Audemars Piguet 15500ST Watch Review - Hands on with the Royal Oak

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak is a staple in any watch enthusiasts collection, being the first of its kind as a luxury stainless steel sports watch.

Birthed in 1972, famous watch designer Gerald Genta designed this piece for Audemars Piguet to revive the luxury watch market and bring back Swiss timepieces to their former glory, which was briefly taken by Japanese watch brands during the quartz crisis of the 70's.

The Royal Oak stands the test of time and is recognisably the most popular collection by Audemars Piguet, and a grail piece in a lot of peoples wish lists due to its history, and its broodingly handsome looks. 

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15500ST

The AP 15500ST is the latest of the Royal Oak collection, featuring an upgraded caliber 4302 movement that provides 70 hours of power reserve which is an increase of over 10 hours, as well as increasing the movement size to help with balance and increase time accuracy. 

On the wrist, due to the tapering of the bracelet to 26.6mm at its narrowest point, the watch fits with great comfort, despite it being a heavier watch than its predecessor. The watch has also increased from the 15400ST in size by 2mm, but this extends across your wrist due to the integrated lugs and bracelets, spanning over 50mm. 

The aesthetic of the watch, however, is second to none. The Grand Tapisserie dial has grains and patterns that give it a three dimensional effect, and the satin and polished finishing emulate the shine on the facets of a diamond, which play beautifully in the light. 

Overall, this watch is an absolute gem, to be irreplaceable as one of the greatest stainless steel watch models today.