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AP royal oak 15500 DLC. Nobody bought it?

Dragonfly35

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I really like the dlc version of this watch. ZF presented it at the end of 2020, but so far no one has opened a post about it.
As I'm interested in buying it, I need your advice.
I'd like to start talking about royal oak 15500 dlc here.
If someone has already get it, they will be welcome if they want to post some pictures.

It's available in all 4 royal oak dial colors: white, gray, blue and black. Personally, I prefer the black one on dlc version, but all 4 colors look really nice.
Following photos are taken from the site of one of the TDs on the forum.
What are, in your opinion, the most obvious tell?
Observations, comments and considerations will be welcome


 

Tobel

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The fashion police says no :D

Sorry, but this is losing the whole beauty of the steel or gold bracelet with the outstanding brushing combined with the fine polished accents. Really not my cup of tea
 
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Dragonfly35

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Hi Tobel
I respect your point of view. Last year I got a 15400ss white dial by Zf, and I fell in love with it.
Your are right when you say that the outstanding brushing combined with the polished accents give a particular elegance to it, but I also like the form of this watch, its dimension and the right subtlety on its thickness.
So, I was thinking about this all black version on which, I suppose, only bezel screws, indices and hands will shine in the bottom dark. This make me the idea of fantastic impact, but I not sure at all.
 

Swiss_goupil

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Plus all black version coming out of Le Locle are brushed. This plain surface looks just weird

12443256c1963598f0a865b115a5f249.jpg



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Tobel

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Hi Tobel
I respect your point of view. Last year I got a 15400ss white dial by Zf, and I fell in love with it.
Your are right when you say that the outstanding brushing combined with the polished accents give a particular elegance to it, but I also like the form of this watch, its dimension and the right subtlety on its thickness.
So, I was thinking about this all black version on which, I suppose, only bezel screws, indices and hands will shine in the bottom dark. This make me the idea of fantastic impact, but I not sure at all.

Of course mate, just kidding. If you like it you should just go for it. That's the beauty of reps. Buy it, try it and worst comes to worst if you don't like it anymore you can just resell it
 

Dragonfly35

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The most obvious tell is that it’s a fantasy piece.

Hi mate.
So rep factories's design departement is more active than AP's one?
:D

I found an AP 15500 dlc on ch24. It seems to be a limited version called 15500 black Venom DLC PVD



A strange thing is the rotor. In this version it seems the same on 15400 movement instead of 15500 one.
 

legend

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Hi mate.
So rep factories's design departement is more active than AP's one?
:D

I found an AP 15500 dlc on ch24. It seems to be a limited version called 15500 black Venom DLC PVD


A strange thing is the rotor. In this version it seems the same on 15400 movement instead of 15500 one.

I can assure you that the picture showing the movement, shows an AP cal. 3120 movement and not a cal. 4302.
The company, having done a lot of 15400 DLC builds, must have put up the wrong picture.
The "all black" PVD or DLC + custom print on dial concepts + call it a fancy name + charge an atrocious premium have been done to death. I am not saying that the watches are not nice, but it is becoming a cliche of sorts for aftermarket modding houses, where the paradigm has not shifted from this same method of "aftermarket customization". But to each his own. If you like such a concept, there is nothing which should stop you from getting one. Just be aware that the DLC/PVD coatings will wear, and when they do, the watches will look like the equivalent of a half-plucked chicken.
 
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Dragonfly35

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Thank you legend for sharing your deep knowledge about AP products.
Just be aware that the DLC/PVD coatings will wear, and when they do, the watches will look like the equivalent of a half-plucked chicken.
This is my biggest concern about this model.
If I were sure that the coating has a certain resistance over time, I would take it immediately, but this aspect is holding me back.
From what I have read, this dlc coating is steam made and should have excellent scratch resistance, but will peel off over time. And, as you rightly say, it's not nice to have a bald hen at the cuff of your shirt ...
I have to reflect about this. In the meantime I will look for information about how long these dlc coating last
 
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philwongnz

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Accord11

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The fashion police says no :D

Sorry, but this is losing the whole beauty of the steel or gold bracelet with the outstanding brushing combined with the fine polished accents. Really not my cup of tea

Actually, a black DLC AP 5402 was worn by Karl Lagerfeld, creative director for Chanel, for the better part of two decades. The fashion police says yes.


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jojobaji

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Ciao Dragonfly

Secondo me è molto bello ed elegante se abbinato bene.

Dalle foto del TD che hai postato, sembra che cassa, bracciale e ghiera non siano satinate. In ogni caso l’orologio è molto bello.

Per quanto riguarda la durata della colorazione, personalmente non lo indosserei tutti i giorni (io lo preferirei occasioni formali) quindi IMHO se usato bene si conserva per moooolto tempo.

Compralo.

Bella lì

​​​​​​———

Hi Dragonfly

To me is a very nice and elegant piece.

Based on TD pics case, bracelet, bezel are not brushed.

About the color duration, personally i wouldn’t wear it daily so IMHO you can save it staying carefully in the usage.

I say: Buy it!

Big up
 

Accord11

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The black finish on Karl Lagerfield’s AP was also very worn off with exposed stainless steel, so I wouldn’t worry too much. I’m wondering what type of black coating was on Lagerfeld’s AP.


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Dragonfly35

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jojobaji
Thnks,mate.
Unfortunately the photos on the td sites are not clear at all.
The dlc watch looks all satin-finished, with no shiny profiles. But the same goes for the photos of the steel versions, when, in reality, the polished parts are there and are clearly visible.
So I don't understand if it's just due to photos, or if the factory uses a less refined watch for this type of finish (although I tend to think it isn't).
Looking at my actual 15400 typical AP scratches are quite visible. But on dlc version they don't appear. This coating seems a vernish coating instead of a dlc treatment.
This is why I hoped someone, here, was able to post pics under natural light.
 

jojobaji

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jojobaji
Thnks,mate.
Unfortunately the photos on the td sites are not clear at all.
The dlc watch looks all satin-finished, with no shiny profiles. But the same goes for the photos of the steel versions, when, in reality, the polished parts are there and are clearly visible.
So I don't understand if it's just due to photos, or if the factory uses a less refined watch for this type of finish (although I tend to think it isn't).
Looking at my actual 15400 typical AP scratches are quite visible. But on dlc version they don't appear. This coating seems a vernish coating instead of a dlc treatment.
This is why I hoped someone, here, was able to post pics under natural light.

Good morning bro,

I dunno if this can help you, but i found these pics around the forum (in the meandri)


According to them, it seems brushed as well as the other SS RO.
 

Dragonfly35

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Good morning bro,

I dunno if this can help you, but i found these pics around the forum (in the meandri)


According to them, it seems brushed as well as the other SS RO.

Absolutely right, bro. Tks.
And in the meanderi there was also written if this you posted is a rep, maybe Zf?