Commit TV Yagi Column - "Nautilus" vs "Royal Oak"! Which is better? A thorough comparison

Good evening everyone.

The two giants of luxury sports watches

[ Patek Philippe ] " Nautilus " / [ Audemars Piguet ] " Royal Oak "

Among watch enthusiasts, there are frequent debates as to which one is better, and the fact that these two watches were created by the same designer at the same time has led to a rise in the prices of luxury watches in recent years, and their popularity goes without saying.

This time, I would like to compare these two from various perspectives. If you want to know more about the Nautilus and the Royal Oak, this is a must-read, so please enjoy reading until the end.

What is "Nautilus"? What is "Royal Oak"?

[ Patek Philippe ] " Nautilus "

The Nautilus was Patek Philippe's first sports watch, created in 1976.

This revolutionary watch, which was designed to be extremely comfortable to wear, was made thin by integrating the case body and back cover, and was waterproof to 120 meters, which caused a big stir when it was released. The design is characterized by an octagonal bezel inspired by the portholes of submarines and protrusions (ears) that protrude from both sides . There are several dial patterns, but the blue dial is overwhelmingly popular, and due to its popularity, it is priced far above the list price in the secondary market. It has now made a name for itself as a model that is difficult to obtain.

[ Audemars Piguet ] " Royal Oak "

The Royal Oak was born from Audemars Piguet in 1972 .

Up until then, luxury watches were mainly made of gold or platinum or had jewels, but this watch, made of stainless steel and with a large case size, overturned the concept of sports watches at the time. It features an integrated case with a bracelet, an octagonal bezel and screws, and is now highly popular as a representative luxury sports watch.

Gerald Genta

Although the Nautilus and Royal Oak are different brands and were introduced in different years, they have a lot in common. The reason is that they were both designed by Gerald Genta, who was called the Picasso of the watch world.

Gerald Genta was originally a jewelry designer, but after a watch he designed won an award, he gradually shifted his work to watches. The big turning point was the Royal Oak in 1972. This watch was released almost exactly like the original drawing by Gerald Genta.

※Ref.5402

Gerald Genta is also famous for his dedication to making his watches comfortable to wear. The Royal Oak has a square shape, but is designed not to get caught on the cuffs of the wrist, a design that was later inherited by the Nautilus.

A thorough comparison of the Royal Oak and the Nautilus

This time, we will compare the Nautilus " 5711/1A-010 " and Royal Oak " 15500ST.OO.1220ST.01 ", which have similar appearances and specifications.

◇Spec Movement

First, there is the movement, which is the heart of a luxury mechanical watch and a testament to each company's technological capabilities.

* Royal Oak "15500ST.OO.1220ST.01" "Cal.4302"

At the time of its release, the Royal Oak used the Jaeger-LeCoultre Cal. 2121, but it is now equipped with the in-house movement Cal. 4302. The power reserve is approximately 70 hours and the vibration frequency is 28,800/hour.

*Nautilus "5711/1A-010" "Cal.26-330 SC"

In contrast, the Nautilus is equipped with the Cal. 26-330 SC, with a power reserve of approximately 45 hours and a vibration frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour.

Both case backs are see-through, allowing you to see the beautiful gold rotor.

*Nautilus "5711/1A-010" "Cal.26-330 SC"

The 21K rotor of the Nautilus bears the Patek Philippe brand logo.

* Royal Oak "15500ST.OO.1220ST.01" "Cal.4302"

The 22K rotor of the Royal Oak is engraved with the Audemars Piguet logo and the founder's coat of arms.

◇Case/Bezel

The common point between the two is that they are both made of stainless steel (SS).

* Nautilus "5711/1A-010"

The overall impression is that the Nautilus case lines are graceful and have beautiful flowing curves.

* Royal Oak "15500ST.OO.1220ST.01"

On the other hand, the Royal Oak is characterized by its edgy case lines, giving the impression of expressing sophistication and style.

* Nautilus "5711/1A-010"

The case size of the Royal Oak is 1mm larger, but the difference is not that big. The reason for this is the " protrusions (ears)" on the left and right sides of the Nautilus. This is related to the specs mentioned above, but these ears allow for a high level of water resistance of 120m, and the difference in size is hard to sense visually.

Another important point is the thickness of the case. The Nautilus is 8.3mm thick and fits comfortably on the wrist, making it one of a kind.

◇Dial

The dial is one of the parts that most clearly reflects the brand's attention to detail.

* Nautilus "5711/1A-010"

"Nautilus" has "horizontal embossing".

* Royal Oak "15500ST.OO.1220ST.01"

The Royal Oak features a square pattern called "Grand Tapestry."

The logo mark of the Royal Oak is at the 12 o'clock position, while the Nautilus only has the brand name. The luminous parts of the hands and indexes of the Nautilus are thicker, so visibility in the dark is excellent. It can be said that the Royal Oak prioritizes design over visibility.

◇Bracelet/Fit

At a time when it was common for watch cases and bracelets to be connected by lugs, the Nautilus and Royal Oak established a revolutionary design by integrating the case and bracelet into one piece.

* Nautilus "5711/1A-010"

The Nautilus has a hairline mirror finish and a folding buckle.

* Royal Oak "15500ST.OO.1220ST.01"

The Royal Oak has a hairline finish and a push-button buckle.

Each has its own characteristics and differences in the details, but the Nautilus has a supple bracelet that feels comfortable on the wrist, while the Royal Oak has a heavy, solid feel that makes it feel like it is being held firmly in place .

◇List price and second-hand market price

Finally, the list price and second-hand market price.

As you all know, the used market prices for both are abnormal.

"Royal Oak" Approximately 2.7 times
The Nautilus is about 3.9 times

This is a price that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.

This is proof that luxury watches are recognized worldwide as real assets. Since everything is based on supply and demand, the fact that prices are rising also means that the Nautilus and Royal Oak are very popular.

summary

We have compared the Nautilus and the Royal Oak from various angles. What do you think?

These two luxury sports watches, both from the world's three biggest watch brands and created by the same designer, once again allow us to see that each has its own merits.

The extremely popular " Nautilus " has become extremely rare, causing prices to soar to unprecedented levels.
The Royal Oak is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and is becoming even more popular and attracting more attention.

If you have the opportunity, we hope you will come to our store and see both of them in person.

I hope that after reading this article, you will become interested in the Nautilus and Royal Oak.

see you!