Audemars Piguet Classic 14952OR

Everyone knows Audemars Piguet for the Royal Oak. But here’s what happens when the brand puts the octagon away and picks up a fountain pen instead.

This ref. 14952OR from the 1990s belongs to the Jules Audemars line — the brand’s answer to the Calatrava and Patrimony. It was AP’s way of showing they could do dress as well as sport. The round 34mm case in 18K yellow gold feels elegant yet surprisingly substantial on the wrist, its wide lugs and slim stance giving it more presence than the numbers suggest.

The dial is where it gets quietly charming. Gold Breguet numerals in a flowing cursive script mark the quarters, as if they were written in a love letter to time itself. The small seconds register dips inward, creating depth and shadow, and the long, gold stick hands glide over an ivory-toned dial that’s aged gracefully.

Inside beats AP’s manually wound calibre 2085/2832, a fine movement that rewards the ritual of daily winding. It’s paired with a brand-new navy blue Epsom strap with contrasting white stitching, giving the whole piece a balanced mix of formality and ease. The original signed AP buckle seals the deal.

This isn’t AP’s headline act, and that’s exactly the point. It’s a watch for those who know the brand’s catalog runs deeper than integrated bracelets and octagonal bezels — a hidden gem that reminds us why we fell for traditional watchmaking in the first place.