The Royal Oak was launched in 1972 and immediately became one of the flagship models of the company. About twenty years later - in 1993 - Audemars Piguet launched the Royal Oak Offshore; the model was intended to appeal to a new, younger, more casual audience and was met with as much success as its parent 5204. Following in the suit of these innovations, in 2002 the brand introduced the revolutionary Royal Oak Concept Watch, or simply CW1 (Concept Watch 1), for the 30th anniversary of the Royal Oak as a showcase of what they believed the Royal Oak could look like in the future.

Built to demonstrate the brand’s technical prowess and master craftsmanship - as well as illustrate cutting edge technical advances - it featured a case made of Alacrite 602, an innovative alloy of cobalt, chrome, tungsten, silicon and iron, that was never again used in any other watch. The research on innovative material does not end here: the bezel is in titanium, the movement plate, bridges and tourbillon cage support are made out of forged carbon, and the fabric strap is realized with kevlar fibers. The robust, angular case’s design roots are clearly the same as the original Royal Oak from 1972, reinterpreted with a massive 44mm diameter, a sharply faceted case design and two sapphire crystals so the movement is fully exposed.

The movement by famed complication specialist Renaud et Papi features a three-arm tourbillon carriage. At the 12 o’clock position, Audemars Piguet added a “dynamographe” to represent the quality of torque on the mainspring, and to its right is a unique linear power reserve indicator spanning the length of the dial from 1 to 5 o’clock. At 6 o’clock, a function selection indicator showing the current function of the crown: winding (R-remontoir), neutral (N-neutre) and setting (H-heures).

While the original serie of these masterpiece consisted in 150 watches - an already extraordinarily limited output - 14 unique examples are believe to have been made “after-series” for the most important clients of the brand. Immediately recognisable by the design of the tourbillon bridge visible on the dial (serpentine on the serial version, straight on the piece unique), each one of these pieces has a different engraving to the movement plate. The present watch features a most unusual and mysterious cuneiform decor (defined as “Motif Mésopotamique” - Mesopotamian motif - by the Archives).

Offered in “as-new” condition and complete with its original certificate and presentation box, it was sold by the New York Audemars Piguet Boutique.