Audemars Piguet

The Audemars Piguet model 14530 is recorded in the Archives as produced at least between 1987 and 1992, with likely fewer than 30 examples in 1988 and fewer than 100 produced in total. A defining feature of this model is the window aperture at 6 o’clock, designed to showcase the high-end mechanical movement of the ultra-thin Caliber 2003.

Introduced in 1952, the Caliber 2003 remained one of the thinnest self-winding movements for half a century. It was originally developed by Maurice Audemars at LeCoultre & Cie under reference 803. In 1970, on the eve of the quartz crisis, Audemars Piguet chose to openwork this ultra-thin mechanism, and for the occasion, the Manufacture selected bridges and plates in 14-carat gold.

During the 1970s, over 1,000 pieces were produced, followed by 400 in the 1980s, the decade from which the present example originates, and 1,660 in the 1990s. In just over a quarter of a century, 3,460 Caliber 2003 blanks were purchased by Audemars Piguet for openworking.

The present example was sold to Audemars Piguet’s U.S.-based distributor UTAC in 1988 and subsequently delivered to Tiffany & Co., where the dial was double-signed.

We thank © Audemars Piguet Archives for their assistance in providing information from their records.