1022
Audemars Piguet
Ref. 5402ST
Royal Oak “A Series”
An early, attractive and well-preserved stainless steel wristwatch with date, “A Series” case, Gay Frères bracelet and presentation box
Full-Cataloguing
- First generation “A series”
- Signature Tapisserie dial paired with white gold hands
- Original Gay Frères bracelet
There is no other watch that can be more representable than the Royal Oak when people mention Audemars Piguet. It is a defining model to the whole luxury sports watch category, in which the influence have been shaped the idea of a sports watch. Amidst the Quartz Crisis which saw the rise of quartz movements threatening traditional Swiss mechanical watchmaking, Audemars Piguet launched the Royal Oak ref. 5402 at the 1972 Basel Fair as the direct response, challenging the market with disruption by offering a luxury watch. The Royal Oak, at the time was the most expensive steel watch, even more than some of Audemars Piguet’s gold cased watches.
The ref. 5402 had a production run that spanned 25 years, with 6050 pieces produced over the years. It was produced in four different batches, Series A, B, C and D with slight design alterations that made the timepieces distinguishable. The present example belongs to the early generation, the very first “A Series” of the reference as indicated by the caseback engraved individual number A 547. The most notable feature is the placement of the “AP” logo above 6 o’clock on the Tapisserie dial, in which in later series the logo tends to be located at the 12 o’clock position.
The watch houses the ultra-thin self-winding cal. 2121, based on the Jaeger-LeCoultre cal. 920, which would later be used in Patek Philippe’s Nautilus. This present example also has the original bracelet manufactured by Gay Frères with the chamois head framed by the letters G and F, of the first batch produced in 1972. The Gay Frères inscription was later replaced by an Audemars Piguet signature in around 1975, thus, making this watch an even more collectible piece.
The present Royal Oak “A Series” is in overall well-preserved condition and accompanied by its presentation box, it is a significant timepiece that carries the heritage of Audemars Piguet, and a symbolic piece that defined a category of watches. This is rare opportunity for watch connoisseurs or sports watch enthusiasts to acquire such an cardinal piece of modern horology history.
Audemars Piguet
Swiss | 1881A 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.