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Lot Essay
Christie’s is thrilled to be able to present to international collectors and clients the first example to be offered at auction of the highly coveted and stunning platinum Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ Extra-Thin with smoked green sunburst dial. The ‘RO Green’ as it has become known, is nearly impossible to obtain and with an already years-long waiting list, the present watch offers a unique opportunity for the discerning buyer to obtain one of the most unobtainable of modern Royal Oaks.
Since the Royal Oak’s launch in 1972, few models of the range have been made in platinum. In 2021, Audemars Piguet introduced this very special version in solid platinum, reference 15202PT – the first Platinum Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ with a green sunburst dial. Reserved for AP Houses only, it is made in such extremely small numbers and so ultra-exclusive that demand has, unsurprisingly, vastly exceeded supply.
The Reference 15202 is one of the most popular because it is the closest modern descendant of the original Royal Oak. The green dial of the present platinum version is both remarkable for its colour and incredible good looks. In an interesting twist for the 15202PT, Audemars Piguet designed the dial without the classic ‘petite tapisserie’ textured pattern but instead with a smooth surface. The green colour is named ‘smoked green’ by Audemars Piguet and is on a sunray pattern base which gives a shimmering graduated tonal effect as light plays across the surface. Luminous white gold hands and applied luminous white gold hour markers provide the Royal Oak design DNA. The 39 mm. solid 950 platinum case has a sapphire crystal display back in order to view the caliber 2121 automatic movement and is completed by a solid 950 platinum bracelet with AP deployant clasp.
The Royal Oak was released by Audemars Piguet in 1972 and designed by Gerald Genta, who later designed the Patek Philippe Nautilus reference 3700. Radically different in design than anything Audemars Piguet had produced before, the Royal Oak stunned the watch industry. Made of steel, the name of the model came from the historical Boscobel oak tree in England where King Charles II hid from Cromwell’s army in 1651. The Royal Oak name was later applied to multiple British naval ships between 1769 and 1914. With a well-balanced design inspired by the portholes of sailing vessels, the model has become an unquestionable icon of the modern age.
Since the Royal Oak’s launch in 1972, few models of the range have been made in platinum. In 2021, Audemars Piguet introduced this very special version in solid platinum, reference 15202PT – the first Platinum Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ with a green sunburst dial. Reserved for AP Houses only, it is made in such extremely small numbers and so ultra-exclusive that demand has, unsurprisingly, vastly exceeded supply.
The Reference 15202 is one of the most popular because it is the closest modern descendant of the original Royal Oak. The green dial of the present platinum version is both remarkable for its colour and incredible good looks. In an interesting twist for the 15202PT, Audemars Piguet designed the dial without the classic ‘petite tapisserie’ textured pattern but instead with a smooth surface. The green colour is named ‘smoked green’ by Audemars Piguet and is on a sunray pattern base which gives a shimmering graduated tonal effect as light plays across the surface. Luminous white gold hands and applied luminous white gold hour markers provide the Royal Oak design DNA. The 39 mm. solid 950 platinum case has a sapphire crystal display back in order to view the caliber 2121 automatic movement and is completed by a solid 950 platinum bracelet with AP deployant clasp.
The Royal Oak was released by Audemars Piguet in 1972 and designed by Gerald Genta, who later designed the Patek Philippe Nautilus reference 3700. Radically different in design than anything Audemars Piguet had produced before, the Royal Oak stunned the watch industry. Made of steel, the name of the model came from the historical Boscobel oak tree in England where King Charles II hid from Cromwell’s army in 1651. The Royal Oak name was later applied to multiple British naval ships between 1769 and 1914. With a well-balanced design inspired by the portholes of sailing vessels, the model has become an unquestionable icon of the modern age.