The ‘Royal Oak’ overturned the prevailing codes in 1972 during a period of existential crisis for the watch industry due to the boom of the cheap Quartz watches made in Asia.
The company had to come with a bold, solid stainless sports steel luxury watch, they gave the mission to Gerald Genta to design it.
He got the inspiration from a deep-sea-diving helmet, the result was an octagonal bezel, visible mounting screws, a large case of 39mm with an integrated bracelet, a very futuristic design for the seventies.
Within 2-3 years they sold about 1000 watches establishing a new segment within the industry and pioneered the popularity and desirability of the steel sports luxury watch.

– In 1993 the standard Royal Oak being already 20 years old, the brand looking for a younger generation clientele came with a very polarised design with the “Royal Oak Offshore” people in the industry calling it “The Beast”.
The shocking 42mm for that time, with apparent rubber seal on the bezel, the rubber pushers were in contrast to the elegant Royal Oak but the Offshore turned out to be a great success.

*On the present model, the famous case of 44mm is in stainless steel and surrounds an elegant blue dial with « Méga Tapisserie » pattern. A white sapphire inner graduate bezel is discretely fixed to allow the chronograph hand to run on it. This hand has the particularity to have the end in red for a better reading!
Displayed at 3 o’clock is the “mini” 30-minute counter and at 9 o’clock the small second counter with a minimalist but chic design. Located at 6 o’clock is the gorgeous tourbillon complication.
A self-winding movement with an amazing power-reserve of 65 hours is visible through the sapphire crystal case-back and you also have sneak peak in the front above the “mini” minute-counter.
The crown and push-pieces are in blue rubber-clad that gives a pretty look to this beauty.
A blue rubber strap will allow you to fix this timepiece around your wrist with a stainless steel buckle.

Audemars Piguet – bio

Audemars Piguet is a Swiss manufacturer of mechanical watches founded in 1875. They began in the Vallée de Joux. Jules Louis Audemars formed a partnership with Edward Auguste Piguet. Audemars created complicated blank watch movements for other manufactures to use. Piguet specialized in the final regulation of watches. They then split responsibilities when they began their own company. Audemars was in charge of production and technical aspects while Piguet focused on sales and management. One of their first achievements was creating the first repeater wristwatch in 1892 and in 1972 the iconic steel “Royal Oak”.