Gem-set watches have always been a “specialty” of sorts, for watch brands. Without a doubt, these are objects incredibly costly to produce, both from a material supply point of view, as well as under a labour one. Furthermore, until a few decades ago, bejewelled timepieces were marketed mostly toward women, an indicative of the cultural logics of a society still deeply rooted in ideas that are nowadays considered limitative.
Precursor collectors who appreciated this kind of timepieces have always existed (an example above all are the gem-set Daytona pieces commissioned by the Sultan of Oman in the 1980s). It is however with the cultural changes of recent times that gem-set wristwatches have been not only rightfully considered for what they truly are - extraordinary examples of the merging of watchmaking and gem-setting craftmanship - but have also been propelled to the top echelon of watch collecting in virtue of their impressive looks and outstanding rarity.

That said, some case designs are more prone to gem-setting than others, and it is difficult to argue that the Royal Oak architecture, of both case and bracelet, is among those most apt to this exclusive upgrade. The octagonal bezel seems designed since the beginning to hold rows of baguette diamonds, and the same goes for the bracelet, with the vertical juncture pieces acting as an ideal “platform” for the stones.

The final result - as can be admired in this wristwatch - is beyond impressive: a truly majestic timepiece accompanied by all of its accessories which can be enjoyed by lady- as well as gentleman-collectors alike. The impressive box already conveys the importance of the piece, but it is when reading the “Certificat d’Origine des Pierres Precieuses” (Certificate of origin of precious stones) that one can see the details of the setting: on the watch there is a mind-boggling total of 604 stones. Beyond the 10 emeralds for the hours markers, there are 508 princess-cut diamonds (for 4.61ct) and 86 baguette-cut diamonds (6.27ct).