Audemars Piguet has had a busy start to 2024 with a slew of new releases, including some Royal Oaks, Offshores, and Code 11.59 models. A few of the latest models will likely get overlooked in the shuffle with most of the attention directed toward high-profile releases such as the John Mayer Perpetual Calendar and the Sand Gold Royal Oak. Yet, for fans of smaller-sized ROs, a pair of new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding 34mm watches have just joined the lineup, one in full pink gold with a freshly minted vivid pink dial, and the other is a two-tone execution paired with a gray dial.
As the name suggests, these new Royal Oaks include 34mm cases (8.8mm thick) and automatic movements. Audemars Piguet introduced the Royal Oak 34 Selfwinding in 2020 as the smallest-sized option with a mechanical movement. Since that debut, which included four models, AP has expanded the range with plenty of variations, ranging from unadorned stainless steel to pink gold blanketed with diamonds. Two-tone and full pink-gold options were part of the original offerings, so these aren’t new designs but rather new dial executions.
The first is the full 18k pink-gold version (Ref. 77450OR.OO.1361OR.01), furnished with a new-for-AP pink dial that the brand calls “vivid pink.” The color is achieved via atomic layer deposition (ALD), and judging by the press images, the shade complements its rosy precious metal case, hands, and indices beautifully. The second is a two-tone version (ref. 77450SR.OO.1361SR.03), combining a steel case with a pink-gold bezel and crown. The two-tone colorway not only continues on the integrated bracelet but also on the dial with a PVD-coated gray background punctuated with pink gold hands and hour markers.
As is customary for the collection, the dials are decorated with the Grande Tapisserie pattern, and the hands and indices are coated with luminescence. There are date windows at 3 o’clock, each color-matched to the rest of the dial, while the subtle minute tracks are rendered in white on the two-tone model and black on the pink-gold variant.
Like other Royal Oak Selfwinding 34mm watches, these new iterations run on Caliber 5800, which beats at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) and provides 50 hours of power reserve. The movement is visible through the sapphire caseback, and the cases are water-resistant to 50 meters.
These releases from AP may not be headline grabbers, but it is important to continue to expand the 34mm Royal Oak line to keep smaller-wristed folks interested. I think the new pink dial is a lovely addition, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see it pop up on larger Royal Oaks in the future. The prices for the new Royal Oak Selfwinding 34mm watches are 53,000 USD in pink gold and 28,700 USD in two-tone steel/pink gold. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
