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.

Watch is in very good overall condition. Case show signs of previous polishing, with wear evident along the surfaces, and some visible marks and scratches. There is a ding on the edge of the bezel located between the 10 and 11 o'clock indexes. Original dial in excellent condition. The tapisserie surface show no visible wear, and has indexes that have aged to a cream tone. Hands match the dial luminous. Bracelet has 19 links total, 7 of which are removable. The bracelet fits a 7" wrist and exhibits light stretch.

With the current popularity of the Royal Oak, it can be quite difficult to find one in a moderate price range. The ref. 56303 is not one to overlook. Although measuring at 33mm, it does not wear small, especially if one is accustomed to vintage pieces. A fair comparison in size would be the Rolex Air-King model.