Royal Oak "Jumbo" Extra Thin ?

[epc2]

It's great to hear that prices are coming down and you're closer to getting the watch you've been eyeing! The absence of a seconds hand is definitely something to consider, especially if you enjoy the motion and sweeping action. While it does contribute to the sleek, thin design of the Extra Thin, it can be an adjustment if you're used to having a seconds hand. Some find the minimalist look appealing and appreciate the elegance it brings, but it ultimately comes down to personal preference. If the aesthetics and thin profile outweigh the need for a seconds hand, it might still be the perfect watch for you.

[learningtofly]

I've had plenty of watches without a seconds hand and have always found it quite liberating!

[Steele]

No seconds hands

And I love them

[Octagon Guy]

Originally Posted by VogelPhoenix

Technically, the date window has moved by a fraction of a tapisserie square, so it is a new dial, with otherwise identical design.

Really? I didn't notice that when I compare both physically side by side.

[IGY]

When I first started looking at Royal Oaks, they all looked the same to me. It took me a year and a half to buy one from an AP House and while the lack of instant gratification was frustrating, when so much else in life is available instantly, that period of reflection enabled me time to understand the nuances between the variations in the current catalogue and some of the greatest hits from the past catalogues.

Colin Chapman the original head designer for Lotus Cars came up with the philosophy for car design for "just add lightness". He was 100% correct.

In the same way there is something very special about the Jumbo. In a strange way the lack of a seconds hand is a "feature"! I suppose it is about reducing clutter and refining the watch down to its essence. It also makes the watch easier to reset if you are changing watches often, not using a watch winder and one of those obsessive types (like me) that likes to rescync seconds hands to an atomic clock. (I know it is pointless but I can't help it). Then there is the historical significance that this was the way that Genta designed it and that counts for something with most people.

Plus there are the three significant things about the Jumbo not linked to the seconds hand:

1) 39mm. For the median men's wrist this is not too small. Not too large. Goldilocks.

2) Thin. A really slick thickness to diameter ratio. Wears super close to the skin, glides under a cuff. Not too thin, like a wafer biscuit to seem flimsy like some of those Bulgari and similar super watches. Chef's kiss thin.

3) The fine texture you get from the petite tapisserie compared to the grand or jumbo tapisserie.

[VogelPhoenix]

Originally Posted by Octagon Guy

Really? I didn't notice that when I compare both physically side by side.

I see, not everyone has as much idle time at their hands as I seem to do...
15202 left, 16202 right. The date window moved by a fraction of a square to the right.

[Octagon Guy]

Originally Posted by VogelPhoenix

I see, not everyone has as much idle time at their hands as I seem to do...
15202 left, 16202 right. The date window moved by a fraction of a square to the right.

That's a real minor detail!

[Mbbgysam]

Originally Posted by VogelPhoenix

I see, not everyone has as much idle time at their hands as I seem to do...
15202 left, 16202 right. The date window moved by a fraction of a square to the right.

Could be my eyes, but does the lume look wider on the 15202 hour markers?

[gretch6364]

Big improvement in the date positioning;-)

[gates]

so I just wore my 15202 to dinner tonight, fantastic piece but these have notoriously erratic movements - mine included, if you are a stickler for Patek like precision on a watch movement at this price... dont buy a 15202

[WatchTimes]

I am really leaning towards a 16202 IF gray prices ever come down a bit more (I just have a hard time paying almost 2X mentally but as I said I get it's supply and demand)
I keep looking at the Patek but I just never enjoy wearing watches on straps, I never have had a good fit. I really like the 5172 but I just know while I'll love the watch, I wont love wearing it so whats the point?
I have a vintage AP manual Ultra Thin Skeleton my dad bought in Paris in the 60s and I really think the 16202 would compliment it well (an elegant ultra thin AP dress watch and a ultra thin AP sports watch)

[Vivalas]

Out of curiosity how many jumbo’s do they make a year?

When I picked up my 16202 the other week I asked if it was around 2,000 and was told less. Quick search on the internet:

The fact that it is one of the most well-designed and powerful watch icons in the world, the Ref. 15202 ST gets even more desirable because of its limited numbers. In a recent interview with McKinsey & Company, AP’s chief, François-Henry Bennahmias, said, “We could sell 2,500, maybe 3,000 of our Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ Extra-Thin models a year. But we only make 900. If we made 3,000 pieces tomorrow, no one would want it. That’s just how it works.”

^^^ FHB said that in January 2022.

I’m guessing that as AP have increased production to around 50,000 watches a year, they make more 16202’s than they did 15202’s?