Manufacturer: Audemars Piguet Year: Circa 1975 Reference No: 5402 Movement No: 159'776 Case No: A427 and 099379 Model Name: Royal Oak Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Automatic, cal. 2121, 36 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Audemars Piguet bracelet, max length mm Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Audemars Piguet deployant clasp Dimensions: 39mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed Accessories: Accompanied by Audemars Piguet service paper and letter from the original owner detailing his ownership of the timepiece.
Catalogue Essay
The Royal Oak is not only the world’s first stainless steel luxury sports watch with a fully integrated bracelet (launched in 1972) but also one of the horological world’s best known names and designs.
Designed overnight in response to an urgent request for an “unprecedented steel watch,” it was at the same time the most expensive stainless steel watch ever made. The brand sought famed designer Gérald Genta, who developed a brilliantly engineered monobloc case, with a distinctively maritime feel, featuring an octagonal bezel secured by eight hexagonal white gold screws, and a dial with a tapisserie motif. The watch became known among collectors as the “Jumbo” due to the 39mm diameter case, which at the time was considered large compared to standard gentlemen’s dress watches, most of which measured between 33 and 35mm in diameter.
The present Royal Oak 5402 is an “A Series” with the case number 427. The ref. 5402 was produced in several different batches across A, B, C and D case numbers with small design details that made each subtly different. They house the extra slim caliber 2121 based on the Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber 920, that would later be used for Patek Philippe’s Nautilus wristwatch and Vacheron Constantin’s 222.
Consigned by the original owner, this Royal Oak features the distinctive “AP’” logo positioned at 6 o’clock, with later models having the brand logo at the 12 o’clock position.
Interestingly, the present watch is accompanied by a letter from the original owner detailing his ownership of the watch, along with anecdotes of his trusted timepiece. Due to problems with his original Royal Oak, he exchanged his timepiece with a B series, only later to regret his decision, and later asked Audemars Piguet to exchange the watch the third time to have an A series model. Thus, the present watch is accompanied by the original guarantee - but only for his original watch and not the one he exchanged it for.
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.
