Introduction
Released in 1972 and designed by Gerald Genta, watchmaking's most famous designer, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak was the first stainless steel luxury sports watch ever to exist. Released as a tactic to survive the quartz crisis, the Royal Oak can single-handedly be thanked for AP's existence today due to its astounding success, albeit it wasn't an overnight hit. Its sizeable tonneau-shaped case, signature integrated bracelet, octagonal bezel, exposed screws, and steel construction failed to win over collectors until a few years later. Today, the Royal Oak is one of the most highly-coveted timepieces in all horology as its previously dismissed design details have permeated across the industry and into watches like the Patek Philippe Nautilus, Vacheron Constantin Overseas, Rolex Oysterquartz, amongst many other legendary timepieces.
Loupe This Scorecard
Grade
M 8.5
Status
Vetted & Approved
Included
Watch Only
Est. value range
$10,000 – $15,000
The Details
Brand
Audemars Piguet
Dimensions
36mm
Model
Royal Oak
Movement
Automatic cal. 2125
Reference
14800TR
Bracelet
Leather strap
Year
Circa 1990s
Condition
Excellent
Material
Rose gold and tantalum
Included
Watch Only
Dial Color
Salmon
THE DIAL
Beautifully matching its rose gold bezel and crown, this example sports a salmon dial that lacks the Royal Oak's signature 'Tapisserie' texture, giving it a unique look for a Royal Oak.
THE CONSTRUCTION
Boasting an interesting construction for a Royal Oak, the ref. 14800TR features different lugs from the Royal Oak's typical design, whereby its lugs take a more typical approach to merging onto the leather strap via the outsides of the strap. Additionally, it also features a two-tone aesthetic that is not often seen in watchmaking and is anchored in the pairing between rose gold's warm allure and the famously hard and corrosion-resistant metal tantalum's blue-grey color.
TIMING MACHINE READOUT
This reading was taken (crown down) with a ONEOF Accuracy Boutique Edition timing machine at time of cataloging. It is provided as a courtesy only, and shall not be construed as a warranty or guarantee of any kind. Please refer to our terms and conditions of sale for more information.
Condition
Watch is in excellent overall condition. Watch shows some signs of wear on the rose gold bezel as well as the tantalum case. Dial is in near-mint condition showing little to no wear. Strap is in heavily worn condition, but comes with the original two tone rose gold deployant buckle.
Please Note: Due to CITES considerations, if the watch is to be shipped outside of the USA, the exotic skin strap will have to be removed.
Our Perspective
Combining a host of unique details to the Royal Oak collection such as its textureless dial, traditional lug design and a tantalum construction, which isn't seen very often in watchmaking, the ref. 15400TR a unique watch by just about every metric.
Justin Gruenberg
Co-founder
