Seems to be a lot of AP threads on here at the moment...
I like (most) AP RO derivatives but can see why others don't because of the whole footballer / rapper image they seem to have, generally towards to offshores it seems.
Is this the main (IMO stereotype) reason or is it just the actual genta design that people don't like?
For me personally I think it's a unique timeless classic and is my ultimate grail, ideally a RG perpetual on leather, however more realistically a nice steel ROC in bracelet with leather aswell.
I know this will be controversial but I'm not particularly find of the plain old RO, I think it needs a complication in order to work.
Gratuitous AP pics welcomed!
Of the big three AP is the brand that appeals to me the most. Patek's designs have never really done it for me and I don't really want to look after a watch for the next generation when the next generation are girls who probably won't want a mans watch!
Currently have this Millenary but my next purchase will hopefully be the plain RO. I love the design, the story behind it and, IMO, the quality and finish provided by AP is second to none.
They're all old threads bumped by a guy who didn't have a clue what he was doing.
Personally a big AP fan - but like most brands they make some god-awful tat for the rich and tasteless!
The plain RO, or the RO Chrono are things of wonder. I had an offshore and it was perhaps slightly too... Brash? For me anyway. It was beautifully made though :)
Some here just love to hate. AP makes some damn fine watches in ROO line. Agreed there are some LE clunkers too.
I have very little patience with those who indulge in rapper/ footballer stereotyping.
Eat yer heart out, Genta ...
Sometimes people do forget that AP make more than the RO series.Originally Posted by Tinker
Eat yer heart out, Genta ...
What a beauty...
They don't make anything that I've ever found myself lusting after. Of the big three though, there's only really one watch I actually really like, and that's the nautilus.
I'm not saying I actively dislike everything else. Just that none of it jumps out at me.
Last edited by seikokiller; 19th October 2014 at 00:13.
Oh there's definitely a place for a simple three hander. The RO is just plain class.
Love.
Currently deciding between RO15202 and 15400. A desire for simplicity favours the 2 hander, but AFAIK it isn't available with a black face which, for no good reason, I greatly prefer.
Tried loads on, mates have got them, etc.......
Never fancied one enough to actually part with the cash and I have to say the comparatively high service costs haven't done them any favours either...
Never say never though. 😉
I like that quite a bit. I don't see the attraction of the RO watches and am not a fan.Eat yer heart out, Genta ...
Most know the "big 3" - PP AP VC
See plenty being posted about PP & AP, but, relatively little about VC... Why is that? Just thinking aloud :-)
I'm the total opposite, I love my 15300, and hate any RO with complications, (I feel the same about the 5711 Nautilus), I just don't think they look right aesthetically.
And I especially dislike the RO OS, all of them :-)
It amazes me how the same company can make such a beautiful piece, and at the same time such monstrosities, (no offence to anyones taste, they are just not mine).
And again, Genta!
Well, since you asked, the tile patterned dial and the recessed hex head machine screws with driver slots!
Imagine if ... the bezel were a dodecahedron.
Then, the dial would need no hour indices and the hands could be longer & larger.
Why, why, why did Genta choose to make it an octagon? And, yes, the slots on the bolts are silly.
(He designed the watch overnight. Was he ... er ... 'tired'?)
Last edited by Tinker; 19th October 2014 at 02:39.
I respect AP and I like the RO but they really do make some models that I find hard to stomach.
I have the AP Diver and the fit and finish is way above anything else I've owned. It's absolutely flawless and beautiful in my opinion. They're just like every other brand though; people who love them, and those who don't.
I don't think the slots are silly. The bolts are WG and hence so soft, that opening the bolts without a proper screwdriver would damage the edges of the bolt. So they are actually functional slots, not decorative.
I think the silliness refers to the difficulty of turning a recessed hex bolt...
It can not be turned, but it is a functional screw. It is the counterpart underneath that is turned. And as I said, the screw's edges would be damaged if it would be opened without a screwdriver.
Having seen the dials of some of your own more favoured watches, I find that a strange comment; the quality of the dial finish on the RO is peerless IMO.Well, since you asked, the tile patterned dial and the recessed hex head machine screws with driver slots!
