We will not hide that for us, this brand is one of our most beloved, and we always approach every offering that reaches us with anticipation and hidden excitement. And so today, as we have the opportunity and pleasure for the first time to write about one of its largest, if not "gigantic," representatives, we will try to do so in a fitting manner.
For us (and probably for many other people), the Royal Oak is indeed the most iconic model of Audemars Piguet, and the reasons for this are countless. Beginning its journey in the 70s thanks to the deft hand of Gérald Genta, this series has undergone numerous interpretations, but a few things have never changed – the octagonal case, the "waffle" dial, the design of the lugs, etc.
In 2003, the brand decided to experiment with the case size and for the first time released a model that became emblematic among all Audemars Piguet admirers, namely the Terminator T3. This timepiece was born as a fruit of the collaboration between two icons – AP and Arnold. This collaboration included several models, and invariably, each of them became popular, sought-after, and valuable.
As such a size would have few potential clients (at least that is what AP thought at its launch), the model was released in only 750 pieces – 500 with a black and 250 with a white dial. The success was remarkable and the pieces sold out very quickly – and today, now more than 20 years later, they continue to be just as sought-after and to increase their value on the secondary market.
Emboldened by their success, AP looked among its other partners, brand ambassadors, and simply friends in search of another emblematic figure – and the answer came naturally: Shaquille O'Neal. Dr. Shaq was perhaps the most suitable godfather for AP's next gigantic timepiece – not only because of his popularity, but also, of course, because of his impressive dimensions: 216 cm, 147 kg, and a size 56 shoe. We are sure you will agree with us that on this man's wrist, even the water meter from your grandmother's house would look right at home...
Thus, in 2007, the next giant in AP's model range was born. This time it was already steel (unlike the titanium T3) and was offered in a bolder run of 960 pieces. In addition, a very limited series of 96 pieces was also launched with gold cases and diamond bezels – specifically aimed at a certain group of specific admirers of Dr. Shaq.
The connection to "The Big Aristotle" is apparent at first glance – the numerals "2" and "3" are swapped to pay homage to Shaq's eternal number – "32". The solid case back bears an engraving of Shaq's emblematic pose during a slam dunk, and the inner box is in the shape and size of a basketball, crafted from solid wood. Inside it is the watch itself, under which the basketball player's number and his personal autograph are proudly inscribed.
As most of you probably know, in the first versions of its Offshore chronographs, AP used the caliber 2226/2840. This continued up to and including 2007, when this cult movement was replaced by the new in-house 3126/3840 – a modular chronograph based on the 3120 with a Dubois Dépraz chronograph module. It operates at the usual AP frequency of 21,600 vibrations, consists of 365 parts, has 59 jewels, and over 50 hours of power reserve. And to emphasize the noble origin of the movement, the rotor is crafted from 22-karat gold. This model is in fact one of the first to receive this movement.
