Audemars Piguet - History, Models and Owners' Reviews

Goldy! That's the nickname I gave this Royal Oak Offshore chrono. I was smitten by my Panerai and discovered that beastly gold watches fit me perfectly! I think... Nice presence on the wrist, quite rare in my circle anyway. It's a fantastically designed model, combining some of the historic lines of the Royal Oak with added virility and interesting technological features with the ceramic - I think it's ceramic - with the black bezel. This is a more versatile watch than my Panerai Submersible, as it wears smaller given its relatively small dial. The price is quite high, but it's safe from the speculation of AP's more sought-after models. Rather a good thing, even if I didn't buy it as an investment! My only disappointment is the weak power reserve, not up to the level expected of a brand like Audemars Piguet!

I bought this watch - reference 15300 - in 2016 to celebrate an important moment in my personal life. It was an eternity ago now as the watch market has evolved towards speculation. At that time the choice for this model was not so obvious given its high price (very relative compared to current prices) and the few watches manufactured. Was it already a legendary model? I am not so sure. This watch symbolizes risk-taking in terms of design, whether it is watchmaking or not. It sparkles with a thousand facets and presents with its open case back a view of an Audemars Piguet manufacture movement reference 3120 with very neat finishes... in any case more neat than most - if not all - of the other watches in my collection. Is this the most important watch in my collection? If we look at the range, we are clearly in the Haute Horlogerie segment... even though everyone can put what they want into it. From an emotional point of view, it is undoubtedly a very important watch but ultimately no more than the one I had when I was 30 or 40, for example. From a heritage point of view, it is by far the most important because it is valued at stratospheric prices. The moral is that it is a watch that I rarely wear and that spends most of its time in the safe, hidden from view. It is sad but it is only a matter of time before reason takes over so that I can enjoy it more often.

When a watch enthusiast plans his marriage proposal 9 months in advance and knows that his sweetheart will want to give him a watch as an engagement gift, that leaves him plenty of time to choose the perfect watch... The initial criteria: A dress watch from an iconic brand, an 18k yellow gold case (to match the future wedding ring) and a budget of €5k. Wanting a model that is not seen everywhere, I start by falling for a Cartier Cristallor, a model in the USA is almost in the budget, but it is sold and the others are out of budget. My mind remains in the "rare" models from Cartier, a tilting tank catches my eye. But the gold model is out of budget and the steel one is too far from my ideal. I go through a few Vacheron Constantin Patrimony, Blancpain Villeret or even other Cartier Santos Dumont, all beautiful but too "simple", not that little thing that makes me dream. While trying on a Santos Moonphase, I remember that I no longer have a moon phase since selling my Frédérique Constant Classique Heart Beat Moonphase Date a year earlier. I like mechanical watches, complications and especially the moon phase. My search then focuses on a moon phase. And I come across the perfect model for me: Audemars Piguet Day-date Moonphase: - Ultra-thin automatic Jaeger movement with triple complication - 18k gold - A diameter of 33mm that absolutely does not stand out on my 180mm wrist. So I spend weeks watching the models to try to stick to the budget. When I come across the best deal: In a luxury second-hand store in Paris. Above budget but with the very rare 18k gold double folding clasp from AP, as well as an AP bracelet in good condition in blue cayman. I crack and after a little negotiation we fall to 6k€. After 1 year in my collection I absolutely do not regret my choice, nor having taken the time to find the right one. Despite its questionable precision, which is noticed when you leave it for more than a week on the winder, it is magnificent. It knows how to be discreet and even forget itself on the wrist by its finesse and its reduced weight. But it also knows how to be outrageous when a neophyte asks what it is! Small downside, this magnificent double folding clasp is so rare, that Audemars no longer knows how to design these bracelets. Having gained a little weight and the size not being adjustable upwards, I was forced to have a magnificent green cayman bracelet made by the Atelier du Bracelet Parisien.