Presented as the “holy trinity” in the Swiss watch industry, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and Audemars Piguet are well-known names that have claimed this unofficial title.

Common for all three brands is that they are complex, exclusive, hard-to-get, feature advanced complications, and top-of-the-line finished watches to mention a few guiding stars. Often, this comes with an expensive price tag, however, it might not always seem to be the case, as there is one particular reference from the holy trinity that seems to be half-forgotten, which offers a lot of watch for the money, which includes many of the above-mentioned guiding stars when it comes to swiss watchmaking. Let’s take a deeper look at the Audemars Piguet 26120OR, often known as the Royal Oak Dual-Time.

The Audemars Piguet 26120OR is part of the Royal Oak model line, which perhaps is the most well-known model from Audemars Piguet.
This particular model features a pink gold case (also known as rose gold), a black stitched alligator strap, and a folding 18k pink gold clasp.

What’s interesting about the reference 26120OR  is the busy dial, a complicated movement that offers a ton of complications which perhaps is the most eye-catching about the watch. The dial is black with the iconic Audemars Piguet Grande Tapisserie pattern. Now, let’s take a deeper look at the specifications of this watch, and an explanation of all the complications.

Caliber 2329 / 2846 

This caliber’s base is a Jaeger Le-Coultre caliber 889, modified by Audemars Piguet. It is also used in other dual-time complication watches by Audemars Piguet, such as the references 26120 and 26380. The caliber used as the base is the Audemars Piguet modified caliber 2329 and has the module 2846 equipped on the movement.

Type of movement: Automatic
Number of Jewels: 33
Power Reserve: 38 hours
Frequency: 28800 VPH
Diameter: 26.5mm
Number of Parts: 261

Complications 

The watch, as described above, features quite a lot of high-end complications. Let’s take a deeper look at each complication and understand why this caliber and watch really is the pinnacle of Swiss watchmaking and why Audemars Piguet is seen as a brand that belongs to the holy trinity.

Power Reserve Indicator 

The watch features a power reserve indicator, which can be quite useful considering the watch “only” has 38 hours of power reserve. This is actually rather unusual, as it is fairly low for being a mechanical watch by today’s standards.

However, considering all of the power that is required to power all the complications simultaneously, and the fact is that this watch is automatic, so wearing the watch shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Also, the complication can actually become quite useful and fun to observe, as it is likely that the power reserve indicator will move and indicate the different power reserve hours throughout the day.

A power reserve indicator is just as the name suggests, a complication used to measure how many (in this particular case) hours of the power reserve remain before the watch mainspring is fully unwound and the watch stops ticking.

Dual Time Zone 

The Dual time zone is the sub-dial positioned at the 6 o’clock position which indicates a desired second-time zone. Usually, this is set at the “base time” or “home time”, which would be the country you live in. This way, if you are out and traveling, setting the ordinary hands to a specific time zone, won’t affect this complication which makes it easy to access and keep track of the time zone back at home.

Day & Night Indicator 

The circle on the left next to the dual time zone indicates whether it is 8 PM in the evening or 8 AM in the morning. When the hand is on the white half of the circle, the dual time zone which only indicated 12 hours, suggests that it is 24:00 – 12:00, and when the hand is pointing at the black side of the circle, the time indicated in the dual time zone complication would be from 12:01 – 23:59.

This way, it is easy to tell if it’s 08 AM or PM if you were to be in a completely different time zone where it might be night, whilst it’s daytime at home.

Date indicator

The sub-dial positioned at the 1-3 o’clock position is the date indicator, which, just as the name suggests, is where the indicator is. The date is determined by the local time (ordinary hands).

Sizing, Dimensions & Materials  

Although the watch is rather complex with the different complications and the fact that the base movement caliber 2329 has the module 2846 equipped on top, the watch is actually not as big as you might think. It wears really comfortably, and with the black alligator leather strap, it can actually lean more towards a dressy watch that suits well for formal occasions, although the model itself is a sports model as Audemars Piguet presents it. Having said that, with the alligator leather strap together with the rose gold, we would call this a dress watch rather than a sports watch.

