Available to source

Second hand Audemars Piguet Royal Oak: available to source

Mozeris Fine Antiques sources a second hand Audemars Piguet Royal Oak on request, from the extra-thin Jumbo to the 41 mm 15500 and the Royal Oak Chronograph. Designed by Gérald Genta and launched in 1972, the Royal Oak is a steel sports watch with an octagonal bezel held by eight hexagonal screws. Tell us the reference and dial you want and we will locate an authentic example, verify it and present it to you in photographs and video before purchase.

History of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

Audemars Piguet presented the Royal Oak at the Basel fair in April 1972. Designed by Gérald Genta, it took its octagonal bezel from a diver's helmet, fixed with eight visible hexagonal screws, and its name from the Royal Navy ships called HMS Royal Oak. It was a luxury watch made in stainless steel, finished to the standard of gold, with an integrated bracelet that tapered link by link and a dial textured in the Petite Tapisserie pattern. The first reference, 5402ST, measured 39 mm and was slim thanks to the automatic calibre 2121, among the thinnest full-rotor automatic movements with a date. Collectors call it the Jumbo. Audemars Piguet expanded the line with smaller sizes, gold and two-tone models, and in 1993 the larger Royal Oak Offshore. In 2000 the 15202ST continued the Jumbo with calibre 2121, while the time and date models moved through the 15300ST (39 mm, calibre 3120) in 2005, the 15400ST (41 mm) in 2012 and the 15500ST with calibre 4302 in 2019. In 2022, for the fiftieth anniversary, the 16202ST replaced the 15202ST with the new calibre 7121. The octagonal bezel, the tapisserie dial and the integrated bracelet remain the identifying features of every Royal Oak.

Key references

Ref. 5402ST39 mm, stainless steel. Automatic calibre 2121. Introduced 1972. The original Royal Oak Jumbo, with Petite Tapisserie dial and no seconds hand.
Ref. 15202ST39 mm, stainless steel. Automatic calibre 2121. Made from 2000 to 2022. The Jumbo Extra-Thin homage to the 5402, refreshed in 2012.
Ref. 16202ST39 mm, stainless steel. Automatic calibre 7121. Made from 2022. The fiftieth anniversary successor to the 15202ST, with a quickset date.
Ref. 15300ST39 mm, stainless steel. Automatic calibre 3120. Made from 2005 to 2012. Centre seconds and a display caseback.
Ref. 15400ST41 mm, stainless steel. Automatic calibre 3120. Made from 2012 to 2019. Larger case with the Grande Tapisserie dial.
Ref. 15500ST41 mm, stainless steel. Automatic calibre 4302. Made from 2019 to 2022. 70 hour power reserve and a cleaner dial without the 'Automatic' text.
Ref. 26331ST41 mm, stainless steel. Automatic chronograph calibre 2385. Introduced 2017. Three-register chronograph layout with the date at 4.30.

How to spot a fake

  • The case number and reference are engraved on the caseback; the movement carries its own serial. Both should agree with the reference and with any documentation.
  • The eight hexagonal screws on the bezel should be aligned with their slots oriented consistently, and they are screws that secure the case from the back, not decorative studs.
  • The tapisserie dial is guilloché in a precise grid of small squares. Blurred, uneven or shallow squares indicate a fake dial.
  • The finishing alternates between brushed surfaces and sharp polished bevels on the bezel, case and every bracelet link. Soft or rounded edges point to heavy polishing or a reproduction.
  • On display-back models the movement should be the correct calibre (3120 in a 15300 or 15400, 4302 in a 15500, 7121 in a 16202) with Côtes de Genève and the gold rotor finish Audemars Piguet uses.
  • The bracelet tapers link by link from the case to the clasp, and the folding clasp is signed AP and closes firmly.
  • Original box, warranty card or certificate and any Audemars Piguet service papers should carry matching numbers. Audemars Piguet can provide an extract from its archives for many watches.

How we check a sourced piece

Every Royal Oak we source is opened by a watchmaker, who confirms the calibre matches the reference, checks the case and movement numbers and records timing on a timegrapher. We review service history and paperwork and send you detailed photographs and video before you commit to buy. Mozeris Fine Antiques is an independent dealer and is not affiliated with Audemars Piguet.

Questions

What should come with a second hand Royal Oak?

Ideally the box, the warranty card or certificate with matching numbers, any Audemars Piguet service papers and all removed bracelet links. Bracelet links are important, as the tapering design makes replacements specific to each size.

Is the Jumbo suitable for daily wear?

Yes, with care. Calibre 2121 and 7121 are thin movements, and the Jumbo is water resistant to 50 metres. Many owners wear it regularly; we recommend a pressure test before water contact on older examples.

What is the difference between the 15400 and the 15500?

Both are 41 mm. The 15500 of 2019 has calibre 4302 with a 70 hour power reserve, a slightly slimmer dial layout without the 'Automatic' text and a revised date position. The 15400 uses calibre 3120.

What affects the value of a second hand Royal Oak?

Reference, dial, case and bracelet condition, the crispness of the brushed and polished finishing, originality of parts, and box and papers. Unpolished cases are generally preferred.