Audemars Piguet

The Royal Oak is one of the most iconic watches of the last 50 years. Designed by the legendary Gerald Genta, it was released during a time of need for the entire Swiss watch industry. Quartz watches, mostly from Japanese brand Seiko, had taken the market by storm and represented everything Swiss watches were not: cheap, reliable and extremely accurate. The Swiss reacted in a variety of ways, including attempts at creating their own form of quartz, all to no avail. Many old brands fell by the wayside as a result, and the industry was very much in need of a hero product.

Released in 1972, the reference 5402 did exactly that, and in a wholly disruptive way. It was anything but cheap, costing more than a Jaguar sports car at the time. The geometric design, inspired by the porthole of a ship and complete with an integrated bracelet, was also wholly new to the industry. The watch absolutely made waves, so much so that 4 years after the release, Patek Philippe hired the same designer, the now legendary Gerald Genta, to create their own equivalent: the Nautilus.

The present watch belongs to the original reference of the Royal Oak, which is today hugely historically significant. It is indeed the very reference that had a hand in bringing the Swiss watch industry back into relevance, and does check all the boxes for what makes the Royal Oak an icon: tapisserie dial, octagonal bezel, ultra-slim design, and integrated bracelet. However, this watch is further distinguished by several factors, making it even more special. The watch case and bracelet are rendered out of a luxurious white gold, giving the watch both a reassuring presence on the wrist and a rich luster, but perhaps even more distinctive is the dial and bezel, both still in their iconic shape and configurations, except set with gorgeous diamonds. Not only does it not interfere with the celebrated design of the watch, but is a tasteful way to introduce the perfect amount of radiance to accompany the white gold. Furthermore, with the current relevance of gem-set watches, this vintage treasure is the perfect way to add a seldom seen diamond-set example of a legendary reference to any collection.