Lot Essay
In 1972, Audemars Piguet introduced the Royal Oak model in stainless steel. Designed by Gerald Genta, the watch featured an octagonal screwed bezel which was initially inspired by a ship's porthole. Audemars Piguet produced the Royal Oak in a series of 1000 watches, hoping that the model would appeal to customers of luxurious and limited edition watches. A second series of 1000 Royal Oak "A" serial numbers was produced before they progressed on to the "B" series, "C" series, and so on. The "A-series" dials, such as the presently offered watch, featured the AP logo above the 6 o'clock, and reads "Swiss" below the 6 o'clock.