Audemars Piguet - The Geneva Watch Auction: THREE Geneva Saturday, May 14, 2016 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Audemars Piguet
    Year: Sold in 1976
    Reference No: 5526
    Movement No: 120'817
    Case No: 62'477
    Material: 18k yellow gold
    Calibre: Manual, cal. 17''' JSMCCRVQ, 36 jewels
    Dimensions: 49mm. Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial and movement signed
    Literature: Similar examples are illustrated in Audemars Piguet by Gisbert L. Brunner, Christian Pfeiffer-Belli and Martin K. Wehrli p. 152-156

  • Catalogue Essay

    After the Second World War, only a meager few manufacturers still mastered the skills required to produce Grand Complication pocket watches. The absolute ultimate expression of watchmaking at its very finest, these exquisite watches from Audemars Piguet combined a minute repeater, perpetual calendar and split-seconds complication – each prestigious on its own – into these achingly beautiful masterpieces.

    Audemars Piguet is certainly one of the few manufactures best associated with such complications. Audemars Piguet, since its founding in 1875, specialized as a supplier of high complications to the finest Swiss and German brands in addition to selling watches under its own brand name.

    Due to the economic challenges that followed World War II, most brands ceased the production of such extraordinarily costly pocket watches, but Audemars Piguet never stopped. This type of hand finished, ultra-complicated watch remains undervalued today, and presents an exciting opportunity for connoisseurs of the finest watches. The savvy wristwatch collector will clearly recognize that this pocket watch has strong aesthetical similarities with the AP reference 5516 Perpetual Calendar wristwatch - even though this model, the most valuable of all time, features neither a minute repeater, nor even a chronograph complication.

  • Artist Biography

    Audemars Piguet

    Swiss • 1881

    A specialist in the manufacture of complications since it was established in 1881, Audemars Piguet never ceases to impress with a rich history of creating bold, even audacious, timepieces underpinned by traditional watchmaking at its finest. This Le Brassus-based Swiss manufacturer is one of only two major manufacturers still owned by the founding family. Since its earliest days, AP is considered a leader in the field of minute repeaters and grande complication pocket and wristwatches. The brand is devoted to preserving the history of watchmaking in the Vallée de Joux, showcased at their superb museum in Le Brassus.

    Today, the brand is best known for its Royal Oak models, a revolutionary luxury sports watch launched in 1972. Other key models include early minute repeating wristwatches, vintage chronograph wristwatches, such as the oversized reference 5020, perpetual calendar watches and the Royal Oak Offshore, first introduced in 1993.

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Ref. 5526
A very rare and attractive yellow gold open face minute repeating perpetual calendar watch with split-seconds chronograph and moon phases

Sold in 1976
49mm. Diameter
Case, dial and movement signed

Estimate
CHF80,000 - 120,000 
€73,400-110,000
$82,400-124,000

Sold for CHF93,750

Contact Specialist
Nathalie Monbaron
+41 22 317 81 83

The Geneva Watch Auction: THREE

Geneva Auction 15 May 2016