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.
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Grade
M 8.5
Status
Vetted & Approved
Included
Watch Only
Est. value range
$10,000 – $20,000
The Details
Brand
Audemars Piguet
Dimensions
33mm x 8.6mm
Model
Royal Oak
Movement
Automatic cal. 2140
Reference
14587BA
Bracelet
18kt yellow gold bracelet
Year
Circa 1990s
Condition
Excellent
Material
18kt yellow gold
Included
Watch only
Dial Color
Gold with diamond-set pave and ruby hour markers
Condition
Watch is in excellent overall condition. Case is sharp with small surface wear, there is some light oxidation on the gold surface between some of the links. Diamond bezel showing minimal wear on the edges. The pave set dial with 10 ruby indexes is in near-mint condition. Bracelet has 21 links, 7 which are removable. There is minimal stretch.
Our Perspective
A watch that far exceeds the Royal Oak's original tool watch design brief, the ref. 14587BA is an ultra-luxurious variant of the Royal Oak that showcases just how truly versatile the iconic timepiece is.