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Lot Essay
According to the Archives of Audemars Piguet, the present watch was manufactured in 1973 and sold in Switzerland. It was purchased by the father of the present owner and given to him as a gift.
Preserved in very good original overall condition, this Royal Oak wristwatch is a fine example of the very first series of the model made.
In 1972, following a demand from the Italian market which was fiercely requesting a steel sports watch that "did not exist", Audemars Piguet commissioned Gérald Genta to design a luxury sports watch that would differentiate them from any other brands of the time. Thus, Audemars Piguet took the decision to produce 1'000 pieces (out of a yearly production of only around 6000 pieces!) of this new model featuring one of the most celebrated calibers ever, the self-winding caliber 2121 with a thickness of only 3.05 mm.
This first series, known as the A series, was numbered from A0001 to A2000. Indeed, after having sold out the first 1'000 pieces, the success of this model was such that Audemars Piguet took the decision to increase the production to 2'000 pieces. A new trend was set and in 1976, the first variation of this model appeared on the market.
The model is featured in Audemars Piguet Royal Oak by Martin Wehrli and Heinz Heimann, 2012, p. 162-163.
Preserved in very good original overall condition, this Royal Oak wristwatch is a fine example of the very first series of the model made.
In 1972, following a demand from the Italian market which was fiercely requesting a steel sports watch that "did not exist", Audemars Piguet commissioned Gérald Genta to design a luxury sports watch that would differentiate them from any other brands of the time. Thus, Audemars Piguet took the decision to produce 1'000 pieces (out of a yearly production of only around 6000 pieces!) of this new model featuring one of the most celebrated calibers ever, the self-winding caliber 2121 with a thickness of only 3.05 mm.
This first series, known as the A series, was numbered from A0001 to A2000. Indeed, after having sold out the first 1'000 pieces, the success of this model was such that Audemars Piguet took the decision to increase the production to 2'000 pieces. A new trend was set and in 1976, the first variation of this model appeared on the market.
The model is featured in Audemars Piguet Royal Oak by Martin Wehrli and Heinz Heimann, 2012, p. 162-163.