Older Watches that still look contemporary today, Timeless Classics!
Aug 24, 2011 | 05:15 AM
#13
Teamspeed Pro
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 5,524
From: Stockholm, Sweden
1972 Classic.
The first Royal Oak (reference 5402ST) was introduced to the world in 1972. It was Audemars Piguet's last chance at surviving one of the roughest periods in the company's century-old history. What made the first Royal Oak so risky for the Le Brassus manufacture was that the watch was constructed entirely out of stainless steel yet cost more than most 18k gold timepieces AP was producing at the time. In fact, when the Royal Oak was released, it had a retail price of roughly 3200 Swiss Francs - keep in mind this is in 1972. At the same time, the Royal Oak's closest competitor in a luxury sport watch was Rolex's Submariner, which then had a retail price of approximately 280 Swiss Francs. The Royal Oak was, without debate, preposterously expensive, but that was the point. Many ads from the day make mention of the exorbitant price tag, and it only added to the allure of this atypical sport watch.
It wasn't just the price of the Royal Oak that raised eyebrows, it was the design - most people believed it would be the watch and the company's downfall. Designed by Gerald Genta, the octagonal bezel, shaped like a ship's porthole, with 8 visible hexagonal screws caused customers of more traditional luxury watches to gawk and wonder "For $3200, they can't even hide the screws?" The case was made from a single block of steel to ensure water-tightness, and it was the first time a bracelet had been integrated into the case.
The first Royal Oak (reference 5402ST) was introduced to the world in 1972. It was Audemars Piguet's last chance at surviving one of the roughest periods in the company's century-old history. What made the first Royal Oak so risky for the Le Brassus manufacture was that the watch was constructed entirely out of stainless steel yet cost more than most 18k gold timepieces AP was producing at the time. In fact, when the Royal Oak was released, it had a retail price of roughly 3200 Swiss Francs - keep in mind this is in 1972. At the same time, the Royal Oak's closest competitor in a luxury sport watch was Rolex's Submariner, which then had a retail price of approximately 280 Swiss Francs. The Royal Oak was, without debate, preposterously expensive, but that was the point. Many ads from the day make mention of the exorbitant price tag, and it only added to the allure of this atypical sport watch.
It wasn't just the price of the Royal Oak that raised eyebrows, it was the design - most people believed it would be the watch and the company's downfall. Designed by Gerald Genta, the octagonal bezel, shaped like a ship's porthole, with 8 visible hexagonal screws caused customers of more traditional luxury watches to gawk and wonder "For $3200, they can't even hide the screws?" The case was made from a single block of steel to ensure water-tightness, and it was the first time a bracelet had been integrated into the case.
Last edited by PorscheFanatic; Aug 24, 2011 at 05:17 AM.
