I can understand the Royal Oak fatigue. There’s a confluence of reasons the watch has reached such ubiquity and yet, frustratingly, has maintained some untouchable status. It’s even more frustrating when, like me, you’ve got your eyes set on the mother of all perfect replica Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches: the “Jumbo” Extra-Thin. I honestly get a chuckle when I see the comments on every story about the numerous variations that Audemars Piguet invariably releases every year. “Is anyone else sick of the Royal Oak?” No, you’re not the first person to think it, let alone comment on it, but being quick to dismiss every Royal Oak release often misses something pretty cool in the process.
Trust me, I used to be like you. Sure, there was probably some jealousy deep down, but more so, I wanted to resist being so “simple” as to just like what was hyped up at the moment. Even without the hype, it’s not a design that makes sense for everyone. It’s a love-it or hate-it watch. But it’s almost undeniable to me that the archetypical models of the Genta-designed sports watches – the Jumbo and, well, the “Geneva Jumbo” from Patek – are some of the most comfortable and elegant-wearing sports UK top fake watches in the world.
The relative thinness of both AAA luxury replica watches (again, talking about the Jumbo sizing for the Royal Oak: 39mm by 8.1mm – I nearly refuse to acknowledge a two-hand model in any other size) made me a convert to the idea that thinness and balance are one of the greatest marks of luxury watchmaking. Yet, it took a trip to the brutally beautiful landscape of the Vallée de Joux to “get” the design. It’s also a watch so iconic that, in theory, it should be relatively hard to iterate on without taking it too far from what people know and love. And yet, somehow, Audemars Piguet finds a way to do so, and time after time, I’m a fan.
A year on from the high quality copy watches‘ 50th Anniversary, the releases from AP a week or so ago gave two examples of what you can do without messing with that balanced 39mm by 8.1mm package. Both new “Jumbo” Extra-Thin releases are striking in their own ways but examples of what you can do if you’re boxed into the corner of being an icon in form and dimension. How do you iterate on that box and what’s inside it?
In pictures, the 16202XT, a new release with a satin-finished and polished titanium case, was one of my least favorite Swiss movements replica Audemars Piguet Jumbo Royal Oak watches in recent memory based solely on the dial. With such a memorable, known design, the dial really can be the make or break (the 15202BC and 16202BC are perfect examples of archetypical dial design). The 16202XT’s smoked burgundy dial, sunburst finish, and 18k pink gold hour markers and hands had me convinced that going so far with such a loud dial detracts from one of the strongest parts of the Royal Oak, that the case itself should be the standout design element.
Turns out, you can have your cake and eat it too. The question is, do you like the flavor?
In person, you obviously notice the striking red dial of the 16202XT. It’s still not my favorite choice, but I can see the variety it adds to the lineup, something that brands seem to be striving for in adding more breath to their lineups than I can remember in recent history. The sunburst isn’t as prominent in soft light (you’ll notice that it largely disappears in macro photos in my portable light box) but at certain angles pops out. Nitpicking, the red date wheel doesn’t work as well as color-matched releases because it sits right at the place where the “ombré” effect starts to fade to black.
But any distraction the dial provides fades pretty quickly and your eyes quickly go to the bezel and the bracelet studs, both polished to a level I’d be hard-pressed to find on another core release from AP. That’s because the material used in both those locations and on the caseback surround and polished and satin-finished BMG caseback frame is made from glass.
Well, bulk metallic glass, that is. AP used the palladium-based bulk metallic glass (BMG) for the first time in their 2021 Only Watch release, the 15202XT, but BMG has been around since the 1960s and is used in microelectronics and golf, among other places. You can see the same alloy is used in the new Audemars Piguet 16202XT replica watches for sale (which bears a fineness mark of Pd500 under Titane on the back). But sure, that’s a bunch of mumbo-jumbo (no pun intended). So what does it mean?
When you cool metal, crystals form, which, in certain circumstances, can result in incredible patterns like you might see in meteorites. The faster you cool a metal, the smaller the crystals and the more dense the metal becomes. Cool it fast enough and crystals don’t form at all. Instead, you get a non-crystalline amorphous internal structure that is actually, by definition, a glass – a glass with incredible hardness and shine.
The new best fake Audemars Piguet “Jumbo” Extra-Thin watches in 18k yellow gold (the 16204BA) brings another openworked model to the post-50th anniversary lineup after the announcement of the steel and rose gold releases last year. At $103,000, the delta between this new precious metal option and the 16202XT isn’t that wide, but it’s still in a different stratosphere compared to the “basic” $35,000 16202 in stainless steel. This time, instead of high-tech materials science, you get a masterclass in skeletonization.
The case is the same 39mm by 8.1mm that make the Jumbo so wearable, but where the pink gold openworked 16204OR from last year used a contrasting black satin bridge lattice for contrast on the lack of dial, the new 16204BA uses gold across the board on the bridges (except visible from the rear). All that gold makes it feel like a throwback to a vintage era.
Inside the 16204BA is the self-winding extra-thin Caliber 7124, which was designed in parallel with the Caliber 7121 movement that powers the 16202XT and other 16202 releases we’ve seen thus far. After the demise of the 2121/20 movement that had been around in the Jumbo since 1967, it certainly was time for an upgrade. With 55 hours of power reserve, the 2121 will certainly prove to be a reliable improvement if they choose to use it for another 55 years. The finishing on the 7121 is nice – really great on the original 16202ST – but the open working on the Caliber 7124 is fantastic.
The placement of the bridges seems thoughtful, highlighting the working parts of the movement through a nice round architecture. And with the “50th” on the rotor gone – the font reminded me of branding for a NASCAR race – the 2023 super clone watches is a bit more refined.
Next to each other, the two are a perfect example of how identical dimensions are only half the story of wearability. The dimensions themselves are still my ideal for a Royal Oak. No matter how many times people tell me that a 41mm is more fitting for my 6’7″ frame and 7.25″ wrist, the “Jumbo” Extra-Thin remains my pick for the most balanced and comfortable Royal Oak (and maybe one of the most comfortable watches in general), especially when it’s sized correctly to your wrist. Thats a problem at a press preview, of course. You’ll see the replica watches wholesale hanging off wrists in the photos, but held at the right angle you can still get a sense of what you’re in for.
The titanium and BMG case is as light as the dial is loud. It’s a good thing that the BMG itself is so scratch-resistant because I’d probably forget I was wearing the replica watches site and end up bumping it a few times on door handles. The 16204BA, however, feels like a heavy chunk of metal on the wrist, but in the best possible way. It’s the ultimate “jeans and a t-shirt” gold watch flex and something that you’ll want to feel just as much as you want people to see it.
At this point, my love of the Audemars Piguet “Jumbo” Extra-thin fake watches for men is pretty well-known. I’m quite ways off from ever affording one, and yet I’ve made the foolish choice of voicing my interest to just about everyone who would listen. To bide my time, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about all the variations of Jumbos that AP has released over the last 51 years and what would sit at the top of the pantheon of Jumbos that are themselves among the all-time great designs.
I’m a traditionalist at heart, that’s part of why I’ve grown to love the “Jumbo” – you know at least a little of what to expect. With that in mind, I’m not quite sure that either the 16202XT or 16204BA cracks my top five “Jumbos” ever released. But instead of being burned out by the Royal Oak or jealous of my friends that own one, I look at these releases from the perspective of appreciation of the kind of creativity from a brand that I’m certain will continue to use what they’ve done here in new combinations in the years to come.