• Case diameter: 39mm.
• Thickness: 10.3mm.
• Strap: Black Alligator with Hand-stitched “large square scale” pattern.
• Glass: Sapphire.
• Water resistance: 50m (Not recommended to swim with).
• Dial: Black with Grande Tapisseries pattern, luminous hour markers.
• Hands: Luminous.
• Case Back: Solid 18k Pink Gold, unfortunately not a see-through case back as you might expect from a non-in-house movement.
• Case & Crown: 18K solid Pink Gold with White Gold Screws on the Bezel.
• Clasp: 18K Pink Gold Folding Clasp.

Our Editors’ Thoughts On The Watch

This watch is a top-of-the-line flagship model from Audemars Piguet, made in an exclusive 18K pink gold material with a hand-stitched alligator strap. With that said, it’s actually fair to say that this watch, at the time of writing this article, is fairly “affordable” compared to similar models not only from Audemars Piguet but also from competitors such as Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin.

At this point in time, this watch can be found in good condition and with box & papers for around 35.000 – 38.000 EUR. Seeing the complex watch you get, and having in mind that a 15300OR on a leather strap in a similar condition is being sold for more or less the same amount of money, it’s quite hard to understand why the Audemars Piguet 26120OR is not priced higher on the second-hand market.

With that said, although it can be considered a lot of money, the watch is fairly “affordable” for what you get. Great value for money in other words!

Wrist shots 

Below are some wrist shots of the beautiful Audemars Piguet 26120OR on an 18cm wrist. Enjoy!

The post Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Dual-Time 26120OR.OO.D002CR.01 Review appeared first on Millenary Watches.

Audemars Piguet is one of the most well-known and prestigious watch brands in the world.

Founded in 1875, the company is also a brand with a long and rich heritage and history. The company has been family-owned since its founding, and has for a long time specialized in haute horology, with beautiful watches made to perfection with incredible attention to detail. Audemars Piguet also highlights its expertise by developing complicated wristwatches including annual calendars, tourbillons, grand complications, and much more. In fact, Audemars Piguet’s created the world’s first minute repeater wristwatch in 1892.

Today, Audemars Piguet is synonymous with the legendary Royal Oak which was originally released in 1972. It’s safe to say that the Royal Oak is one of the most iconic watches in the world.

In this article, we will focus specifically on books about Audemars Piguet Books. Whether you are an Audemars Piguet collector looking to learn more about vintage watches, want to learn more about the brand’s history, or just want a nice coffee table book with beautiful imagery of your favorite brand, you should be able to find a book that you will like in this list.

Without further ado, let’s dig in.

Best Audemars Piguet Books

Audemars Piguet 20th Century Complicated Wristwatches Hardcover 

This hardcover book works as a great coffee table book, but it is its contents that are most important.

This book is focused on the history of Audemars Piguet’s complicated wristwatches. It features thorough and in-depth research about its historic wristwatches. It provides valuable information that you’ll unlikely are able to find anywhere else. It highlights the entire story of Audemars Piguet’s complicated wristwatches, complemented with beautiful quality imagery. It also features archival images, product and technical specifications about a total of 550 rare and complicated timepieces.

With that said, it is simply a must-have for every watch enthusiast.

ROYAL OAK – Audemars Piguet Hardcover

Obviously, there has to be a book about Audemars Piguet’s most important and legendary timepiece.

The Royal Oak book is launched by Audemars Piguet themselves to mark the 40th anniversary of the Royal Oak. With that said, it includes valuable in-depth information about the history and evolution of this model, and what better source than from Audemars Piguet themselves which has access to information that no-one else has.

The book has 300 pages, all dedicated to the history of this legendary model. It features beautiful illustrations, vintage Royal Oaks, testimonies, historical anecdotes, both from the present and the history.

This is why this is simply a must-have book.

Audemars Piguet: Masterpieces of Classical Watchmaking Hardcover

As the name suggests, this book is focused on Audemars Piguet masterpieces, in the form of rare and complicated timepieces. It consists of 285 pages with 466 stunning illustrations of Audemars Piguet timepieces.

