Royal Oak - greatest design ever?

[Token74]

Has there been any other watch, or any other luxury item for that matter, that has remained essentially unchanged for 48 years?

I’m referring to the design aesthetics rather than the movement.

There are probably better looking watches (i prefer the aesthetics of my 5990 for instance), there are much more complicated and clever designs, and of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder and hugely subjective.

But...the 15202 to the untrained eye is basically identical to the original 5402.

Personally i prefer the 15300 as i like the seconds hand and slightly thicker case, but i am in awe of the timeless design of the 5402/15202.

People rave about the Rolex Submariner, but whilst there is clear lineage, the current reference is very different from the original. The same is true with the Porsche 911 for instance. Is there any competitor for the Royal Oak in this sense?


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[mnl]

Originally Posted by Token74

Has there been any other watch, or any other luxury item for that matter, that has remained essentially unchanged for 48 years?

I’m referring to the design aesthetics rather than the movement.

There are probably better looking watches (i prefer the aesthetics of my 5990 for instance), there are much more complicated and clever designs, and of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder and hugely subjective.

But...the 15202 to the untrained eye is basically identical to the original 5402.

Personally i prefer the 15300 as i like the seconds hand and slightly thicker case, but i am in awe of the timeless design of the 5402/15202.

People rave about the Rolex Submariner, but whilst there is clear lineage, the current reference is very different from the original. The same is true with the Porsche 911 for instance. Is there any competitor for the Royal Oak in this sense?


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i was gonna say the 911 but it has changed quite a bit as you said. maybe the Leica M cameras? those have been pretty unchanged for a while. my M10 and M6 are basically identical other than one is digital and the other is film, even way back to the M1 from 1959 the differences aren’t that many.

[illiguy]

Royal Oak is an icon. Would put the JLC Reverso in the mix, as well.

[Token74]

Originally Posted by illiguy

Royal Oak is an icon. Would put the JLC Reverso in the mix, as well.

That’s a great shout! Maybe that beats it. 1931 was a very long time ago! Don’t recall ever seeing the original though so don’t know how close it is to a current reference?


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[charlie2888]

I don't think anything will ever touch Genta's original Royal Oak design in watchmaking. Other icons:

Gucci 1953 horsebit loafers. Similar to AP how they have made tons of variants over the year but nothing will ever be better than the original.

Also Gibson Les Paul guitars (and for that matter, all of the iconic Fender and Gibson electric guitars played by classic rock musicians in the 60s and 70s). Original 50s Les Pauls are huge collectors items and Gibson has been trying for 60 years to recreate the magic from the late 1950s instruments.

[brandrea]

Since other products have been brought into the mix ... I'll throw in the Eames Chair and Ottoman



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[ap1]

Moon watch

[AshAP]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Since other products have been brought into the mix ... I'll throw in the Eames Chair and Ottoman

Attachment 1194842

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Haha I have that same book by my chair/ottoman!


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[Burlington]

Always tricky to get into bests as it becomes very subjective.

The design language used in the original RO is fantastic and versatile

Like all good, long lasting designs it blends both form & function.

That AP have effectively created their modern day brand on the back of this shows how it can be stretched without losing the original appeal, even adapting parts of it into the CODE line up

As with all classic design, it never goes out of fashion so it’s not needed to be made bigger or changed much at all over the years. Clearly now, that heritage, becomes part of the user experience in itself, thus making it more likely to stay the same and be protected (by e.g. not releasing more ‘classically’ sized 39mm options)

[Kostas]

Its definitely in the "hall of fame".

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by AshAP

Haha I have that same book by my chair/ottoman!


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good catch!

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[airchitect]

Hmm.....in watches, there are a few best ever designs I’d say but yes the RO is definitely at the top. Even Genta has been quoted as saying he wished he’d penned the oyster case and datejust.

Add a Corbusier club chair, and Barcelona chair in the same room as that Eames chair and you’ll be set!


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[Etschell]

cartier tank.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by Etschell

cartier tank.

Good shout.

I would probably still put the RO as pound for pound the most unusually designed watch to have remained an icon for the longest time. The Tank is on a similar level but maybe not as respected horologically nor is its design so radical, while the Reverso is not nearly as well known, and the Submariner and Fifty Fathoms are just slight variations of a very common watch design. For me, I prefer the look of the equally divergent looking Nautilus so I might actually have that in first place even if it has reigned for a slightly shorter period.

[Etschell]

Originally Posted by AK797

Good shout.

I would probably still put the RO as pound for pound the most unusually designed watch to have remained an icon for the longest time. The Tank is on a similar level but maybe not as respected horologically nor is its design so radical, while the Reverso is not nearly as well known, and the Submariner and Fifty Fathoms are just slight variations of a very common watch design. For me, I prefer the look of the equally divergent looking Nautilus so I might actually have that in first place even if it has reigned for a slightly shorter period.

i like the royal oak. unfortunately the 41 is a tad to big for my liking and the 39 mm are out of my buying range. perhaps one day but not today.

[Token74]

Originally Posted by AK797

Good shout.

I would probably still put the RO as pound for pound the most unusually designed watch to have remained an icon for the longest time. The Tank is on a similar level but maybe not as respected horologically nor is its design so radical, while the Reverso is not nearly as well known, and the Submariner and Fifty Fathoms are just slight variations of a very common watch design. For me, I prefer the look of the equally divergent looking Nautilus so I might actually have that in first place even if it has reigned for a slightly shorter period.

I considered the Nautilus as the obvious rival, but it loses out to the Royal Oak in my mind because the current size is different to the original size.


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[Ragnarok]

Originally Posted by Etschell

cartier tank.

Cartier santos was what I was thinking.

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[Ragnarok]

Lol. How about the MTA and other infrastructure haha- just kidding. I think most appliances have been around for a while and have been un changed.. water heaters, water softeners and etc. Haha


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[Seddyspaghetti]

Nautilus?