What We Love
The most outrageously perfect yellow gold Oak Perpetual. I’ve been hunting for one in this condition for a number of years.
Royal Oak pricing really peaked in 2022, followed by a well-documented tumble over the following years, and now we’re finally starting to see the market find its feet again. Midsize has become extremely popular, while the 39mm pieces have been slower to recover, presenting somewhat of a buying opportunity for someone who lusted after them at their peak (me) but simply couldn’t justify the price.
This example is near perfect in my eyes. One of just 70 produced with the display caseback featuring the engraved rotor. The doré dial is pristine, with that wonderful early perpetual calendar layout and crisp, sharp fonts. The case and bracelet are as sharp as the day they left the factory, now covered in this glorious rosy patina that is seriously striking in person. The bracelet has little to no stretch and the original clasp remains tight.
On the wrist, it’s pretty much perfect. The case and bracelet hug the wrist beautifully and, in my opinion, it wears far better than the modern 39mm Oaks — particularly as someone whose preference usually sits around 36mm.
With the 39mm Royal Oak market only just beginning to turn back up, I think there’s a really interesting opportunity to pick up a proper grail-level piece like this.
What You Should Know
The only thing to note is the bracelet size, which fits my 17.5cm wrist perfectly. The watch is accompanied by its AP Extract from the Archives.
What We Love
The most outrageously perfect yellow gold Oak Perpetual. I’ve been hunting for one in this condition for a number of years.
Royal Oak pricing really peaked in 2022, followed by a well-documented tumble over the following years, and now we’re finally starting to see the market find its feet again. Midsize has become extremely popular, while the 39mm pieces have been slower to recover, presenting somewhat of a buying opportunity for someone who lusted after them at their peak (me) but simply couldn’t justify the price.
This example is near perfect in my eyes. One of just 70 produced with the display caseback featuring the engraved rotor. The doré dial is pristine, with that wonderful early perpetual calendar layout and crisp, sharp fonts. The case and bracelet are as sharp as the day they left the factory, now covered in this glorious rosy patina that is seriously striking in person. The bracelet has little to no stretch and the original clasp remains tight.
On the wrist, it’s pretty much perfect. The case and bracelet hug the wrist beautifully and, in my opinion, it wears far better than the modern 39mm Oaks — particularly as someone whose preference usually sits around 36mm.
With the 39mm Royal Oak market only just beginning to turn back up, I think there’s a really interesting opportunity to pick up a proper grail-level piece like this.
What You Should Know
The only thing to note is the bracelet size, which fits my 17.5cm wrist perfectly. The watch is accompanied by its AP Extract from the Archives.
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