Patek Philippe vs Audemars Piguet: Royal Oak vs Aquanaut! This is a battle of stainless steel sports watches on full bracelets. Close in size, specification, reputation, and collector esteem the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15400 and Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5167 are natural luxury watch rivals for the hearts of watch buyers.

Launched in 2007, the current generation Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5167 is an established favorite of luxury watch buyers who prefer its stripped down image to the patrician hauteur of the Nautilus 5711. This 5167/1A-001 is an exception to normal Aquanaut specification in its use of a full bracelet rather than the 5167A's customary rubber strap. The 40mm 5167/1A is a robust presence on the wrist with solidity to rival both the Nautilus and any Royal Oak.

Inside its case, the Aquanaut sports a Patek Philippe caliber 324 automatic movement with a 35-45 hour power reserve. Features include a quickset date, Gyromas free sprung balance, a Spiromax silicon antimagnetic hairspring, and six-position adjustment with a Patek Philippe Seal accuracy attestation of -3/+2 seconds per day. Water resistance is 120 meters thanks to a screw down crown.

The dial of the Aquanaut features a silver grey metallic surface and a "geosphere" hobnail pattern that imparts texture and character. Immense amounts of Super Luminova ensure that this Patek Philippe retains superb legibility after dark.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15400ST.OO.1220ST.03 is a robust 41mm Royal Oak; this steel model represented the automatic mainstay of the collection from 2012 to 2018. As with most Royal Oak watches since Gerald Genta's 1972 Basel prototype, the 15400ST is equipped with an integrated stainless steel bracelet and deployant clasp.

Audemars Piguet fits a manufacture caliber 3120 automatic movement to the Royal Oak 15400. With a 60-hour power reserve, movement easily surpasses the endurance of the roughly 40-hour Patek Philippe 324. Additional advantages include the caliber 3120's stop seconds (hacking) capability and stable full bridge for the 21,600 vibration per hour balance wheel. With a screw down crown, the Royal Oak is water resistant to 50 meters.

A Royal Oak tapisserie dial graces the 15400, and this particular unit features the galvanized blue that has been an Audemars Piguet factory boutique exclusive. The detail of the grand tapisserie dial is cut on a traditional 19th century pantograph lathe; since 2012, this process has been performed in-house at Audemars Piguet. White gold indices and hands are coated with Super Luminova for visibility in the dark.

Audemars Piguet vs. Patek Philippe begins right now on WatchBox!