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Lot Essay
Offered in very good overall condition, the present timepiece impresses through its highly attractive tropical dial - originally slate grey, it has turned into an appealing tropical brown tone that lends it a unique characteristic and personality.
With the engraving ASF World Cup on the case back, where by ASF stands for Association Suisse Football (Swiss soccer association), it is assumed that it was given to a member of the Swiss football team having participated in the 1994 World Cup in the USA. According to the Archives of Audemars Piguet, only 20 timepieces in gold engraved with this motif have been distributed to the players and another approx. 10 timepieces in stainless steel to the extended team.
An icon, the Royal Oak was released by Audemars Piguet in 1972 and designed by Gerald Genta, who will later also be credited for the design of the Patek Philippe Nautilus reference 3700. Radically different in design than what the Audemars Piguet manufacture was used in producing, the Royal Oak stunned the watch industry. Made of steel, the name of the model came from a historical tree in England where King Charles II hid from Cromwell’s army in 1651 and was later applied to multiple British naval ships between 1769 and 1914.
With a well-balanced design inspired by porthole’s of vessels, the wristwatch became an unquestionable icon of the 20th century and is still one of the most coveted timepieces to date.
With the engraving ASF World Cup on the case back, where by ASF stands for Association Suisse Football (Swiss soccer association), it is assumed that it was given to a member of the Swiss football team having participated in the 1994 World Cup in the USA. According to the Archives of Audemars Piguet, only 20 timepieces in gold engraved with this motif have been distributed to the players and another approx. 10 timepieces in stainless steel to the extended team.
An icon, the Royal Oak was released by Audemars Piguet in 1972 and designed by Gerald Genta, who will later also be credited for the design of the Patek Philippe Nautilus reference 3700. Radically different in design than what the Audemars Piguet manufacture was used in producing, the Royal Oak stunned the watch industry. Made of steel, the name of the model came from a historical tree in England where King Charles II hid from Cromwell’s army in 1651 and was later applied to multiple British naval ships between 1769 and 1914.
With a well-balanced design inspired by porthole’s of vessels, the wristwatch became an unquestionable icon of the 20th century and is still one of the most coveted timepieces to date.