Manufacturer: Audemars Piguet Year: Circa 1995 Reference No: 25829ST Movement No: 425'200 Case No: E94896-407 Model Name: Royal Oak Openworked Perpetual Calendar Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Automatic, cal. 2120 / 2802, 38 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Audemars Piguet bracelet, max length 180mm Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Audemars Piguet deployant clasp Dimensions: 39mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed Accessories: Accompanied by Audemars Piguet Certificate of Origin, an extra link and Guarantee and Audemars Piguet leather travel box.
Catalogue Essay
The Royal Oak is a timepiece that set the benchmark on many fronts. Not only was it the very first luxury sports watch when launched in 1972, it was also the very first luxury sports watch featuring a complication.
In 1982, exactly 10 years after its launch, the Royal Oak was presented with a perpetual calendar, not only a rare complication at the time as very few brands were still producing them but the audacity of housing this delicate complication in a steel sports watch was mind boggling. Soon after Audemars Piguet merged its technical know how to its artistic dexterity by presenting a perpetual calendar Royal Oak with an open work movement, once again demonstrating the brand’s ability to think out of the box.
It was not until the mid 1990s that the caliber 2120/2800 housed within the Royal Oak perpetual calendar models was upgraded to feature a leap year indicator placed within the months subdial at 12 o’clock, resulting in a change of the caliber reference to 2120/2802.
Caliber 2120/2800 was born in 1977 making it the world’s slimmest perpetual calendar movement with a thickness of only 3.95mm.
Reference 25829 is immensely charismatic thanks to its potent blend mixing the power of the Royal Oak case and delicate subtlety of an openwork movement allowing a unique view into the perpetual calendar movement.
The combination of sublime technical execution and unmistakable looks has over time led the collector community to consecrate this model as one of the most interesting, attractive and collectible complicated Royal Oak executions.
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.