Audemars Piguet

Australian Open Champion Novak Djokovic with Audemars Piguet on his wrist

The very first tennis grand slam tournament and Djokovic had everything wrapped up. Congratulations to Novak Djokovic for winning the Australian Open Championship against his rival Rafael Nadal. The match ended in an exhilarating five sets match that lasted almost six hours. Another big win for Djokovic and who else is prouder other than the man himself are the owners of what on his wrist when he lifted the trophy. An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver ref. 15703ST fresh from Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2012. The photo above was immediately spotted by watch nerds around the world, and as a sports fan and a watch nerd myself, the piece is a perfect fit for a man of his stature. (Photo via Fratellowatches)

40th Anniversary Edition of Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo

The original Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo has always been the watch that has defined the luxury sports watch of today. A watch so iconic that it was the watch that made what Audemars Piguet is today. Without the Royal Oak Jumbo, Audemars Piguet would have cease to exist. Released back in 1972, the Royal Oak receive several criticisms from skeptics and aficionados alike before its released. But with the ingenious design by the late Gerald Genta, the Royal Oak has became one of the most sought after watch in the horological industry today. Audemars Piguet will celebrate its 40th anniversary at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2012 in Geneva, by simply going back to its roots. A deserving successor is born, introducing the new Royal Oak ref. 15202ST. The current Royal Oak ref. 15202ST (via Audemars Piguet). Fans of the Jumbo would easily spot that subtle changes can be seen from the front of the watch. A change that has been called upon by enthusiasts everywhere. As you can see, the picture above is the current model of the Royal Oak 15202ST. The new version took the watch way back to the original Royal Oak in 1972.  They were called the A-series, one of the rarest Royal Oaks ever, sporting the company's logo "AP" in the  6 o'clock position. The new Royal Oak did just that, but not only did they moved the logo down to the 6 o'clock, they also painted the date dial black instead of white, and removed the white frame around the date dial altogether. Additionally, a slightly smaller tapisserie can be seen in the dial and a longer hour marker by removing the arabic numerals at  each marker. The size of the piece remains the same, and the movement is still the 2121 Caliber from AP that was derived from Jaeger-LeCoultre legendary ultra thin movement 920 (A movement still used by Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin today). The subtle changes from the exterior is quite a game changer for watch fans. Not only is the new watch slicker by eliminating unnecessary marks on the dial, but it also bring back the piece to its glory days of the original, just like what Jaeger-LeCoultre did with their Reverso last year. A truly impressive watch that would remain a favorite for decades to come, perhaps til the next decade, the 50th year of the Royal Oak.