It’s been a very long time since we’ve had the pleasure of offering a Royal Oak ref. 15300 for sale, and this 18ct Yellow Gold variant has almost made the wait worthwhile. Offered in steel, yellow gold and rose gold throughout its 7-year lifespan it’s probably these yellow gold watches which we have seen the least of in our time. At the simply-perfect 39mm and at just 9.4mm thick, you could almost say that the 15300 is the “the one that got away” and the last of the perfectly-sized Royal Oak models (excluding ref. 15202). Replaced by the 41mm 15400, and then that reference subsequently by the in-production 41mm 15500, there’s just nothing quite like a 39mm Royal Oak on the wrist. This particular watch, with its silvered, Grande Tapisserie pattern dial and brown strap make for a gorgeous combination and would suit both the more formal or casual occasions alike. It’s powered by (at the time) AP’s in-house automatic calibre 3120 movement which keeps that superbly-executed dial very “un-busy” - displaying just the minutes, hours, seconds and the date at 3 o’clock.

Condition Report:

In truly excellent overall condition, this yellow gold Royal Oak is an utter gem. Showcasing crisp and sharp features throughout, its all-important bezel remains particularly angular and its polished and brushed areas and incredibly refined. It’s rear hall marks and AP engravings remain visible to the naked eye, and its hand-stitched, large square scale crocodile strap and 18ct yellow gold folding clasp are almost like-new. Accompanied by its original Audemars Piguet box and sales receipt from its Spanish-retailer in July of 2009, we really don’t expect such watch to stick around for long.

• Year: 2009

• Reference Number: 15300BA.OO.D088CR.01

• Material: Yellow Gold

• Size: 39mm

• Movement: Automatic Calibre 3120

• Waterproof: 50m

• Box Information: Original Box

• Extras: Original Receipt

• Strap: Brown Crocodile Leather Strap