A stainless steel Audemars Piguet Royal Oak automatic wristwatch. This is a rare mid-size version of Gerald Genta's sporting watch icon. This might well be the most interesting yet. This dial is a rare blue colour which varies from a light navy to a midnight in low light. This early example, all steel watch, may not be the safe queen some look for, but it is a rare and unpolished model with this clour dial and automatic, not quartz movement.
The dial on this watch is the crowning glory and most desirable feature of an already cool watch! It is the ‘Petite Tapisserie' found on the first Royal Oak Jumbos, and on mostly all Royal Oaks from the ‘80s and ‘90s, and also on the first Royal Oak Offshore models bearing reference 25721. The squares are extremely small and the pattern is tight compared to the later executions. They are laborious to make with the brass dials being engraved by a burin, a precision metalwork chisel, that reproduces the motif on a disc attached to the machine, like a pantograph. A pointer rotates across the disc from the periphery to the center. The system is combined with a tool that forms the little lozenges between the pyramidal squares and takes between 20 and 50 minutes, depending on the dial's diameter. It's a delicate operation. A mere skip is all it takes to damage the piece as the slightest impact is as visible as dust on a mirror. For this technique to be applied to these smallest of case sizes is quite remarkable.
This model includes the date located at the three o’clock position. The AP logo is cut from white gold and pinned to the dial at the twelve o’clock position, along with the Tritium filled hour markers. These dials are very complicated and exceptionally expensive to create.
The watch is powered by the automatic caliber 2140 AP movement. This is a thin, four millimeter thick, thirty one jewel, movement with 21 carat gold rotor, with the movement's balance wheel oscillating 28,800 vibrations per hour, vph, and having a power reserve of forty two hours. It was adapted from the Jaeger LeCoultre caliber 960. It was introduced by AP in 1996, and remained in use until 2012. A super, high quality and very reliable watch movement.
After celebrating its 50th birthday last year, the Royal Oak, along with the Patek Philippe Nautilus, both designed by Gérald Genta, are now the most iconic ‘sports’ watches ever designed. This is an earlier example than the blue one on the website. This has the earlier deployant buckle, which opens from the middle, like the larger size case bracelets, and is numbered 12XXX on the back, and serial number E36XXX. The condition is preowned, but unpolished, which is how these watches must be maintained. Polishing them ruins all the original, intricate case angles.
This is a great watch to wear. Rare in itself, very few examples being produced by AP. Although a smaller size, it wear very well, and is perfect for those looking for a smaller take on the sporting icon. This example dates to circa 1998. It does not come with the box or original paper work.
