Sophie Furley
What a delight to discover the Royal Oak Mini Trio in the office this week. Some people may be surprised to learn that the collection isn’t actually new. It was first launched in 1976 in a 29 mm case size with a miniature self-winding movement. These models remain the smallest selfwinding Royal Oak models ever made. In 1997, Audemars Piguet produced a 20 mm quartz version for the 25th anniversary of the Royal Oak, which became the all-time smallest Royal Oak ever produced. This new Royal Oak Mini version has a 23 mm diameter, which was chosen to combine the smallest possible timepiece with the best performing quartz movement (it has an impressive battery life of seven years). I wasn’t sure how I would feel with such a small watch on my wrist. Years of being a big watch wearer takes some breaking…or at least I thought it would…but now I am totally smitten!
Skay Fasano
I was in London two weeks ago with a friend, trying to find a dainty vintage watch. These watches have come back in style and are all over the internet. We found plenty in Portobello Market, and one thing they all had in common was their small diameters. In my latest article, I talked about Hailey Bieber’s vintage TTRO (Teeny Tiny Royal Oak) and how she’s been showing girls how to rock a mini watch.
So when I heard AP was coming to the office with female watches, I knew they would be tiny. And I was right! We tried on three 23mm Royal Oak Mini Frosted Gold watches and I love them! These babies are powered by a quartz movement, which makes sense for their small diameter. That’s because it was discovered that the efficiency of selfwinding mechanisms decreases below a 29mm diameter.
I’m excited to see celebrities style the new “Mini Oak” collection and keep the small watch trend going!
Camille Guille
Since my visit to the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet last autumn, I sometimes think back to the vintage models I admired, such as the 29 mm mechanical Royal Oak 8638, originally designed by the visionary Jaqueline Dimier for women, or the 20 mm Mini Royal Oak 67075 in yellow gold. I immediately thought that it would be excellent news for Audemars Piguet to launch an XXS size. The design of this piece is so identifiable that it has become iconic. What a joy to see this mini 23 mm model!
Allissa Pataki
Ah, the iconic Royal Oak. So much to say, so much to love. Like my colleagues pointed out, it has a fascinating history and its new mini size is simply adorable. What particularly stood out for me though was its frosted gold finish - a visually striking technique predominantly used in jewelry. For those of you who might not know, frosted gold involves indenting the gold – not with hammering, but with a micro-hammering method using a diamond-tipped, needle-like tool. This creates a shimmery texture that looks like diamond dust and feels slightly rough to the touch. The technique, known as the Florentine finish, was popularized by master jeweller Caroline Bucci with whom Audemars Piguet has collaborated for many years. I had never seen a frosted piece in real life before and I have to say it is quite stunning – the tiny dents catch the light like a perfectly cut diamond, making the entire watch, bracelet and all, sparkle. Just wait until you try it on yourself!