This book is a true collector’s piece with a focus on vintage Audemars Piguet timepieces which is perfect if you just want to look through beautiful images and get inspired or learn more about the brand’s timepieces. It contains lots of interesting vintage photos and ads which allows you to really dig deep into the brand’s very interesting history.

Audemars Piguet: Master Watchmaker Since 1875 Hardcover

This stylish all-green hardcover coffee table book. It goes all the way back to the origins and beginnings of the brand up until modern day with beautiful imagery and great information.

On several pages, it focuses only on the Royal Oak and its history which is welcomed seeing it is the single most important timepiece from the brand. It is truly a valuable resource with great information, interesting historical details, as well as striking imagery. It offers everything you can expect in a book about a watch brand. 

Audemars Piguet 2011 Collections: Le maitre de l’Horlogerie Depuis 1875 Hardcover

If we could list all the Audemars Piguet collections books, we would, but Audemars Piguet only makes one edition per year, and as time passes, they become more and more difficult to get a hold of. Every AP enthusiast should however at least try to build a collection of all the ”AP collections” books over the years.

These books contain Audemars Piguet’s full collection of timepieces on that particular year, which gives you a valuable insight into the different watches over the years, including novelties and discontinued pieces. They also contain specifications and details about each timepiece, apart from beautiful imagery as well.

If nothing else, the thrill of hunting all of them down is as exciting as hunting a specific watch and building your collection, so why not start with this 2011 edition?

Audemars Piguet books

If you’re looking to learn more about Audemars Piguet and its watches, reading books is an excellent way to do so. These books are generally written by extremely authoritative and knowledgeable individuals who are able to share valuable and in-depth knowledge.

Unfortunately, there are not a ton of books about Audemars Piguet watches as there are about other brands, like Rolex. But the list above contains some of the most popular books on the market that share interesting and valuable information about Audemars Piguet watches and the history of the brand.

A good tip is also that you can consider what it is you want to have in a book. Do you want to learn more about the history of Audemars Piguet watches? Do you want to learn more about specific vintage watches, or something completely different? Look at what the book focuses on and choose accordingly.

Coffee table book or informational?

When making your pick, it is good to consider whether you’re after a coffee table book or a book that is focused on providing in-depth valuable information. Coffee table books are a great complement and interior decoration to any home, and one that is focused on Audemars Piguet watches are especially great for enthusiasts about Audemars Piguet Watches. But it’s also important to keep in mind that coffee table books generally primarily contain photos and not a lot of text. With this said, if you’re looking for in-depth information, a coffee table book is probably not the best choice.

The post Top 5 Audemars Piguet Books [List & Guide] appeared first on Millenary Watches.

Serial numbers are used on every single luxury timepiece. The serial number is unique and only used for one watch by the manufacturer. Think of the serial number as a social security number for watches.

The serial number has numerous purposes on a watch. The first is to help the manufacturer keep track of its watches during production. The other is to make it easier when selling them, as it makes it possible to know exactly which timepiece was sold. Another usage area includes being able to identify a watch if it is stolen or lost. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly in this case, on some watches from some manufacturers, the serial number can be used to identify exactly when a watch was manufactured. And that is exactly what we are going to focus on in this article.

All watch manufacturers have different ways that they use and structure their serial numbers. 

In recent times, more and more watch manufacturers have moved from a serial number system where it is possible to identify when the watch was manufactured, to a system that doesn’t reveal anything (normally so-called random serial numbers). 

Between 1892 and 1975, you can use the serial number of an Audemars Piguet to date when it was manufactured. In this article, you can identify your watch’s serial number format and find the year that matches your watch. If you have a newer, modern watch, it is not possible to look at the serial number and date it.

What you can do, however, is go to Audemars Piguet’s website and type in your serial number there. Today, AP uses an electronically activated warranty card, and on the warranty card are instructions on how to activate (or check the activation date) on your warranty. That way, you will be able to know when it was sold (and thus when the warranty was activated), but not when it was manufactured. In some cases, it is difficult to know exactly when an Audemars Piguet was made, but generally, it is possible using the serial numbers for older AP watches.

