Audemars Piguet Introduces Fresh Blue-Faced Royal Oaks In 2023 Line

Audemars introduced a slew of new watches last week in its Royal Oak collection, and are many standouts, but among them are two particular models with dials that mess with the traditional design codes of the RO, in a good way. The tapisserie dial is so iconic to the model that it unmistakably identifies it as a Royal Oak and only a Royal Oak. Collectors know and love it, and Audemars Piguet rarely departs from it. This is one of those rare occasions. A deliciously dimpled blue-grained dial on the new Royal Oak “Jumbo” ref. 16202, and a bright turquoise dial on the yellow gold Royal Oak 15550 are bright new interpretations of an old favorite.

The 39mm Royal Oak “Jumbo” ref. 16202 was relaunched last year with a new movement, and there were references in steel, yellow gold and rose gold. Now there is a white gold version. (“Jumbo,” by the way, is always in quotation marks because it is a nickname, bestowed on the watch when it came out in the 1970s, because at the time, 39mm was considered gigantic). The signature petite tapisserie dial of previous models gives way here to a blue-grained dial inspired by a platinum Royal Oak model released in 1992 to celebrate the collection’s 20th anniversary. It works just as well now, when new dial treatments are becoming increasingly important in watchmaking. The dial plate is given a sky blue PVD treatment and then covered with translucent coating that accentuates the relief of the graining and catches the light. This particular deep shade of blue always looks better with white metals (blue sapphire rings are often set in white gold or platinum, for example), and white gold was chosen for this one because it’s a special edition, only sold in Audemars Piguet boutiques.

The new, yellow gold 37mm Royal Oak ref.15550 hits two on-trend notes: yellow gold and hardstone dials are both making a glorious comeback. Each of these two elements represent a more decorative, upscale side of the vintage revival we’ve been seeing in watches over the past five years. They are used together here for the first time by Audemars Piguet, and that in itself makes this a collector’s piece, certain to be sought after on the secondary market. The dial is a 0.75mm slice of natural turquoise that has been ground, sandblasted and polished, and because turquoise has a slight matrix, no two slices will ever look the same.

Audemars created turquoise and other hardstone dials between the late 1960s and 1990s, including lapis lazuli, aventurine, garnet, mother-of-pearl and opal, so this piece represents a revival of that look. The combination of turquoise and yellow gold give off a kind of cheerful Caribbean vibe, which makes this a perfect casual, summer watch.