66 - Audemars Piguet - Royal Oak Jumbo A-Series

Audemars Piguet - Royal Oak Jumbo A-Series A stunning vintage Geneva steel wristwatch with date—a "cult" watch from the first A-series! Ref. 5402ST, Cal. 2121, Case No. A1890, Dimensions 39 x 48 mm, circa 1975, Origin: Switzerland, Accessories Case: Steel, screw-down caseback, AP steel bracelet, total length 180 mm. Dial: Black iridescent, “Petite tapisserie” guilloche pattern. Movement: Automatic. When the Royal Oak was launched in 1972, its unusual design—featuring an octagonal bezel, “tapisserie” dial, and integrated bracelet—was considered extremely novel and unorthodox, making the watch a true modern style icon. It was the first steel wristwatch Audemars Piguet had produced. The design was by Gérald Genta, whose designs were also used for the Patek Philippe Nautilus and the IWC Ingenieur, and the movement was by Jaeger-LeCoultre. It was considered the thinnest automatic movement of its time and featured a 21-karat gold oscillating weight. The clearly legible dial was made of a guilloché-finished metal alloy and was more expensive than gold in the early 1970s. The machining of the bracelet was just as costly, because steel is much harder and more difficult to work with than gold. The case was cut from a solid block of metal. The eight hexagonal screws are part of a patented case seal and are made of 18-karat white gold. The first Royal Oak series consisted of 1,000 pieces. After another series of 1,000 pieces with the prefix “A,” Audemars Piguet continued with the “B” and “C” series, and so on. As can be seen from the case number on the case back, this Royal Oak is from the first series, of which only 2,000 pieces were produced. In keeping with the early series, the “AP” letter signature is located on the dial above the 6 o’clock hour marker and not at 12 o’clock, as is the case with the more recent models from the C series. Furthermore, the “Swiss” designation—without “Made”—is placed below the 6 o’clock position. The crown is original, recognizable by the absence of any markings, as are the original luminous Royal Oak baton hands, which here display a beautiful patina in a warm beige color. Overall, the timepiece is in well-maintained condition. The beautifully aged “tapisserie” dial is breathtaking; its pyramid-shaped squares shimmer slightly when caught in the light. The engravings on the caseback, however, are deep and excellently preserved. The beautiful, original steel bracelet is nearly perfect and shows very little stretch. Case: very good, showing signs of wear. Dial: very good. Movement: very good, in working order, cleaning recommended. Please note that leather straps made from endangered or protected species—such as alligator, crocodile, or lizard—are used in our catalog or on our website for illustrative purposes only. For customs-related reasons, such straps cannot be shipped outside the EU.