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Results for The Royal Oak Launch Story

41,656 articles · 261 videos found · page 10 of 1398

6 Steel Sports Watches That are Both (Relatively) Affordable and Definitely Obtainable Quill & Pad
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Mar 2, 2024

6 Steel Sports Watches That are Both (Relatively) Affordable and Definitely Obtainable

Unless you have been residing under a large rock in recent years, you are most probably (and perhaps quite painfully) aware that the classic steel sports watches designed by Gérald Genta for Audemars Piguet (Royal Oak) and Patek Philippe (Nautilus) are both beyond the financial reach of most people and in many cases simply not available even if you can afford them. Here Colin Alexander Smith shares six more affordable and more available sports watches that have caught his eye over the last few years.

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6 Steel Sports Watch Options that are Both (Relatively) Affordable and Definitely Obtainable – Reprise Quill & Pad
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Oct 19, 2023

6 Steel Sports Watch Options that are Both (Relatively) Affordable and Definitely Obtainable – Reprise

Unless you have been residing under a large rock in recent years, you are most probably (and perhaps quite painfully) aware that the classic steel sports watches designed by Gérald Genta for Audemars Piguet (Royal Oak) and Patek Philippe (Nautilus) are both beyond the financial reach of most people and in many cases simply not available even if you can afford them. Here Colin Alexander Smith shares six more affordable and more available sports watches that have caught his eye over the last few years.

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Unsung Heroes: 4 integrated steel sports watches that deserve your attention Time+Tide
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15500 or Sep 14, 2019

Unsung Heroes: 4 integrated steel sports watches that deserve your attention

For many of us out there, the dream of one day owning a grail watch, like an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15500 or Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A, is going to remain just that … a dream. And the funny part is, it’s got nothing to do with the amount of spondulicks in your bank account! No, … ContinuedThe post Unsung Heroes: 4 integrated steel sports watches that deserve your attention appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Get in Line: the Swatch x Audemars Piguet “Royal Pop” Arrives this Weekend Worn & Wound
Audemars Piguet Royal Pop” Arrives May 12, 2026

Get in Line: the Swatch x Audemars Piguet “Royal Pop” Arrives this Weekend

Well, it’s here. After a great deal of speculation, Swatch and Audemars Piguet’s new “Royal Pop” collaboration has been unveiled. Only a few years ago, a partnership between Swatch, known mostly for inexpensive, colorful quartz watches that often serve as a gateway to a life of watch enthusiasm, and Audemars Piguet, a “Holy Trinity” brand that makes the Royal Oak, one of the most exclusive and coveted watches in the world, would have felt impossible. But the MoonSwatch changed all that, and now it seems like just about anything is possible in the world of high/low collaborations.  The first thing to point out is the very obvious fact that this is not a wristwatch. These are, in fact, pocket watches, in bioceramic Royal Oak shaped cases. There are eight watches in total in two different styles, and they are powered by manually sound SISTEM51 movements.  The Royal Oak design motifs are easy to identify here. Each has the expected “Petite Tapisserie” dial that the Royal Oak is known for, as well as an 8 sided bezel. They even included the hexagonal screws.  Let’s go through the multiple variants of the Royal Pop. First we have the “Lépine” style case, which has a crown located at the 12:00 position. There are six colorways of the Lépine style case: Otto Rosso (pink and red), Huit Blanc (white with rainbow accents), Green Eight (green on green), Orenji Hachi (navy with orange accents), Blaue Acht (lime green and light blue) and Ocho Negro (black and ...

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Audemars Piguet × Swatch Royal Pop — The Most Unexpected Swatch Collaboration Yet Fratello
Audemars Piguet × Swatch Royal Pop May 12, 2026

Audemars Piguet × Swatch Royal Pop — The Most Unexpected Swatch Collaboration Yet

After weeks of teasing, today, we got an unexpected embargo lift on the Audemars Piguet × Swatch Royal Pop. Only a very few AI mock-ups were somewhat close to what Swatch has just released. And the young guys we saw on TikTok hoping to be sporting a very affordable Royal Oak on the wrist (or […] Visit Audemars Piguet × Swatch Royal Pop — The Most Unexpected Swatch Collaboration Yet to read the full article.

