Manufacturer: Audemars Piguet Year: Circa 2005 Reference No: 15300ST Movement No: 661'748 Case No: F92036 and 4898 Model Name: Royal Oak Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Automatic, cal. 3120, 40 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Audemars Piguet bracelet, max length 195mm Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Audemars Piguet deployant clasp Dimensions: 39mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed Accessories: Accompanied by Audemars Piguet Certificat de Garantie, product literature, presentation box and outer packaging.
Catalogue Essay
Since its launch in 1972, the Royal Oak underwent different design changes and received added complications, however all the early iterations had one thing in common, other than their name: they featured outsourced movements.
In the early 2000s, Audemars Piguet introduced the present reference 15300, a Royal Oak housing an in-house movement, caliber 3120, for the very first time. This new automatic movement was a superbly conceived and well-executed caliber with numerous novel features including a sixty-hour power reserve relying on only one barrel, a Gyromax balance held in place via a bridge and not a cock and a date mechanism equipped with a safety system preventing the date disk from blocking if the owner tries to manually reset the date at midnight.
Now discontinued, the reference 15300 is considered by many as the quintessential modern Royal Oak, having found the perfect equilibrium between iconic design and modern mechanics.
The present Royal Oak is in superb condition and comes complete with its Audemars Piguet Certificat de Garantie, product literature, presentation box and outer packaging.
A specialist in the manufacture of complications since it was established in 1881, Audemars Piguet never ceases to impress with a rich history of creating bold, even audacious, timepieces underpinned by traditional watchmaking at its finest. This Le Brassus-based Swiss manufacturer is one of only two major manufacturers still owned by the founding family. Since its earliest days, AP is considered a leader in the field of minute repeaters and grande complication pocket and wristwatches. The brand is devoted to preserving the history of watchmaking in the Vallée de Joux, showcased at their superb museum in Le Brassus.
Today, the brand is best known for its Royal Oak models, a revolutionary luxury sports watch launched in 1972. Other key models include early minute repeating wristwatches, vintage chronograph wristwatches, such as the oversized reference 5020, perpetual calendar watches and the Royal Oak Offshore, first introduced in 1993.