For those seeking an entry point into the world of Audemars Piguet, these eight watches provide luxury and prestige at a lower cost.
Like other Swiss luxury watchmakers, Audemars Piguet doesn’t make cheap watches. The watchmaker has produced some of the most iconic watches in the watch world, and almost all AP models are known for their high price tags.
For watch enthusiasts who appreciate the finer things of life, an Audemars Piguet timepiece is one of the best watches you can buy. But while constraint is a common limitation that keeps people from buying an AP watch, there are a few affordable models you can consider buying if you’re on a budget. The most affordable Audemars Piguet watches are hidden gems that still embody Audemars Piguet's dedication to watchmaking excellence.
In this post, we deeply dive into the world of the cheapest Audemars Piguet watches, exploring some of the brand’s remarkable creations that allow users to own an AP timepiece without breaking the bank.
This timepiece belongs to AP’s youngest line of luxury watches - the Code 11.59 collection, launched in 2019. This Code 11.59 watch has an elegant design with a casual-chic aesthetic. This model comes in a 41mm polished 18K white gold case.
The AP Code 11.59 Ref. 15210BC.OO.A002CR.01 has a sleek black dial, matched with a lacquered black inner bezel, which enhances its overall design and gives the watch a luxurious appearance. The dial’s hour scale mixes Arabic numerals and index markers. There’s also a secondary dial outside the main dial designed to display the minutes in five-minute intervals.
In addition to this watch's clean aesthetics and sophisticated appearance, it is a reliable timekeeping companion. It is powered by a powerful automatic movement with a power reserve of up to 70 hours, which is remarkable for a mechanical watch. The watch is also quite durable, with water protection up to a depth of 30 meters.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Ref. 15703ST.OO.A002CA.01 is an elegant, highly durable diver’s watch from the AP brand. It is also one of the most affordable watches for anyone buying an Audemars Piguet timepiece for diving and other water-based adventures.
This Royal Oak Offshore has a 42mm by 13.75mm diameter. This dimension gives the watch significant wrist presence. But this isn’t particularly surprising for a diver’s watch. Watches in this category typically come with a robust build, and this one is no exception. It is made of durable stainless steel and is designed to be water-resistant to a depth of 300 meters.
In addition to the main crown, the Offshore Diver 15703ST has an extra crown located at the 10 o’clock position. This crown controls the watch’s inner (diving) bezel, suitable for timing underwater adventures. The dial, hour markers, and baton hands are also coated with luminous materials, which promote readability under water. This model of the Offshore is powered by a powerful in-house movement with a power reserve of up to 60 hours.
Released in 2002, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Ref 25940SK is one of the older AP Royal Oak offshore watches. At its release, this timepiece made history as the first luxury watch to incorporate rubber as one of its main components, thanks to its rubber-clad bezel. The octagonal bezel of this timepiece is made of a rubber coating wrapped around the actual bezel, which is made of stainless steel or 18K rose gold, depending on the specific model.
The Ref 25940SK is also one of the earliest luxury watches fitted with a rubber strap instead of a traditional bracelet or leather strap. Other components of this timepiece, including the crown and pushers, are also covered in rubber material, which gives the watch a sporty and robust look. This innovative use of material demonstrates Audemars Piguet’s horological mastery and creative ingenuity.
The watch is powered by an automatic mechanical movement with data and chronograph functionality. Three subdials on the watch face display the chronograph functionality, and they stand out against the dark background thanks to their bold white color.
The Audemars Piguet Ref. 77350ST is a versatile timepiece perfect for every occasion. When this watch was launched in 2020, it was the first in AP’s Royal Oak collection to come in a 34mm case size. This is a traditional feminine size but can also be worn by men who prefer smaller watches.
This timepiece comes in a stainless steel casing matched by a silver-toned dial with AP’s signature “Grand Tapisserie” pattern. The dial has white gold applied hour markers and classic Royal Oak hands covered with a luminescent coating to improve legibility. The watch only has a date window as its extra functionality, keeping the dial simple and clutter-free.
The Royal Oak Ref. 77350ST has a robust design characterized by a solid stainless steel case, which protects the self-winding movement that powers the watch. The watch is built to be water-resistant to a depth of 50 meters, making it suitable for swimming and some light recreational diving. This Royal Oak timepiece is powered by a self-winding movement with a 50-hour power reserve.
This Jules Audemars extra thin timepiece is a classic AP watch released as far back as the 1990s. This makes it perfect for AP fans who prefer simple but elegant dress watches with a classic appearance. The Ref 15180BC is a 41mm timepiece with a round white gold casing. The crown and bezel of this timepiece are also made of white gold material, while the dial is silvered with golden hour markers and hands.
This elegant dress watch has an ultra-slim profile that allows it to slip easily under the cuffs for the most formal attires. This is paired with smooth leather bracelets that look great on the wrist and keep to the minimalist silhouette of the timepiece. This watch is powered by a reliable automatic movement that keeps the time accurate and has a power reserve of up to 40 hours. If you have a budget of $12,000 to $17,000 and don’t mind buying a classic AP timepiece, this is the watch to buy.
This watch is a self-winding Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, with a 41mm stainless steel casing and integrated bracelet made of the same material. The timepiece has a plain black dial with a “Grande Tapisserie” pattern to give the watch face some character.
There’s a date window next to the 3 o’clock hour marker, but other than this, the watch is rather bare, with limited features. The hour markers are made of white gold to match the stainless steel casing and are covered with a luminescent coating to promote legibility. The dial and caseback are protected by glare-proof sapphire crystal.
Inside the watch is a self-winding AP Calibre 3120 movement with large seconds and date functions. The highly reliable caliber has a power reserve of up to 60 hours. The movement is protected by a screw-locked crown designed to keep moisture out to a diving depth of up to 50 meters.
The AP Ref. 15350ST belongs to Audemars Piguet’s collection of unusual timepieces characterized by their unique elliptical case, decentralized dials, and a skeletonized movement that showcases the 3D architecture of the internal components of the timepiece. These unique aesthetic features ensure that they stand out on any wrist.
While the Millenary collection has some super expensive models like the Millenary Minute Repeater, Ref. 26371TI, which costs over $200,000. Some models in the collection are also relatively affordable, with examples like the Millenary 4101 costing as low as $15,000 in the secondary market.
The AP Millenary 4101, released in 2011, is powered by an automatic self-winding movement and comes in a white gold casing. The case diameter is 47mm, which makes it more suitable for men. Despite its aesthetically complex appearance, this watch only displays the time but is still elegantly decorated with a skeletonized movement visible from the dial side.
If you wish to buy a relatively affordable Audemars Piguet timepiece with a chronograph complication, this Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph 42 is a good choice. This unique watch is powered by a self-winding mechanical movement with a chronograph complication. This powerful movement has 365 individual components and a power reserve of up to 50 hours. The watch has been nicknamed “the Elephant” by collectors due to its massive 42mm case size.
The casing of this watch has a unique two-tone design made from a combination of stainless steel and titanium. This is paired with a grey mega tapestry dial with triple counters of contrasting colors for the chronograph function and a date aperture in the 3 o’clock position. The dial's black Arabic numerals are covered in black luminescent coating for improved legibility. The ceramic screw-down crown of this watch protects it from moisture damage up to a depth of 100 meters.
As this list shows, the most affordable Audemars Piguet watches are still characterized by the same level of quality as the pricier models. If any watches fall within your budget, you can find them or any other high-quality luxury timepiece from AP and other watchmakers on the Bezel platform.
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