Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 14790TR Tantalum Rose Gold 36mm Box Service Papers

Tantalum itself takes its name from Tantalus, the king of Greek mythology, but its Audemars Piguet story has a royal connection of its own. AP’s archives recount that the kings of Greece and Spain had their Royal Oaks darkened by a London armourer so the watches would not reflect sunlight while hunting, while Phillips’ research specifically links AP’s early tantalum development to King Juan Carlos of Spain and his desire for a stealthier Royal Oak. Conventional blackening could not achieve AP’s finishing standards, but tantalum offered the answer naturally: a dense, bluish-anthracite metal, nearly as heavy as gold, highly corrosion-resistant, and exceptionally difficult to source and work. AP introduced tantalum into its watches in 1988 and no longer uses the material today.

The Royal Oak 14790TR brings that unusual material story to the 36mm automatic Royal Oak that sat at the heart of AP’s collection during the 1990s. Introduced in 1992, the 14790 became the central Royal Oak model for more than a decade. This scarce execution pairs cool-toned tantalum with warm 18K pink gold across the bezel, crown and integrated bracelet, complemented by a vertically finished grey dial, central seconds and date at 3 o’clock. The watch is accompanied by its Audemars Piguet box, service papers, and a photocopy of the Extract from the Archives.

The watch is in overall good condition and presents very nicely on the wrist. Surface scratches and signs of prior wear are visible throughout the bracelet, with additional surface scratching to the pink-gold bezel. The bracelet remains firm and well presented overall. Please review the photographs closely for the most complete representation of condition.