The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak has since its very beginning continued to convert - at first slowly, and among more than a raised eyebrow, but with increased momentum since the 1990s - more and more enthusiasts to its cause. In recent times, however, the yearly inflow of new adepts has turned into a true tsunami. Following a pattern similar to the one seen with other sports watches (most notably the Rolex Daytona and the Patek Philippe Nautilus) a few years earlier, the watch collecting community collectively took conscience of both the beauty, importance and scarcity of the Royal Oak and its variants. Most notably, perpetual calendar Royal Oak timepieces have soared to the top of the collector’s wish-lists, and for good reasons. They combine one of the ultimate horological complications with one of the most iconic designs. They are intimately tied with the Royal Oak line, having been realized since the late 1980s (for a comparison, the first perpetual calendar Nautilus appeared on the market in 2018) - which, coincidentally, makes the Royal Oak the first sports watch featuring a perpetual calendar to ever be offered by any brand. Their aesthetic appeal is undeniable as is their scarcity.

While any perpetual calendar Royal Oak is a dream for any collector, a system of tiers has emerged within the community. Sitting at the top of the pyramid, you find the earliest models, distinguishable by the lack of leap year indication and by the "old school", serif-less (compared to the later one) Royal Oak signature. Another category which is highly sought-after includes skeletonized pieces.

It is thus apparent how this very early 1991 timepiece combines the allure of two of the most sought-after traits a collector can find in a Royal Oak: a perpetual calendar complication in its earliest execution, and a superbly well-executed (note the champagne hue of the scales, harmonizing with the yellow gold case) skeletonized dial.

When one realizes that not only this incredibly attractive watch is in superb condition, but it furthermore comes accompanied by its full set of accessories - including its original solar powered winding box in working order - she or he will realize how difficult, if even possible, it would be to come again across a similar opportunity.