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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ref. 14790ST 'Midsize' - Tropical Dial Unpolished

SOLD

It’s not unfair to say that Audemars Piguet Royal Oak is one of the most iconic watches ever made. Designed in 1972 by Gerald Genta, the Royal Oak completely changed the way that we look at a steel sports watch. For the first time, stainless steel was treated as a precious metal - receiving complex finishing techniques of brushing, polishing, and beveling - all by hand. The idea that its eight hexagonal bezel screws would be finely finished and left exposed for the wearer to see was a revolutionary thought. It’s no surprise that the model became the calling card for the family owned Audemars Piguet - not to mention one of the most sought after watches in the world. While the initial 5402 was time-only, AP quickly began to capitalize on the success of the Royal Oak and begin to integrate other complications and variations into this case.

Which leads us to the Royal Oak that we have here, a 'midsize' Reference 14790ST. These pieces embody the ethos of the original Ref. 5402 'Jumbo' models, just in a slightly smaller and equally svelte 36mm case. In fact, at a glance, the only thing that differentiates it from its larger sibling, is the presence of a running central seconds hand.

This particular example remains in excellent, seemingly untouched overall condition. It's case and bracelet show no signs of polishing or refinishing, with factory finishing visible throughout and uniform wear across the bezel, case and bracelet consistent with its age and normal use with no significant blemishes or damage. The dial within exhibits a beautiful tropical brass/brown color with slightly darker areas around the center post and on the outer edge — resulting in a very cool 'vignette' effect. The dial is seemingly free from blemishes and shows even patination to the Tritium-filled applied indices, with a handset to match.

These watches strike the perfect balance between the size and value proposition that a Royal Oak can offer. The 36mm size lends itself to, we think, a more comfortable wearing experience for more people, in fact, we'd say virtually any wrist, versus the way a full size 39mm Royal Oak which can fit a little odd on some wrists due to how flat it is.

Whats not to like?

Stainless Steel Early 1990s Unpolished Automatic Dress

"As collectors themselves, Oliver and Clarke are on a mission to make buying vintage watches as painless as possible."

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From Rolex & Patek Philippe, to Cartier & Audemars Piguet. As collectors first, we love the small details that separate the Submariner from Daytona and Calatrava from Royal Oak. This is why you'll find our curated assortment spans decades of generations of models and brands. We believe that watches don't just tell time, they tell history - and life is too short to wear a boring watch.

Oliver & Clarke