Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

The Royal Oak was introduced in 1972 with ref. 5402, a steel watch designed by Gérald Genta with an octagonal bezel held by eight hexagonal screws, a Tapisserie-patterned dial and an integrated bracelet. It established the idea of a luxury sports watch in steel.

The extra-thin 39 mm models, such as ref. 15202 and the ref. 16202 of 2022 with caliber 7121, are the direct descendants of the original. Other key families include the 41 mm Selfwinding 15500 and 15510, the chronographs such as ref. 26240, perpetual calendars such as ref. 26574 and many gold, ceramic and titanium versions. Dealers read the full reference to confirm case material and dial, and check for polishing, which can soften the case's sharp edges.