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Introducing: The Swatch x Audemars Piguet "Royal Pop" Collaboration Is Here, And It's Not A Wristwatch Hodinkee
Audemars Piguet Royal Pop Collaboration May 12, 2026

Introducing: The Swatch x Audemars Piguet "Royal Pop" Collaboration Is Here, And It's Not A Wristwatch

What We Know The cat is out of the bag on what is likely to be the biggest watch news of the year. The Swatch x Audemars Piguet "Royal Pop" just launched, ahead of its official availability on May 16, 2026, at selected Swatch stores. There are no wristwatches here, just eight unique pocket watches in two different styles, cased in brightly colored Royal Oak-shaped bioceramic cases, powered by manually wound mechanical SISTEM51 movements. Eight watches, for each side of the iconic Royal-Oak bezel. All the watches are instantly recognizable as Royal Oak-inspired. They have a "Petite Tapisserie" dial and a Royal Oak octagonal bezel with eight hexagonal screws. Every watch comes with a 40mm case (without the clip) and measures 44.2mm by 53.2mm when mounted in the clip. The thickness is 8.4mm. The hands and indices on all watches feature Grade-A Super-LumiNova.  The watches can be dropped in your pocket, worn in the pocket, or popped into a holder attached to a calfskin lanyard (in three lengths), attached to a bag, or placed in a removable stand that lets the watch function as a desk clock. Swatch and AP say this will change the way we wear watches, breaking free from the wrist (suggesting the expected wristwatch collaboration is unlikely at the moment). The new Swatch x Audemars Piguet "Royal Pop" comes in two main variants. There's the "Lépine" style, where the crown is at 12 o'clock on the pocket watch, which come in six varieties: Otto Rosso (pink case and dial with red ...

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Best of 2022: Establishment Favourites SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Extra-Thin ref Dec 23, 2022

Best of 2022: Establishment Favourites

Having covered the year’s best from independent watchmaking, we now turn to the big names (but leaving out the value buys below US$5,000 that we cover in a subsequent story). The notable launches from establishment marques were predominantly evolutionary, either new-and-improved versions of existing models or vintage remakes. Nothing was a landmark achievement – except for the monumental Rolex Deepsea Challenge that is less of a watch than a statement of technical prowess. While not strikingly novel, many of the year’s best watches are executed very, very well. One of the best is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Extra-Thin ref. 16202. Practically unchanged from the 1972 original in terms of design, it doesn’t do anything new in terms of design. The the new “Jumbo” nonetheless is a superior watch, mainly thanks to a brand-new movement as well as subtle improvements to the case. As we detailed in our in-depth review, the “Jumbo” retains the look of the original, right down to the colour of the dial, which is reproduced with PVD treatment. But it is the new cal. 7121 that’s the star. Amongst the things, it boasts an efficient, bi-directional winding system, as well as a higher beat rate for the balance wheel, resulting in more stable timekeeping. But perhaps most important is the addition of a quick-set date. While getting this watch at the retail price is a Sisyphean task, it is one of the year’s top watches simply because it makes a classic much better....

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Mark Ronson told me the story behind his go-to Royal Oak before christening AP House with new single “Too Much” Time+Tide
Audemars Piguet space May 18, 2022

Mark Ronson told me the story behind his go-to Royal Oak before christening AP House with new single “Too Much”

Ever since I had heard they were opening a new space, I was itching to see the new AP House in New York City. It is not open to the public just yet, but I was invited to swing by to get an early taste of the Audemars Piguet space. To just visit and get … ContinuedThe post Mark Ronson told me the story behind his go-to Royal Oak before christening AP House with new single “Too Much” appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Dennison x Collectability’s Second Collab Gives Us Four Funky Twists on Its Inaugural Offering Worn & Wound
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore May 27, 2026

Dennison x Collectability’s Second Collab Gives Us Four Funky Twists on Its Inaugural Offering

While some brands regularly take the collaborative approach, this hasn’t been the case for Dennison. Its first co-designed model came to us just about a year ago when the Maison first teamed up with Collectability, the brainchild of Patek Philippe expert and horological icon John Reardon. The pair’s initial offering achieved an impressive balance of design language. It combined some clear inspiration from Patek’s Ellipse as well as some of the brand’s lesser-known models with elements of the collection that revived Dennison in the modern era – the A.L.D. – developed by acclaimed watch designer Emmanuel Gueit, whose resume includes the Rolex 1908, Harry Winston Z1, and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore. The duo has just spun up its second collaboration, available for pre-order for one week only, beginning today through June 3. If you didn’t immediately click over to place an order, and you’re still with me, let’s unpack these latest additions. The new Oblique collection certainly has echoes of the original co-design but with a little bit more edge. The pair’s inaugural offering was relatively classic and timeless whereas the latest interpretations are a bit more modern and sculptural. This time, Dennison and Collectability give us two variations: the bold Enigma dial and the more sober Vector dial. In both iterations, the brands lean further into the funky design language that began emerging in the 1960s with asymmetry being a focus. Here, the familiar ...

