Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak and Hublot’s Big Bang luxury watches have somewhat parallel stories, and there are many similarities between their respective designs. Below, we briefly cover the heritage of each collection, compare the Royal Oak and Big Bang collections as a whole, and then compare similar models across the collections.
Royal Oak by Audemars Piguet
Audemars Piguet (AP) was established by Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward-Auguste Piguet in 1874. A global icon of horology, AP has always been considered one of the world’s best watchmakers.
Learn more: The History of Audemars Piguet
In 1972, Audemars Piguet invented the first luxury sports watch, with the Royal Oak. It was considered a risk for the company, as some thought that the concept and lower pricing would hurt the brand name, and also that no one would want to pay a luxury premium for a sports watch.
First released in high-grade steel, the Royal Oak was a simple octagonal design, inspired by a naval porthole. It quickly became a hit and sales far exceeded Audemars Piguet’s expectations. Since the original steel model, the Royal Oak has been released in a large number of variations including different precious metals, jewels, subdials, and tourbillions.
More on the Royal Oak: How Much Does An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Cost?
Big Bang by Hublot
Hublot is relatively young in the world of horology, founded by Carlo Crocco in 1976. His first watch showcased the world’s first all-natural rubber strap. It received little attention when it was first released in 1980 at the Basel Watch Fair. However, it quickly became recognized for its quality, and sales soon increased.
In 2005, Jean-Claude Biver, former president of Omega watches, joined Hublot and created the Big Bang. The watch was an immediate success, both critically and commercially, with sales tripling in a year. The Big Bang received three awards at the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix: “2005 Design Prize” “Sports Watch Prize” and “Watch of the Year”.
Royal Oak vs. Big Bang Collections: Comparing Similar Models
Comparing the collections as a whole, the Royal Oak was an upstart for its time in the 1970s, while the Big Bang made a big splash with its debut in the mid-2000s. The Royal Oak is a classic, and the Big Bang a modern hit. The Audemars Piguet name gives the Royal Oak a higher price tag than the Big Bang.
A more traditional watch collector likely favors the Royal Oak, while a younger, fashion-forward crowd considers the Big Bang prefential. Both offer models with a wide variety of materials, colors, coatings, straps, jewels, and sub-dials, for both men and women. With both watches still showing high popularity, each has a variety of celebrity ambassadors, as well as sporting, charity and event sponsorships.
This section compares similar models within the Audemars Royal Oak and Big Bang collections from the luxury brands.
Royal Oak Steel vs. Big Bang Steel
While steel is the original Royal Oak style, the modern Big Bang is known more for its flashy appearance and is rarely seen as bare as in this model.
Both basic models only offer automatic movements with the date, with the Royal Oak being 1mm wider than the Big Bang. The Royal Oak in steel costs about $14,000 with the Big Bang in steel at about $8,000.
Similar Styles: Six New Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Watches Now In Steel
Royal Oak Chronograph Gold vs. Big Bang Chronograph Gold
Both the Royal Oak in 18k yellow gold and the Big Bang in 18k red gold include a chronograph function and the same three sub-dials. They are available with matching gold or leather straps, bumping the cost up from their steel counterparts with 18k gold on each.
Learn more: What is a Chronograph Watch?
Royal Oak Chrono Tourbillon Restivo vs. Big Bang Tourbillon Solo Bang
Both models feature hand-wound tourbillion and are available with black rubber straps, completing the black and gold style. The Big Bang Tourbillon Solo Bang has a minute counter sub-dial complication. It comes in red gold case, black ceramic bezel and a black carbon dial. Royal Oak Chrono Tourbillon Restivo includes minutes, seconds, and a chronograph. It comes in rose gold and is one of the few Royal Oaks that has a bigger face than a comparable Big Bang, at 46mm and 44mm, respectively.
Back to basics: What is a Tourbillon Watch?
And the Winner is…
The collector! A true watch connoisseur can recognize and appreciate the subtleties of different watches. These include details such as craftsmanship, history, and personality for the countless variations and limited editions.
While often compared to one-another and disputed over, both brands hold their own large fan bases with continued success. What’s certain is that a little healthy competition is good for the creativity of the designers, the quality of the product, the industry as a whole, and, most importantly, for the customers and collectors alike.
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