The hex bolts divide opinion, which is of course absolutely fine.
No need for the disingenuous smilies, incidentally.
Umm. No they wouldn't..?It can not be turned, but it is a functional screw. It is the counterpart underneath that is turned. And as I said, the screw's edges would be damaged if it would be opened without a screwdriver.
The safest place for that bolt head when applying torque from below is recessed into the case with the corner load distributed equally on all 6 sides. Put a steel screwdriver into a gold slot and bad things will happen. The slots are just to add detail and interest.
I just don't like any of the designs, regardless of the designer or brand name. Much the same as my complete lack of interest in Patrick Philippe.
I almost pulled the trigger on the 15400. Two things put me off - the uncomfortable bracelet and the frightening service costs. The watch itself I like.
I admit I might be wrong here, since I have no first hand experience. My information is third hand, coming from a RO owner who in turn has received the information from his watchmaker.
I believe there might be enough room in the recess so the torque will be distributed to the edges of the screw, not on the sides. That would mean steel vs. gold, whereas the screwdriver can be made of a softer material less inclined to cause damage to the gold and it can be made to fit exactly to the slot in the screw. As you talk about steel screwdrivers in this instance, I will put more credibility to my previous source on this matter.
Can't stand the RO variants myself. Something about the harsh angles of the cases I think. Other current watches from AP I like a lot however. This one for example, I think is a stunner:
my normal standpoint is that if i cant afford it, i am plain and simple not interested in owning it (even if it is fun to see them) i dont aspire to them and i dont pay a massive amount of interest in them
the more i see the royal oak, the more i want one even though i couldn't see myself spending so much on a single watch.
Interesting comments about the love/hate views people have about the AP ROO... I have bought/sold/collected watches over the years and my obsession with them appears to be getting worse. I even flew to Basel in 2012 to spend time staring at them all day! As I have grown older my tastes had changed a little but I still prefer the larger watches (particularly divers) out there. I'm in a lucky position to be nearly able to get a nice watch and APP ROO has particularly taken my eye over the past year...not sure why but a few trips to London to try them out has nearly convinced me. The quality and craftsmanship is simply amazing. I love Breguet too...
My attention was drawn to AP when I read an article - I think in the Times - reviewing different high end watches and giving advise from various tailors and fashionitas about watches: IWC, Zenith, Rolex etc... all featured. There was an extremely large photo of Tiny Temper (sorry if that's not how you spell it) dressed up as if he should be in Downtown Abbey as Lord Grantham and looking very traditional and smart, but with a massive AP gold chronograph on his wrist. My initial reaction having never heard of AP was my god that is an absolute horror! I then looked into AP a bit more to enhance my knowledge and came across the premiership footballers and the RO Offshores and though that AP appeared to be a vulgar and tasteless brand. AP seemed for ostentatious celebs with more money than sense as far as I could see.... Not that I think I'll ever be able to afford one you understand but in my mind my wishlist crossed AP firmly out. Horrid stuff.
And then I saw:
on a watchuseek thread of top 5 watches people owned and the guy who posted the above photo owned Lange and Sohne, PPs and some very expensive watches, but said that the AP Royal Oak was his go to watch and the one he loved the most. After that I've not really ever lusted after an object quite so much before..... it's a very odd feeling, but I think it will have to remain so as the pricing is just way beyond me. What a beautiful watch it is though. Iconic, tasteful and very distinctive. Just lovely.
The RO is a very comfortable watch to wear. One of the most comfortable imho
My attention was drawn to AP when I read an article - I think in the Times - reviewing different high end watches and giving advise from various tailors and fashionitas about watches: IWC, Zenith, Rolex etc... all featured. There was an extremely large photo of Tiny Temper (sorry if that's not how you spell it) dressed up as if he should be in Downtown Abbey as Lord Grantham and looking very traditional and smart, but with a massive AP gold chronograph on his wrist. My initial reaction having never heard of AP was my god that is an absolute horror! I then looked into AP a bit more to enhance my knowledge and came across the premiership footballers and the RO Offshores and though that AP appeared to be a vulgar and tasteless brand. AP seemed for ostentatious celebs with more money than sense as far as I could see.... Not that I think I'll ever be able to afford one you understand but in my mind my wishlist crossed AP firmly out. Horrid stuff.
