The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak is now an iconic timepiece, when it was released in 1972, the watch was pretty much different than anything that had been released before that, this was a huge risk in the quartz crisis.

Designed by Gérald Genta, the Royal Oak pretty much set the standard for a stainless steel luxury sports watch. Previously, luxury watches were dress watches manufactured from precious metals and featured movement complications. Released in 1976, the Nautilus, whilst not identical to the Royal Oak, is similar in many regards. This isn’t too much of a stretch as the Nautilus was also designed by Gérald Genta although he wasn’t under the same time pressure to sketch a design concept.

The Nautilus is a more refined design, the dégradé dial is streaked, the index markers are similar on both designs and the finish is very eloquent. This is the quandary, this is a stainless steel sports watch with no serious mechanical complication priced well above a precious metal dress watch. The sharp and hard industrial lines of the AP or the smoother rounded lines of the PP? Well, for me, the rounded lines of the PP along with the streaked dial do it for me. The Nautilus, although released well after the Royal Oak is the superior style.

Genta used the window in a diver’s helmet as the inspiration for the octagonal case, a porthole was the inspiration for the Nautilus. Both share integrated bracelets, the Royal Oak is bold in their link design, the sharp edges are defining. The Nautilus a little more rounded and the centre link although not to my tastes is defining.

The tapisserie dial of the Royal Oak is fascinating to watch on video being hand cut, I have to admit I am not a fan of petite tapisserie but respect the process. The dégradé dial, translated as a gradual procession of colour to colour, of the Nautilus becomes lighter as you move to the centre of the dial. Given the funds, I would prefer the rounded bezel and bracelet of the Nautilus over the sharp edges of the octagonal case and bezel of the Royal Oak. Given both are Gérald Genta inspirations, I appreciate both design styles even though they are five years apart in concept, they accentuate the style of the era.