Audemars Piguet: Is the Royal Oak Too Dominant?

Key Points from the Discussion

• Audemars Piguet's historical innovations extend beyond the Royal Oak, including pioneering the luxury sports watch category. The Royal Oak line itself offers significant diversity, particularly in its 39mm perpetual calendar variations, which are highly collectible.
• The Re-Master 01 chronograph is a positive step for AP, appealing to new clients who desire something other than a Royal Oak. While the Royal Oak and Offshore are iconic designs by Genta and Gueit, respectively, the Code 11.59 struggles with a 'design by committee' perception.
• The AP Starwheel was a groundbreaking design that influenced many later independent watchmakers like Urwerk and Moser. Early Starwheel models, especially those with hand-engraved dials and rotors, are highly admired, and there's a desire for AP to revive similar innovative displays.
• Unlike brands such as Vacheron Constantin and Breguet, which integrate their DNA across a wide range of designs, AP seems to confine its brand identity to one or two core designs. This approach, while potentially financially beneficial, makes AP less horologically interesting to some collectors.
• AP's historical catalog includes diverse and elegant pieces, such as rectangular watches with regulator dials, which predate the Royal Oak's dominance and showcase the brand's broader design capabilities.
• The John Schaeffer line serves as further evidence of Audemars Piguet's capacity for diverse and exceptional watchmaking beyond the Royal Oak.