Worth noting about older serial numbers is that the years of production and date of sale can be several years apart.

About AP serial numbers

Audemars Piguet manufactures about 40,000 watches per year. As you will see on the caseback of an AP timepiece, there will be lettering that is used apart from the numbers in the case/serial number. This letter is a so-called sequential number. Each letter is switched after 100,000 watches have been produced. Factoring in AP’s yearly production numbers, it will take about two and a half to three years for the sequential number to change.

Since the Audemars Piguet serial numbers have not been officially released by Audemars Piguet, the information about the years of manufacture for the different letterings can vary. 

This is why you should take the AP series number with a pinch of salt.

Where to find Audemars Piguet serial number

Each Audemars Piguet timepiece has a movement number that is engraved on the manipulate, usually next to the balance wheel. Of course, if the watch has a see-through case back, it makes things easy, but if it doesn’t and you want to know the caliber number, the case back needs to be opened.

Furthermore, the watches also have a case number engraved on the outside of the case back. This is what is also known as the serial number.

Audemars Piguet serial numbers

In the serial number of Audemars Piguet watches is a letter. These letters refer to a particular manufacturing series and also help us date Audemars Piguet watches that are newer than 1975.

Below are the series lettering, as originally posted on Rolexforums:

• A Series – 1972 to 1975
• B Series – 1976 to 1979
• C Series – 1980 to 1986
• D Series – 1987 to 1994
• E Series – 1994 to 2000
• F Series – 2001 to 2007
• G Series – 2008 to 2010
• H Series – 2011 To ~2012
• I Series – ~2013 to ~2015
• J Series – ~2016 to…

• 1892:   4341 – 4505
• 1893:   4506 – 5196
• 1894:   5197 – 5436
• 1895:   5437 – 5620
• 1896:   5621 – 5773
• 1897:   5774 – 5990
• 1898:   5991 – 6104
• 1899:   6105 – 6294
• 1900:   6295 – 6724
• 1901:   6725 – 6933
• 1902:   6934 – 7892
• 1903:   7893 – 8717
• 1904:   8718 – 9511
• 1905:   9512 – 10219
• 1906:   10220 – 11575
• 1907:   11576 – 11825
• 1908:   11826 – 12630
• 1909:   12631 – 12851
• 1910:   12852 – 13762
• 1911:   13763 – 14735
• 1912:   14736 – 15589
• 1913:   15590 – 16675
• 1914:   16676 – 16930
• 1915:   16931 – 17725
• 1916:   17726 – 19524
• 1917:   19525 – 20915
• 1918:   20916 – 22925
• 1919:   22926 – 24804
• 1920:   24805 – 27584
• 1921:   27585 – 28820
• 1922:   28821 – 29704
• 1923:   29705 – 30673
• 1924:   30674 – 32713
• 1925:   32714 – 34505
• 1926:   34506 – 36849
• 1927:   36850 – 38576
• 1928:   38577 – 39844
• 1929:   39845 – 41577
• 1930:   41578 – 42531
• 1931:   42532 – 42585
• 1932:   42586 – 42587
• 1933:   42588 – 42626
• 1934:   42627 – 42659
• 1935:   42660 – 42776
• 1936:   42777 – 42874
• 1937:   42875 – 43785
• 1938:   43786 – 43950
• 1939:   43951 – 44647
• 1940:   44648 – 44935
• 1941:   44936 – 45655
• 1942:   45656 – 46551
• 1943:   46552 – 47541
• 1944:   47542 – 47949
• 1945:   47950 – 49595
• 1946:   49596 – 51613
• 1947:   51614 – 53517
• 1948:   53518 – 55550
• 1949:   55551 – 56704
• 1950:   56705 – 57014

1950

• 56705 – 56716
• 56758 – 56811
• 56842 – 56877
• 56889 – 56906
• 56925 – 57014
• 9/10 RS L.E.P.
• 56717 – 56734
• 56747 – 56756
• 568121 – 56841
• 56883 – 56888
• 9/10″ RSQ L.E.P. 
• 56735 – 56746
• 7″ RBG
• 56757
• 56878 – 56882
• 56907 – 56924

1951

• 9″ ML
• 57015 – 57050
• 57093 – 57188
• 57289 – 57408
• 9/10″ RS
• 57051 – 57092
• VZ SSE VALJOUX
• 57189 – 57288
• 6/7″ R L.E.P.

