Best known for its impact on watchmaking for creating the luxury stainless steel sports watch market, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak does not spring to mind as an opulent gem-set timepiece. However, opulent gem-set variants of the Royal Oak certainly exist, and this is one of them, the ref. 14840. A rare mid-sized variant measuring 36mm in diameter, the ref. 14840 features a slew of various gem-set varieties within its reference, each with their own combination of dials, gems, and settings. Existing as one of the most beautiful versions of the ref. 14840 that we have come across is this 18kt white gold example. Sporting 32 princess-cut rubies dotted along the perimeter of its bezel in groups of four, each separated by the Royal Oaks exposed screws, this examples bezel is a work of art that contrasts its 18kt white gold construction with a wonderfully opulent sense of luxury. Featuring the very same sense of luxury that feeds into the appeal of its 18kt white gold case and the sense of luxury emanating from its gem-set bezel is this Royal Oak ref. 14840s mother of pearl dial. Silver in color, like its 18kt white gold case, it provides the perfect backdrop for its three baguette-cut rubies marking the 12, 6, and 9 positions. In addition to its date aperture marking the 3 oclock position, brilliant-cut diamonds are found populating the rest of the dials hour markers. As another point of detail, each of the gem-set hour markers and date aperture are encircled by 18kt yellow gold, which matches the central pinion belonging to its hour and minute hand. An incredibly luxurious variant of one of watchmakings best-known sports watches, this ref. 14840 is a watch well be sad to see leave us.