Audemars Piguet Debuts a Royal Oak Pair with Smoked Yellow Gold Dials
Audemars Piguet has just launched its “first semester collection” that’ll take us through the first half of the year. Most are variations of current models, with two of the most striking sharing the same dial in “smoked yellow gold”, namely the Royal Oak Frosted Gold Selfwinding 37 mm (ref. 15550BA) and the Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph 41 mm (ref. 26240BA). Both are fashioned in yellow gold and complemented by a striking dial with a gradient yellow gold finish, conceived to homage to the brand’s yellow gold Royal Oak models of the 1970s. Initial thoughts The smoked yellow gold finish was introduced on the Royal Oak “Jumbo” in 2022, so the new releases aren’t a surprise. Nonetheless, it is satisfying to see this dial finish on more compact models like the 37 mm ref. 15550. Between the two releases, the time-only ref. 15550 is the standout. The clean, radially brushed dial pairs perfectly with the finely grained texture of the frosted case. On the other hand, the dial finish is less punchy on the chronograph due to the traditional tapisserie guilloche. The chronograph, however, is an imposing watch overall due to its size and weight. The time-only model retails for CHF55,000, while the chronograph is priced at CHF63,000 – both sit in the current range for similar Royal Oak models. Neither is a value proposition, though both are appealing variants of the design. Smoked yellow gold dials Both new launches are variants of existing models, compact Royal ...
Fratello
