Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Green Watch Review and History

The Striking Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Green

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak is one of the most iconic luxury sports watches ever made. Introduced in 1972, its distinctive octagonal bezel and integrated bracelet design was revolutionary, as steel luxury watches were typically round and paired with leather straps at the time. The daring Royal Oak design put Audemars Piguet on the map as a pioneering watchmaker.

Over the decades, Audemars Piguet has built upon the legendary Royal Oak concept, releasing many variations in different sizes, materials, dials, and colors. One stunning modern iteration that captures attention is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Green.

Mesmerizing Green Dial

The most spectacular characteristic of the modern Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Green watch is its shimmering forest green dial. The color immediately draws the eye in, showcasing Audemars Piguet's prowess with dials. Depending on how the light catches it, the green dial transitions between deeper emerald shades to almost black. It has a hypnotizing quality - the longer you look, the more captivating details you notice.

Audemars Piguet makes the green dial in house, using a complex process to produce the tiny squares that form the tapisserie dial pattern. The color effect stems from the physical properties of the brass substrate, treated with a special technique to achieve the vibrant green tones. Depending on lighting conditions, the striking dial shifts between brighter or darker green hues.

Craftsmanship Behind the Green Beauty

The verdant tapestry dial is offset by the gleaming stainless steel Royal Oak case and bracelet. The intricate alternating brushed and polished finishes require masterful skill to execute. Inside beats a self-winding 3120 calibre movement, visible through the display case back. The movement architecture echoes the Royal Oak's hexagonal design cues with its uniquely shaped bridges and rotor. Like all Audemars Piguet movements, it is lavishly finished by hand.

The latest Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Green references incorporate all of the technical upgrades the collection has seen through the years. This includes a broader bracelet with curved links that hug the wrist, a display case back, and a quickset date module. From the ergonomic case proportions to the flawless finishing, everything about the watch reflects Audemars Piguet's dedication to fine watchmaking.

The History Behind the Iconic Royal Oak

To understand why the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Green makes such an impact today, it helps to learn about the context surrounding the watch's creation in 1972. At the time, Audemars Piguet was a renowned maker of exquisite timepieces. However, their watches catered exclusively to a wealthy clientele looking for ultra thin, classically styled gold dress watches with immaculate details.

Spark Of Genius - The Birth Of The Royal Oak

Against this backdrop, then managing director Georges Golay and lead designer Gérald Genta made the audacious decision to create a luxury sports watch in steel – something completely unheard of in watchmaking. Legend has it that Genta designed the unconventional Royal Oak overnight, inspired by a vintage diving helmet. The risks paid off in a big way when the Royal Oak became a runaway success.

The novelty was its juxtaposition of a large, aggressively styled octagonal steel case against an exceptionally delicate ultra-thin movement. Powered by the calibre 2121, one of the thinnest self-winding movements ever made, the very first Royal Oak ref. 5402 established Audemars Piguet's forward-thinking approach to watchmaking.

Evolution Of An Icon

While the inaugural 5402 stunned people with its bold case shape and integrated bracelet, later references incorporated more innovations. The introduction of the calibre 3120 in 1992 brought improvements like a quickset date and shorter winding rotor. And over the decades, Audemars Piguet has fine-tuned the case proportions and bracelet ergonomics as well.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Green encapsulates the watch's journey to date by combining the latest technical enhancements with a vibrant new aesthetic. For the 50th anniversary in 2022, Audemars Piguet introduced an anniversary-edition Royal Oak with an all-new colorway. The green tapisserie dial proved so popular that Audemars Piguet incorporated it into the core collection.

Some purists prefer the vintage 5402 with its flawless Gerald Genta design. Yet the modern Royal Oak offers superior wrist comfort and all the practical date and time-setting functions today's watch lovers expect. For those seeking both history and cutting-edge execution, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Green perfectly blends heritage with contemporary beauty.

FAQs

What makes the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak design so iconic?

The octagonal bezel, integrated bracelet, and exposed screws are the defining features of the Royal Oak design by Gerald Genta. When it debuted in 1972, its large steel sports watch design contrasted sharply with delicate gold dress watches popular at the time. The bold styling innovations made waves in watchmaking and design.

What is the green color effect on the newest Royal Oak dials?

Audemars Piguet achieves the color through a special treatment process applied to the brass dial base. Depending on lighting conditions, the microscopic surface structure causes shifts between lighter and darker green tones. The angled facets sparkle as the wrist moves.

What movement powers modern Royal Oak watches?

Today's Royal Oak models are powered by the calibre 3120 movement. Compared to the original 2121 calibre, improvements include a more efficient winding rotor, quickset date module, and enhanced shock resistance. The architecture mirrors the Royal Oak case with hexagonal bridges and exposed screws.

What is the newest Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Green reference?

The 41mm stainless steel Royal Oak with green tapisserie dial is referenced as 26522ST.OO.1220ST.01. Key features include a display caseback showing the self-winding movement finissage and 50m water resistance rating.