Made for the 20th anniversary of the Royal Oak in 1992, the reference 14802 was made in 1,000 examples as a tribute to the original Royal Oak model. With a case of 39 millimeters, it was a faithful homage to the original reference 5402ST, with one important difference – the use of a sapphire case back which displays the legendary, ultra-thin calibre 2121 with an engraved rotor to commemorate this special edition.

Of the 1,000 pieces released, about 700 were made in stainless steel and of those 700, it is estimated that only 200-300 were fitted with the rare, resplendent salmon dial that has become in the intervening decades, overwhelmingly desirable to collectors. The rest of the stainless steel pieces were fitted with the blue-grey dials similar to the original 5402ST.

The present reference 14802ST has been carefully cherished, coming from the collection of a keen-eyed collector of Audemars Piguet timepieces. It is complete with all of its original accessories, including a numbered octagonal presentation box reminiscent of the octagonal screwed bezel of the Royal Oak itself.

With the 50th anniversary of the Royal Oak on the horizon in 2022, demand for these rare commemorative pieces is poised to rise. Salmon dials in particular are rarely offered in the contemporary Audemars Piguet menu, and with less than 300 pieces ever produced, this is an extremely rare opportunity to obtain an extremely low production and absolutely gorgeous timepiece, perfect for the discerning collector.