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In Case The Audemars Piguet × Swatch Royal Pop Inspired You, Here Are Some Modern Pocket Watches Fratello
Audemars Piguet × Swatch Royal Pop May 21, 2026

In Case The Audemars Piguet × Swatch Royal Pop Inspired You, Here Are Some Modern Pocket Watches

Fashion is a fickle and unpredictable muse, isn’t she? While some predict the demise of the analog watch under pressure from smartwatches, something as unexpected as the Audemars Piguet × Swatch Royal Pop could imaginably swing the pendulum the other way. Could it trigger a resurgence of ye olde pocket watch? And if so, are […] Visit In Case The Audemars Piguet × Swatch Royal Pop Inspired You, Here Are Some Modern Pocket Watches to read the full article.

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Hands-On: Five Things You'll Want To Know Before You Buy The Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop — And How To Get It Hodinkee
Audemars Piguet Royal Pop — May 15, 2026

Hands-On: Five Things You'll Want To Know Before You Buy The Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop — And How To Get It

Earlier in the week, I got a chance to see the new Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop collaboration in person, the hottest (and most hotly debated) thing since, well, Swatch did their first collaboration with Omega. There were some restrictions, like the fact that I couldn't handle some of them without gloves, but I did get enough of an impression to have a lot of thoughts. Yes, I think they're a lot of fun, and actually pretty impressive in some ways. I get that a lot of people will disagree, and that's fine. But to answer the last part of our headline first: you can get the Swatch x AP Royal Pop watches only at select retail stores starting May 16. You can find those stores on the Swatch website by going to the homepage, looking for the collab, and clicking the "See Stores" link. One version (with a crown at the right) is $420, while the other (with a crown at the top) is $400. Also, this is not an AP-led product, so don't call your local AP AD hoping to get one. Swatch is in charge here. Love it or hate it, the Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop is big news. How big? A few hundred comments on our site is a good measure. But how about the fact that, in 24 hours, our "Introducing" story on the collab got about 20x an average story would do in a month and 1.75x more page views than the Rolex "Pepsi" GMT cancellation (which was the highest-traffic story of Watches & Wonders to date). We love watches over here, but it can be a bubble. There are a few rare moments when the wa...

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Hands On: Grand Seiko Tokyo Lion Tentagraph SLGC009 SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Jul 18, 2025

Hands On: Grand Seiko Tokyo Lion Tentagraph SLGC009

Grand Seiko returns to its Sport Collection with an even bolder and edgier take on its flagship chronograph with the Tokyo Lion Tentagraph SLGC009. Combining an oversized case Brilliant Hard Titanium and a high-spec, high-beat chronograph movement, the striking new is Tentagraph is surprisingly not an all-new design but an iterative evolution that builds on the existing Sport Collection case. Initial Thoughts While a strength of Seiko itself, chronometry-focused Grand Seiko has historically struggled with sports watches, though not for lack of trying. In 2019 Grand Seiko launched the angular and aggressive Sport case featuring a facetted, polygonal form with a sapphire-covered bezel to celebrate 20 years of Spring Drive. Grand Seiko intended the design to evoke the mane of the brand’s lion mascot. In 2023 came the regular production Tokyo Lion series, and the brand also extended the design language into its jewelled Masterpiece watches. The “lion’s mane” case design reminds me of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept, and with the addition of an octagonal bezel the resemblance has only grown, though I wouldn’t say it is derivative – if anything the Grand Seiko case is a more boisterous take on the 45GS design from the late 1960s. The earlier Spring Drive GMT Chronograph SBGC275 with a less stylised case design I quite liked the Sport case when it was launched in 2019, especially the rose gold SBGC230, but it felt unfinished with a round bezel and buttons. With...

