Watch & Jewelry
March 31, 2015
Audemars Piguet | Royal Oak Chronograph
AUDEMARS PIGUET
Royal Oak Chronograph
Text by OPENERS
Born in 1972, the "Royal Oak" was the world's first luxury sports watch made of stainless steel. The "Royal Oak Chronograph" was created as its chronograph version.
The movement used is AP's in-house developed "Cal.2385." As it is a movement specifically designed for chronographs, its thickness is a mere 5.5mm, making it exceptionally slim. Consequently, the case thickness is only 11.3mm, a profile not much different from a conventional mechanical three-hand watch.
While it is sometimes compared to the "Royal Oak Offshore," this watch is overwhelmingly thinner, and its case diameter of 39mm is about 3mm smaller than the Offshore. The Offshore leans towards a full-blown sporty aesthetic, whereas this watch, with its chic design, pairs well with formal attire.
Furthermore, the sub-dials on the dial are arranged in a highly balanced three-counter horizontal layout. While there are many design variations, the model pictured is the latest version announced in 2008, featuring a bi-color design with contrasting tones for the main dial and sub-dials. The vivid hues of the hands and indices stand out beautifully against the elegant "Grande Tapisserie" pattern dial.
Self-winding. 21,600 vibrations per hour. 40-hour power reserve. 39mm case diameter. Stainless steel case and bracelet. 50m water resistance. All three models are priced at ¥1,837,500.