Introducing a leap year indicator to Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar, the reference 25820 was launched in 1996 and remained in production until 2013. The complete production count numbers 628 pieces in steel, 107 pieces in yellow gold, 74 pieces in platinum, 11 in pink gold, 378 in steel/platinum, 15 in tantalum/yellow gold, nine in tantalum/platinum, and 13 in tantalum/pink gold, for a grand total of 1,235 examples. Arguably the best known dial color found on Royal Oak timepieces, the present watch features a “sapphire blue” dial according to the official Audemars Piguet nomenclature. However, even the greenest watch enthusiast knows the community calls it a different, very appropriate nickname: the “Yves Klein”.

Active during the mid-twentieth century, Yves Klein was a member of the Nouveau-Réalisme movement. He is best known for his bright blue monochrome paintings and sculptures. Amusingly, at his first public exhibition, he featured canvases of different colors (orange, red, yellow, pink, and blue) but the reaction of the public – who insisted on finding an nonexistent connection between his works – prompted him from then on to focus on just one color: the now-famous Yves Klein blue, of which this dial color is – serendipitously – a near-perfect replica.

The present lot was recently serviced by Audemars Piguet and is preserved in excellent overall condition. It is accompanied by its original Certificate of Origin as well as a recently issued Certificate of Authenticity confirming the sapphire blue dial. The present watch will without any doubt satisfy the horological needs of even the most demanding Royal Oak collectors.