Royal Oak

The Royal Oak is a watch in which the steel case and bracelet were designed to form one continuous shape. Its frame has eight sides and eight visible fastenings; the bracelet starts almost as wide as the case before narrowing towards the clasp. When Audemars Piguet introduced it in 1972, that broad steel construction was an unusual choice for such an expensive watch.

Gérald Genta's original reference 5402 was 39 mm across but thin, with an automatic movement and only two hands plus a date. The thinness matters to its outline. The frame is broad, but the watch does not rise far above the bracelet. Alternating brushed surfaces and polished edges make the separate planes visible without requiring a different material for each one.

The original became known as the “Jumbo.” The nickname now needs explanation: later Royal Oaks grew larger than the watch it describes. Smaller models, chronographs, calendars and precious-metal versions all entered the family. The 39 mm, extra-thin branch continued alongside them rather than serving as the specification for every Royal Oak.

The 15400, introduced in 2012, and the 15500 of 2019 belong to the larger, 41 mm automatic branch. Both have a central seconds hand as well as a date. The later watch uses a larger movement and repositions details on the dial, including the calendar window. They retain the octagonal frame and tapered bracelet, but their proportions and mechanisms are not those of the original Jumbo.

The patterned dial also varies. The small raised squares are called Tapisserie; different Royal Oak branches use different scales of that pattern. From a distance, case and bracelet establish the family. Closer up, the square pattern, hand layout and thickness help distinguish the particular watch.