Although the first case design dates from 1985, Model 14486 was launched in 1986 with three variants (steel, yellow gold and two-tone steel-yellow gold). Equipped with Calibres 2130 or 2131, Model 14486 did not appear under the Women's or Men's headings in the 1986 catalogue, but under the simple and unique Royal Oak category, thus reinforcing the idea of a unisex model.

As the successor to Model 4100 (or Royal Oak III) launched in 1977, Model 14486 continued the 35 mm size. It sometimes features a central seconds hand and there are versions with or without a seconds hand.

With its 35 mm diameter, Model 14486 is nevertheless an exception in the history of medium-sized Royal Oak watches, because between 1983 and 2003, the core of the Royal Oak collection was systematically interpreted in a 36 mm diameter (suffice it to mention here Model 4332 from 1983 and Model 14790 from 1992).

Calibre 2130 powering the first Royal Oak Model 14486 was derived from a Frédéric Piguet cal.950 movement blank. Its variant, Calibre 2131, was produced simultaneously with a different case diameter in order to allow for a greater variety of exteriors. In 1988-1989 the calibre evolved into Calibre 2150 and its variant 2151 following improvements, such as the possibility of adjusting the date without deregulating the hands.

From 1988 onwards, Model 14486 was offered with new dials and new materials. The two-tone tantalum and pink gold version was the first Royal Oak in tantalum with a mechanical movement. The white gold version (1989) is the rarest variation of the Royal Oak 14486, with only 9 units sold between 1989 and 1993.

Available only with 4 Tapisserie dials (dark blue, slate, ivory-coloured and gold-toned) during its first two years of existence, Model 14486 diversified from 1988 onward. That year’s catalogue features 7 variations of dials playing on the texture (Tapisserie or smooth), the colour (ivory, gold-toned, slate grey, white or vertical Dacron tantalum) and the type of hour-markers (classic tritium-enhanced or gemset). All these dials were produced by the Stern company in Geneva.

Model 14486 is also distinctive in terms of its silicon seal, whose shape is modified in order to leave room for a longer tube for securing the crown stem in place and thus enable greater robustness while ensuring the water-resistance of the case. This seal profile is also found on various intermediate-sized Royal Oak models from the late 1980s onwards.

Its total production run corresponds to 1,932 units mainly sold between 1986 and 1996, although 11 units were still sold between 1997 and 2005.

Derived models: 14567 (1987), 14575 (1987), 14544 (1988) and 14674 (1989).

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