The new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 15400ST.OO.1220ST.04 is the latest 41 mm Royal Oak released earlier this year with a fantastic grey ruthenium toned dial. This reference is a clear result of the continuous evolution of the Royal Oak and the manufacture's constant forward thinking. Since its launch in 1972, the Royal Oak has gone through several design modifications and the ref. 15400 with this new grey dial is simply perfect. With this new dial, the Royal Oak ref. 15400ST is now available in four different dial variants that include blue, silvered white, black and this new one.
Things You Need to Know
The new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15400ST.OO.1220ST.04 is fitted with the same bracelet as all other 15400s but with a new double folding clasp that doesn't have the Audemars Piguet dark gray inlays as those 15400s around the H and I serial. The bracelet has the exact same construction and impeccable brushed finished like the rest of the Royal Oaks and the watch has a total weight of 171.2 grams.
Another great thing about this new Royal Oak ref. 15400ST with grey dial is that a few of the Royal Oak Chrono straps would match the dial quite well. The only provision is that one needs to add a conversion kit so that the plots can be added and the straps secured to the case.
The Dial
This new grey dial Royal Oak is boutique only as far as we've been told and the dial is a true chameleon. With its grey ruthenium toned 'Grande Tapisserie' with a double baton at 12 and the small AP logo this dial is somewhat reminiscent of the grey AP dials from the 70s and 80s. While the date aperture is somewhat small for this much larger watch, we love that the date disc is light grey blending very nicely with the rest of the dial.
Depending on lighting conditions the dial goes from a light grey almost identical to that of the date disc and all the way to a light charcoal. When exposed to natural light, the dial appears perfectly grey.
Something worth mentioning is that the markers on ref. 15400 have the perfect shape for light refracting purposes. They are slightly angled at the sides which, along with the more straight and taller over polished flange, create a symphony of light and color. While the light refraction on this dial is lesser than that on the silvered white dial Royal Oak, it is much superior to the black or blue dial variants.
This newer reference is also powered by the Audemars Piguet calibre 3120 just as the discontinued ref. 15300 and all other 15400s. This movement provides a power-reserve of 60 hours when fully wound and it's one of the most accurate ever made.
On the Wrist & Pricing
On the wrist, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref. 15400ST.OO.1220ST.04 wears true to its size and with the best wrist presence of all 15400s. The dial has the perfect hue to look great during the day or night and definitely a perfect hue for year round wearing. Without any hesitation, we can say that this new grey ruthenium toned dial is our favorite dial when it comes to stainless steel Royal Oaks.
Sticker Price $17,800 USD. For more info on Audemars Piguet click here.
