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Lot Essay
Offered in excellent condition, the present watch is one of the rare and hard to find luxury Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar reference 25820BA in yellow gold with champagne dial. The movement is the exceptional caliber 2120 which had, at the time, the distinction of being the thinnest automatic movement in the world with a full rotor. Visible through the sapphire crystal back, the rotor of the present watch is openworked with ‘AP’ initials and decorated with hand-engraved detailing.
The Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar combines two of the great icons of Audemars Piguet’s heritage, the Royal Oak model and the perpetual calendar complication. In 1998, the reference 25820 made its appearance, with this new Royal Oak model, the calibre 2120/2802 with leap-year indicator movement that was first seen on the limited edition 25810, enters regular production. Produced in relatively small numbers, the present yellow gold version of reference 25820BA features a matte champagne dial, the applied hour markers are also in gold. The moon phase sits below the perpetual calendar dials displaying days of the week, date, months and leap years. Audemars Piguet has always been associated with the making of complicated watches of the highest possible grade. At the same time the company has historically striven to be the leader in the production of the world’s thinnest watches with some notable milestones along the way.
Introduced in 1972, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak was designed by Gérald Genta. Featuring an octagonal screwed bezel initially inspired by a ship's porthole, it is without a doubt one of the most iconic wristwatch designs of the 20th century. Not only it is the basis of the brand’s success up to the present day, it also was the forerunner of other iconic watches like the Patek Philippe Nautilus, also being based on similar design principles by Gérald Genta. The name ‘Royal Oak’ was chosen based on the story of King Charles II of England’s escape from the Roundheads - the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War - following the Battle of Worcester in 1651 when the king hid in an oak tree – the Boscobel Oak, to evade capture. Allying dominant design and ground-breaking materials, the timepieces of the Royal Oak collection are amongst the most coveted watches ever, enjoying a continuously expanding and ongoing popularity.
The Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar combines two of the great icons of Audemars Piguet’s heritage, the Royal Oak model and the perpetual calendar complication. In 1998, the reference 25820 made its appearance, with this new Royal Oak model, the calibre 2120/2802 with leap-year indicator movement that was first seen on the limited edition 25810, enters regular production. Produced in relatively small numbers, the present yellow gold version of reference 25820BA features a matte champagne dial, the applied hour markers are also in gold. The moon phase sits below the perpetual calendar dials displaying days of the week, date, months and leap years. Audemars Piguet has always been associated with the making of complicated watches of the highest possible grade. At the same time the company has historically striven to be the leader in the production of the world’s thinnest watches with some notable milestones along the way.
Introduced in 1972, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak was designed by Gérald Genta. Featuring an octagonal screwed bezel initially inspired by a ship's porthole, it is without a doubt one of the most iconic wristwatch designs of the 20th century. Not only it is the basis of the brand’s success up to the present day, it also was the forerunner of other iconic watches like the Patek Philippe Nautilus, also being based on similar design principles by Gérald Genta. The name ‘Royal Oak’ was chosen based on the story of King Charles II of England’s escape from the Roundheads - the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War - following the Battle of Worcester in 1651 when the king hid in an oak tree – the Boscobel Oak, to evade capture. Allying dominant design and ground-breaking materials, the timepieces of the Royal Oak collection are amongst the most coveted watches ever, enjoying a continuously expanding and ongoing popularity.