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Dennison Announce a New Collaboration with Patek Philippe Expert John Reardon and Collectability Worn & Wound
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Dennison May 6, 2025

Dennison Announce a New Collaboration with Patek Philippe Expert John Reardon and Collectability

It’s no secret that watch design over the past few years has been heavily inspired by timepieces of yesteryear. Many brands today are looking to integrate 20th-century principles into more modern and technologically advanced packages, typically in an effort to keep alive the vintage aesthetics collectors know and love. On the heels of their recent relaunch, Dennison has just announced their first watch collaboration ever, pairing up with horological icon John Reardon and his website Collectability to produce a new model for the brand’s contemporary catalog.  Last year, Dennison, a brand established in 1874, was revived with the help of its new A.L.D. Collection. This assortment of watches was designed by acclaimed watch designer Emmanuel Gueit, known for designing the new Rolex 1908, the Harry Winston Z1, and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore. Dennison offers these vintage-inspired timepieces for $490 for sunray dials and $690 for stone dials. Their rather affordable prices helped the A.L.D. Collection catch the attention of many collectors, including John Reardon’s.  For those unfamiliar with his experience, Reardon has been a notable figure in horology for years. He began his career at Sotheby’s in 1997, later joining Henri Stern Watch Agency, then spending five years as the International Head of Watches at Christie’s Watches. In 2019, he left Christie’s to launch the Collectability website, aiming to educate collectors on all things Patek Philippe, in add...

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The new Tudor Royal collection offers refined variation Time+Tide
Tudor Royal collection offers refined Mar 28, 2023

The new Tudor Royal collection offers refined variation

The new Tudor Royal models are paired with chocolate brown and salmon dials. There are four case sizes spanning from 28mm to 41mm. Each watch is available with or without diamond hour markers. Any time a design risk is taken, people could turn one way or another. The Tudor Royal is undoubtedly their most visually … ContinuedThe post The new Tudor Royal collection offers refined variation appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Hands On: Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Feb 9, 2023

Hands On: Piaget Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin

Having redesigned the Polo to suit contemporary tastes in 2016, Piaget now debuts most complicated watch in its sports watch line, the Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin. With a steel case just 8.65 mm high, it’s dressed in the very current shade of dark green. Though the complication isn’t new for Piaget or even luxury-sports watches more broadly, the perpetual calendar takes the Polo into new territory as an upscale, complicated watch. The model was introduced in 1979 as a chunky watch with a geometric design rendered entirely in yellow gold, reflecting the popular style of the era. Today’s Polo bears little resemblance to its historical namesake and instead opts for a design in tune with today’s preference for sports watches in that aren’t round. Initial thoughts The new perpetual calendar is essentially the same proposition as its simpler brethren in the Polo line – a design and complication similar to more established luxury-sports watches, but at a more affordable price. So it has a patterned dial, cushion-shaped case, matching steel bracelet, and a retail price of US$58,500. That’s a reasonable ask considering its intrinsic features like finishing and complication.  On the other hand, the Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5740/1G or recently launched Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin ref. 26586TI cost well into the six figures – but they are also more sophisticated mechanically and executed with much more refinement. In short,...

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Auctions: Only Watch 2021 – November 6, Geneva SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref 15202 Jul 1, 2021

Auctions: Only Watch 2021 – November 6, Geneva

A biennial charity watch auction that raises money for medical research, Only Watch has just announced the 2021 event takes place in Geneva on November 6, along with most of the 53 unique timepieces that will go under the hammer. Attended by the great and the good of Swiss watchmaking, Only Watch auctions have long enjoyed the support of leading watchmakers who exercise their best efforts to create one-off timepieces that are sold to support research into a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Only Watch was founded by Luc Pettavino, whose late son Paul was stricken by the illness. Mr Pettavino’s unfailing dedication to both Only Watch and his son’s memory has raised over €70 million to date. Luc Pettavino at Only Watch 2019 Many of the unique timepieces created for the event are landmarks in themselves, explaining why Only Watch has traditionally been a venue for record-setting prices, most notably the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime ref. 6300A in steel that sold for CHF31 million in 2019. Highlights this year include a Tudor Black Bay GMT in an aged-gunmetal finish, possibly the very last Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 15202 (a model that will be discontinued at year’s end), and the imaginative F.P. Journe “Francis Ford Coppola”. And what will likely be the most valuable lot in the auction is not a wristwatch, but instead the Patek Philippe desk clock ref. 27001M-001 inspired by a timekeeper made for automobile tycoon James Ward Packard in 1923. We will c...

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