Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 'Sanskrit'
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15409OR.OO.1220.OR.01 Sanskrit Dial
This is both an exceptionally attractive, and very rare watch indeed.
Its the AP Royal Oak Sanskrit dial which was released as a special edition and limited to only 30 pieces.
It’s a standard 41mm model, but the dial is most certainly the star of the show.
It would do an almighty disservice to describe this dial as “green” tapisserie, which of course it is, but it’s an absolutely gorgeous emerald shade which has an almost peacock/teal shimmer in changing lights.
It is, without exception, the nicest green dial I have ever seen, and given the popularity of the colour choice and the fact that pretty much all of the “big” brands have released green dials in recent years, being the best out there (in my opinion, of course) is not an easy feat.
It is not a shade that I have seen on any other AP either, so I believe that it is particular to this special edition.
The base colour of the dial isn’t even the party piece here. The watches “raison d’être” are the mystical Sanskrit hour markers, which appear in orange for maximum contrast along with a similarly toned seconds hand to tie things together with a twist.
Sanskrit is the oldest language in the world and considered to be the mother of all languages, such is its significant historical and cultural importance.
It was said to be used as a means of communication between the Hindu gods.
Sanskrit is considered a sister language to other Indo-European languages and has influenced the development of many of them, including Latin and Greek.
It predates Christianity by thousands years and is said to be the “perfect” language.
So, in short, this piece is a perfect homage to linguistic perfection.
Im aware that the above is a little bit on the artisan fartisan side of watch description, so I’ll soften the blow here by noting that the fact that the Sanskrit markers make for a smile inducing set of ancient supernoodles by which to note the passing of time.
The rest of the watch is full 18 carat pink gold and the warm tone of the metal compliments the dial to a tee.
The case is the same 41mm Royal Oak that we know and love with its brutalist integrated design. The octagonal divers helmet themed bezel with exposed bolts offers a flawless blend of brushed and polished surfaces. The bevels on the edges are precisely executed and contrast well with industrial looking visible rubber gasket which seals the bezel and crystal to the case (and contributes towards the 50m water resistance of this piece)
It is pure Genta DNA.
The integration of the bracelet with the case is seamless meticulously finished as per usual with brushed links and polished chamfers, but it isn’t the finishing that comes as a surprise on the Royal Oak, it is the absolutely effortless drape of the bracelet around the wrist that makes these models such a joy to wear. No protrusions, no hair pulling, absolute comfort.
This is a wonderfully niche AP and has all the hallmarks of a only watch for me.
The Royal Oak is design royalty. It has barely changed since its inception in 1972, and the 41mm size is spot on for my tastes as it wears a little larger than its specs would suggest due to the slim case and integrated bracelet.
The dial is hands down my favourite that AP has produced. Its colour is mesmerising and the Sanskrit numerals add just the right amount of “different” for it to be a piece that you’re unlikely to ever meet again on your travels.
The watch is wonderfully warm both when wearing and viewing thanks to the rose gold which heats to wrist temperature far faster than steel and has to be felt to be believed, it just feels fantastic on the wrist.
If you fancy giving it a try, give us a call!