Off the Cuff: The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph

Everyone once in a while we wear a watch that just makes us stop and think about the watchmaking industry as a whole – about history and about legends. This Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph is one such watch. It is an icon in time.

It was in the early 1970s – when Swiss watch brands were struggling against Japan’s quartz watch sales – that Audemars Piguet turned to the now-legendary Gerald Genta to design a unique new luxury timepiece in steel. That was the start of the Royal Oak and its hold on time. You can read much more about the Royal Oak’s start here and here.

Today, the Royal Oak Chronograph and its sibling, the Royal Oak Offshore collection continue to transcend time – offering immediately identifiable looks that can be seen from across a room. This particular automatic model features a stunning blue Tapisserie dial with magnificent detail. Every way the wrist turns, the textured appeal of the dial makes you stop and take another look. The white subdials make them easy to read and the stainless steel bracelet is truly comfortable against the wrist. This is no lightweight watch, it has substance and power. It is perfect for work, weekends and evenings.

The only drawbacks of this particular model is that the chronograph pushers are screw down – so before you can use the chronograph you have to unscrew the pushers – something that is a little hard on the thumb and forefinger – especially for men with big fingers or for women with nails. However, once you’ve done it one time, you get the hang of it and don’t give it another thought.

The beauty of this watch is not only in its technical and aesthetic core, but also its legendary status. Wearing this watch is like wearing a part of timekeeping history – it looks great, it feels great.