Audemars Piguet

Please note that this lot is not accompanied by a digital extract form the Archive.

Developed during the quartz crisis which strongly hit the Swiss watch industry in the late 1960s and beginning of the 1970s, the Royal Oak revolutionized the industry and created a new category: 'stainless steel sports watches'. The novelty, designed by Gérald Genta, coincided with the tendency for less ostentatious watches as the focus had shifted towards understatement and quality. The Royal Oak was an all-purpose watch that was the perfect fit for different occasions, ranging from daily use to formal occasions.  

Inspired, perhaps erroneously, by the look of a diving-suit helmet, the monobloc case along with the octagonal bezel and integrated bracelet, create an aesthetically appealing design that makes this watch such an emblematic model which is sought after by collectors everywhere. 

The reference 5402 can be divided into four series, distinguished by the letters A, B, C and D in front of the case numbers. While the 'A-Series' is the most sought-after, the 'B-Series' such as the present one is equally very collectible and from the same period.

What makes the present lot stand out is the highly attractive dial which over time has turned to an even 'tropical' brown hue. Collectors adore such dials not only for their beauty to the eye, but also for the history they tell and for the fact that they render each individual watch unique. While they may be similar, there are never two dials aging exactly the same.