Inside The Manufacture: How Are The Dials Of The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Made?
SIHH is just 10 days away, and the story of this year's show will likely be the 40th anniversary of Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak. While the famed ultra-thin movement (the thinnest in the world with a full rotor), the amazing Genta design, the incredible finishing on the stainless steel case, the fact that the watch essentially created the luxury sport watch category are all great things, the one thing most often overlooked is the unique design to the Royal Oak's dial.Since the very first Royal Oak was sold to the Shah of Iran, and those 1000 A-Series pieces left Le Brassus, they featured dials with a tapisserie pattern on them, a weaving pattern that forms the square and lozenge motif that captures the light and accentuates the timepiece’s "geometric relief." But just how exactly is this pattern created? Well, AP has been subcontracting the production of its Royal Oak dials to one famed dial manufacture all the way from the beginning - Stern Creations. Ster

26300 Variants
Hello All!So Im back in the hunt for a 26300 (39 mm RO), but am now seen a bunch of variants.I'm seeing a black dial kasparov, obviously the white/red panda, the all white, a blue, a brown-ish one.Does anyone know a good resource for all the different ones out there? There are definitely some deals to be had!Thanks!

If only....
Can't believe this is still for sale.rolexforums/showthread.php?t=238853WOuld have thought some one would have claimed this prize by now.

PL 8500 Question
I am ready to pull the trigger on the 8500 XL PO watch.My question though is, why does the one with the rubber strap (w/ orange stitching) differ from the one with the metallic bracelet which is supposedly made of the new liquidmetal and stamped on the back of the skeleton back which is not adorned on this model. Do I need to wait for the latest and greatest still?

Leather strap on 5712/1a ?
The Patek Salon in London tell me this is not possible (i.e. to switch over to the strap and deployment from either a 5712G or a 5726). So we have the official line from Patek. Anyone tried it unofficially ?