Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
Photo: Supplied by the maintainer
BrandAudemars Piguet
ModelRoyal Oak
Reference5402
Introduced1972
MovementAutomatic (Audemars Piguet 2121)
ProductionDiscontinued
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak reference 5402, shown at Basel in 1972, is the watch that made a steel sports watch a luxury object. Gérald Genta sketched it in a single night: an octagonal bezel clamped by eight visible hexagonal white gold screws over an exposed gasket, a "Petite Tapisserie" dial in deep blue, and a bracelet integrated into the case and tapering across 154 hand-finished components. The 39 mm monocoque case is 7.15 mm thick around the ultra-thin automatic calibre 2121. At CHF 3,300 it cost more than the gold dress watches of the day, which is precisely what made it a provocation; a run planned at 1,000 pieces eventually reached 6,050 across all metals. (Monochrome, AP Chronicles)
Appearances
20 cataloged appearances