A perennial question, apparently
Is Audemars Piguet a One-Trick-Pony? This is a question that has been raised before, in venues ranging from Quora forums and watch threads, to articles in GQ and Fratello. Clearly, this is a question on people's minds .
The consensus response, it seems, is that "Audemars Piguet is so much more than its iconic Royal Oak," as GQ claims. But is it?
First, GQ admits that "there’s no denying that it’s the Royal Oak – and its bigger brother, the Offshore...have been the brand’s absolute mainstays for the past 15 years or more." Second, they admit that AP is aware of the one-trick-pony problem. To wit:
In what may have been an attempt to negate suggestions that the brand’s reliance on the Royal Oak was making it seem like a one-trick pony (albeit with numerous variations on the theme), Audemars Piguet decided to wow the world with an all-new model in 2019...the 11.59 collection.
Similarly, Fratello makes this point with a rhetorical question: If someone were to ask you to name the watch world’s most famous one-trick pony, how many of you would answer, “Audemars Piguet?” Furthermore, as Fratello concludes, "Audemars Piguet, a victim of its own icon’s success, gradually became known for the Royal Oak, its variants, and nothing more in the modern era."
Herein lies a key distinction. Yes, technically speaking, AP offers "more" than the Royal Oak—but in reality they are really only appreciated for the Royal Oak. Hence, the one-trick-pony appellation.
Of course, AP has tried to change this perception by launching an entirely new collection, the Code 11.59. But the failure of this new collection to gain traction with collectors, or the watch buying public, is a testament to the persistence of the one-trick-pony problem.
In sum, AP is a one-watch brand, but it's one watch that is actually worthy of its iconic status. Moreover, it's available in multiple variations, including a chronograph, a larger Offshore size, and even an Openworked version.
Taking all of this criticism in stride, though, one might fairly conclude that this means the Royal Oak is the one to have.
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