Key Specs
Price: $55,400
Availability: 75 units worldwide
Movement: Calibre 2121
Winding: Automatic
Case Diameter: 39mm
Case Thickness: 8mmmm
Case Material: 18k white gold
Water Resistance: 50m
Unique Features: Pink gold-toned dial with “Petite Tapisserie” pattern; extra-thin case

Upshot: The most talked-about new iteration of Auedemar Piguet’s Royal Oak line is this one, the new “Jumbo” Extra-Thin reference 15202BC with its 18k white gold case and pink gold-toned “Petite Tapisserie” dial. Combining two features from beloved Royal Oak references from the 1980s and 1990s in a 39mm case only 8mm deep, word is this extremely limited edition (75 pieces worldwide) already has a wait list several years long.

Who It’s For: A.P. collectors. You would have to have a pretty freaking great relationship with your local authorized dealer to even be considered for an offer to buy one of these (a pretty far cry from offhandedly asking Alexa to buy you a G-Shock on Amazon as you’re cooking dinner late one Thursday after having dropped yours in the toilet). Oh, and then you need 55,400 spare dollars. Basically: having bought lots of Royal Oaks + lots of disposable income = possibility that you might be able to buy this Royal Oak. Then, of course, you have to actually want one.

First Take: The “Jumbo” Ultra-Thin variants of the Royal Oak are some of the most comfortable on wrist, which includes this particular variant. The case diameter (39mm) is perfect, the watch is almost stupidly thin, and the “new” dial color is extremely handsome (you may be accused of wearing a “salmon-colored” watch, given how this seems to be a thing at SIHH 2019, but you’re free to tell your accuser to go to hell).

Insight: This is the first time white gold has been used to construct a Royal Oak since the 1980s, and that one had a blue dial and diamond-set hour markers. Collectors are pretty excited about the prospect of having another white gold model on offer, and the gold bracelet (which flies under the radar, given that most would likely expect a steel-looking sports watch to be made of, you know, steel) combined with the pink gold-toned dial is a fresh look for the Royak Oak. Given the watch’s extremely limited production run and how difficult its going to be to actually get your hands on one of these, this is going to be one that’s merely admired from afar for most mere mortals.