And then I saw:
on a watchuseek thread of top 5 watches people owned and the guy who posted the above photo owned Lange and Sohne, PPs and some very expensive watches, but said that the AP Royal Oak was his go to watch and the one he loved the most. After that I've not really ever lusted after an object quite so much before..... it's a very odd feeling, but I think it will have to remain so as the pricing is just way beyond me. What a beautiful watch it is though. Iconic, tasteful and very distinctive. Just lovely.
That looks great. The only thing I have never quite understood is that the RO was designed as a 'sports watch, but didn't have a seconds hand, just seems strange to me, it would seem more like a dress watch with a second hand / register.
Tbh I have to admit I haven't seen a new plain RO in the flesh, I've only been up close and tried on a ROO and a titanium ROC, both were exquisite and fuelled my desire to have one of these at som point.
I think a trip to the new WOS store maybe in order...
I like AP and I have 2 of them. Safari and Offshore diver.
Planning on getting RO and ROC at some point.
Just love the design.
I really like the RO sure they make some horrible looking models, but I also to struggle to think of a maker which doesn't have some hideous models. I'm not sure I could ever wear a RO though it is a bit too shouty for me, even in its most pared back form.
Royal oaks are stunning, still not sure on the ROO, had one briefly and think it was just a little too much.
Not nearly as unique or iconic as Gentas design, but quite superb. I like that a lot - maybe even prefer it...Eat yer heart out, Genta ...
Personal preference aside
Um
I don't like any of these pictures!
:-/
Hate is one of those overused words people seem to like to use so much.
You may not like a model (I am not taken at all by ROO)
You may even dislike a brand, for what it represents to you, or because you do not like any of the products.
But hate? Really?
Even funnier when read on a site where one would expect people to be a touch more educated about watches than the usual Jeremy Kyle audience.
I can't even find myself feeling anything more than a complete lack of interest, and maybe a hint of disdain, in Festina, Guess or Diesel watches, which have as much to do with horology as Subway has with gastronomy.
Personally I really like the AP Royal Oak (15300) and would love one with the white dial, however, I think the new one (15400?) has grown the case but left the movement alone and so the date window is too far in from the edge of the dial.
As already said some of the others are just a bit too big and brash, esp. the Offshore series.
Regarding the slots in the bolts, I too consider them functionally pointless, however there was a thread a while ago - perhaps here or perhaps PH - where someone mocked up some images showing variations on the design - bolts without slots; case without bolts; etc. - and the slots definitely add to the overall design so I have come to understand them.
The thing for me with AP are the bracelets on the RO/ROC. They're the best out there in my opinion. They're incredibly comfortable, solid, finely made and in the sun, their facets flash like diamonds when you move your wrist around.
You can say what you like but they really are some of the finest watches out there. The brand covers everything from tradition to gaudy footballer to boundary-pushing mechanicals.
The 41mm designs of the RO are not to my liking as much as the 37/39mm designs though.
Not that I can afford one anyway, but as mentioned before those silly bolt heads on the RO just jar my eye - definitely not a fan.
They are hex headed bolts in a hex recess - they cannot be turned in situ so why add the pseudo screwdriver slots? Just makes the engineer in me squirm.
That gold moonphase however, that is lovely.
Genta's designs are quite special. Its really an acquired taste. Try buying a ref 17000A OysterQuartz and wear it for a few months. If you like it, you can go on to the 39mm AP Royal Oak. ;-)
M
No need for defensiveness & sarcasm
For one it is a design detail and there is no because other than that the individual looks.
No they do not turn in the bezel and are pulled down buy the nut which can be turned.
Apart from there not being a need for the bolts nor for the slot other than for looks, the hexagonal recess does make sense as this way it is locked.
I find it a great pity that AP is so associated with the Genta design to the point of being personified exclusively by it and the wearers. More so since that has not benefitted from Hublot appearing on the scene.
AP make and have made some very nice luxury/jewelry watches with even nicer engines. Both candy for the eye and the techies.
In my eyes they cover both ends of the spectrum when it comes to design, some of them are timeless classics but increasingly more of them are absolutely awful.
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