Audemars Piguet Royal Oak the birth

The birth

Approximately 50 years ago, Audemars Piguet revolutionized the aesthetic codes of the watch industry with the Royal Oak (Model 5402), the first exclusive steel sports timepiece. The case was entirely hand-finished and housed the famous caliber 2121, a self-winding movement with a date display, the flattest of its time. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak was presented by Audemars Piguet at the 1972 Baselworld. It was a period that was not exactly prosperous, either for humanity or for watchmaking. In fact, the latter found itself facing the invasion of quartz, which arrived fiercely and mercilessly from Japan, throwing the entire Swiss production into crisis. Many of the manufacturers at the time saw their production and turnover drastically decline, while quartz was gaining acceptance and acclaim from all social classes. Even the most renowned manufacturers found themselves in serious difficulty; when cornered, they had to come up with something revolutionary. Patek Philippe also chose A still unexplored path with its Nautilus, while Omega leaned toward electronics. Rolex, on the other hand, continued on its path, even anticipating the post-crisis times.

The Intuition

At Audemars Piguet, a certain Alessandro De Marchi, the brand's Italian importer, made an appearance. Seeing the brand's dated collection, he decided to request a watch that didn't yet exist.
At the time, Italy was still the trendsetter in the watchmaking industry, and it was rightly believed that what worked in Italy would work in the rest of the world.
At that time, Audemars Piguet was led by Georges Golay, who began in 1969 and remained in charge until his death in 1987. He placed his trust in De Marchi's foresight.
And Golay made a second smart move: he called upon watch design guru Gerald Genta to commission him for this "impossible mission."
The artist's idea was for a watch that combined a "poor" metal like steel with superior craftsmanship, as only gold could, and that featured powerful lines that exuded a sense of technical quality.
Thus came the octagonal shape, chosen for its short sides that remained consistent with the customary curves of the time.
Then came the screws on the bezel, which had inspired Genta after seeing them in the porthole of a diver's helmet.
Functional screws, clearly visible on the bezel, a signature that still distinguishes the Royal Oak today.
The bracelet, too, is a masterpiece integrated into the case, crafted by Gay Fréres. One of the most famous companies of the 1950s and 1960s.

In one night

It was the afternoon before the Baselworld, and Golay called the brilliant Gerald Genta, explaining that the Italian market was waiting for a steel watch never seen before, a sporty watch suitable for any occasion, even elegant, with top-quality finishing. A small detail: he wanted to have the design in his hands the next morning.
No sooner said than done. In the space of a night or so, Gerald Genta penned the stylistic details that would define an era, and not just the Royal Oak: the octagonal bezel, its eight hexagonal retaining screws, the clearly visible gasket, the exquisitely crafted integrated bracelet, and the dial with a "petit tapisserie" motif. The case was 39 mm (which earned it the still-current nickname of "Jumbo," given the size standards of the time) and the watch itself was 7 mm thick.

Royal Oak

The name Royal Oak dates back to 1651, when Charles II of England took refuge from Cromwell's troops atop an oak tree, where he remained overnight.
The oak thus took the name "royal oak," marking a new starting point for the reconquest of the throne. To commemorate this anecdote, the British Navy, between 1769 and 1914, named ships Royal Oaks. One of these ships features an oak hull and octagonal gun ports secured with screws.