THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: AUDEMARS PIGUET
MODEL: 15056BC
YEAR: 2002
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 36mm
CASE MATERIAL: 18K WHITE GOLD
BRACELET MATERIAL: LEATHER
MOVEMENT: MANUAL WIND

The Jules Audemars collection was launched by Audemars Piguet in 1999, alongside the Edward Piguet collection—both named after the brand’s co-founders. The line featured round watches with a focus on timeless, elegant design and high levels of finishing, perhaps as a way to introduce greater variety to the brand amid the growing dominance of the Royal Oak.

Nearly three decades later, the popularity of the Royal Oak has only continued to rise, while many of AP’s dressier offerings from the late 1990s and early 2000s have fallen into relative obscurity. Whether this is simply a result of the sports-watch boom of the past decade is up for debate, but the unexpected outcome is that some truly wonderful watches from this era can still be acquired at very reasonable prices.

The reference 15056BC shown here is easily one of the prettiest watches we’ve had in recent months. The 36 mm 18k white-gold case measures under 8 mm thick and, thanks to its gently curved lugs, wears beautifully on the wrist. The star of the show, however, is undoubtedly the deep purplish-blue dial. The finishing is exquisite, and the simple applied markers, sub-seconds dial, and elegant leaf hands complete the refined aesthetic.

The best comparison we can draw is that the overall look is reminiscent of Chopard’s L.U.C from the same era, but with the distinct muscularity that defines Audemars Piguet.

Our friends at The Strap Tailor kindly custom-made these alligator straps for us, and the original 18k yellow-gold Audemars Piguet buckle is present. The movement arrived in excellent health and is currently running at +3 s/day, with an amplitude of 275° and a beat error of 0.2 ms. We have thoroughly enjoyed owning, writing about, and photographing this watch, and we’re confident the next owner will enjoy it just as much.