserie dial from the other two is – the patterns are stamped and not guilloch\u00e9d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak has evolved through the years, while retaining the rule-breaking spirit of the original. Explore our selection of Audemars Piguet watches at SwissWatchExpo.com.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

____<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

SEE MORE OF THE WATCHES IN OUR VIDEO:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t