Here are my amateurish comments. I'll save the dial for last, although that's really 70-75% of the "keeper" equation:

1) Movement - what impressed me about it, beyond AP's typical A level finishing, was the ratcheting sound of the rotor as you gently moved the watch. I've never quite heard such a sharp, distinguished, machine-like sound. The JLC 889, the base movement for the Oak 36mm non-Jumbo predecessor, comes close, and perhaps the Oak has some roots from that calibre, but the 889 is more of a whizzing sound, the Oak a bit more of a ratcheting machine. Uber cool. Perhaps the sound is related to the 889 in a way not dissimiliar from two people living together, who, after a number of years, start to look like each other Regarding the free sprung balances and all that jazz, I'll leave that to my friend 8 and others to opine. I'm mechanically impaired.

2) Case and bracelet - I've heard perspectives on the case being too thick, or the lugs being too flat as the bezel transitions to the bracelet. I didn't have an issue with any of that. I found it just about perfect. I was concerned I wouldn't find the bracelet as attractive as the 36mm version, whose tapered design is so refined and elegant. In fact, I found the 39mm bracelet to be more attractive, more manly, which I desperately need given my 4'9" 98 pound frame One note - I was concerned that aesthetically, the bezel screws, which to me are perhaps THE focal viewing point of the Oak, would be too small for this larger case. That was not an issue. Obviously, the case is too large for the movement, but not outrageously so by any means. The size and thickness of the rotor, and the bolts of the rear bezel, help keep this all in balance, perhaps as well as any oversized case to movement scenario I've witnessed.

3) The functions - The instantaneous date changeover is a wonderful addition - not exactly the most useful (I'm up until midnight about once per leap year) function, but one of those je ne sais quois features that I love. The movement hacks, always a desirable feature for an accuracy obsessed savant like myself.

4) The dial - the perhaps unparalleled waffled guilloche has gone to the next level. It's probably the size of the watch that gives the dial a marginal
edge over prior Oak time and date iterations. In addition to accuracy, those who know me well know that I'm bi-obsessed. Part two of my condition-unique (never before seen in a homo sapien specimen) is my desire to have a watch look great in all lighting conditions. The three torture tests for me are 1) under the lights of the watch store - because the lighting is usually designed for diamonds, it's particularly harsh on watches - the Oak looked very good here. 2) In sunlight - this is usually the killa test. In this test, the Oak fared well also, almost certainly due to the waffled guilloche, whose depth and multi-level pattern mitigates sunlight by absorbing it. 3) At my office - this is the worst lighting condition east of Mars, but I can't test it until I own it, and that's most unfortunate. Yo, Mr. Watch Boutique Owner, any chance for a one hour loan?). I found the hands of the watch improved from prior iterations, the markers as well, the improvements in both cases attributable to being thicker. I wish they were as thick as the new IWC Inge, but there is no perfect watch, so I'll respectfully accept the limitation

I'd like to see the blue dialed version as well, though I'm afraid it will look more gray than blue. I went into the viewing with a "hope" that I'd fall in love with this watch, whose eventual purchase would become the centerpiece of my hideously humble and nervous collection, as I transition from flipper to collector (with facts to back that up!! ). While I didn't completely fall in love, I fell in like big time, probably a more rational and logical place to me, and enough to conclude this watch, which was already #1 and my realistic-wish list (defined as affordable within 12 months), has created some distance from the runner-up (the GO Panomatic Lunar in blue dial in steel, fulfilling my quest for one and only one blue dial watch, but more on that at another time on another forum). This Oak is not quite as spectacular as the promotional photo, but then again, no watch is, and in person it takes on a personality that a photo can only dream about. Finally, I remember seeing a famous person about 3 years ago in W****Time wearing a white dialed Oak, and permanently noting that I've never seen a watch look so good on someone's wrist in a photo. That was the origin of my attraction to a white dialed Oak, and with this movement, this size, and this display back, it will be only a matter of time before the acorns accumulate to a tree on my very own 4" wrist.

Of course, perhaps the final nail in the watch box is this. Audemars Piguet, given its history, retention to family ownership, and the absolutely coolest sounding name on the planet (A--U--D--E--M--A--R--S P--I--G--U--E--T, is a company which must be represented once in a watch box, even a meek, jittery collection such as mine.

Thanks for reading.

Regards, Eric