1952

• 13″ VZSS VALJOUX
• 57457 – 57534
• VZSSC
• 57535 – 57556
• VALJOUX
• 61000 – 61099
• 9/10″ RS
• 57557 – 57616
• 57641 – 57700
• 57754 – 57813
• 57874 – 57909
• 61155 – 61187
• 9″ ML
• 57617 – 57640
• 57701 – 57722
• 57724 – 57753
• 57814 – 57873
• 57916 – 57963
• 57982 – 57999
• 61101 – 61154
• 61188 – 61247
• 8″ MN 15/12 LeC
• 57723
• 17 JVEB LeC
• 57910 – 57915
• 61249 – 61254
• GHSMD LeC
• 61248
• 61256 – 61263
• 6/7
• 57964 – 57981
• 7JNN LeC
• 61100
• 7, 5/12 Ch. P.
• 61255
• 10 TS LEP
• 61264 – 61343
• 6/7
• 61344 – 61395

1953

• 2001 LeC
• 58000 – 58699
• 2002 LeC 
• 59500 – 59699
• 2003 LeC
• 60000 – 61149
• 2499 LeC
• 61396 – 61595
• 9″ ML
• 61896 – 61955
• 62456 – 62485
• 62616 – 62645
• 62747 – 62776
• 62842 – 62931
• 63083 – 63112
• 63213 – 63242
• 63247 – 63276
• 17″ JVEB
• 63243 – 63246
• 2498 LeC
• 61956 – 62055
• 13″ VZSS
• 62486 – 62615
• 63277 – 63376
• VZSSC
• 62932 – 63081
• 62647 – 62746
• 10″ TS
• 62777 – 62841
• 18″ LEP
• 63549 – 63552
• 7″ JNN
• 62646
• 8/9 JN 
• 63082

1954

• 2001 LeC
• 58700 – 59199
• 2003 LeC
• 60150 – 60649
• 2005 LeC
• 63113 – 63212
• 9 ML
• 63489 – 63548
• VZSSC
• 63553 – 63652
• 6/7 LEP
• 63747 – 63800
• 9″ L 406
• 63703 – 63712

1955

• 2001 LeC
• 59200 – 59499
• 64811 – 64910
• 65011 – 65110
• 2002 LeC
• 59700 – 59799
• 2003 LeC
• 60650 – 60999
• 63801 – 64400
• 2499 LeC
• 61596 – 61695
• 2498 LeC
• 62056 – 62155
• JVEB
• 65811 – 65822
• VZSS
• 66138 – 66184
• JVB
• 65823 – 65834
• VZSSQP
• 66135 – 66137
• VZSSC
• 66185 – 66234
• JVEB
• 64805 – 64810

1956

• 2002 LeC
• 53800 – 59899
• 2499 LeC
• 61696 – 61795
• 2498 LeC
• 62156 – 62255
• 2003 
• 64401 – 64800
  66241 – 67240
• 2001
• 64911 – 65010
• 65111 – 65320
• 2005
• 65835 – 65934
• ISMCCR VQ
• 66235 – 66236
• 16″ JVB
• 67241 – 67246
• 67347 – 67350
• VZSS
• 67247 – 67346
• 7 R LeC
• 69151 – 69250
• VZSSC
• 69251 – 69350
• JVEB LeC
• 69351 – 69360

1957

• 2002 LeC
• 59900 – 59999
• 69361 – 69460
• 2499 LeC
• 61796 – 61895
• 2498 LeC
• 62256 – 62355
• 2001 LeC
• 65321 – 65410
• 71871 – 71970
• 65411 – 65810
• 2005 LeC
• 65935 – 66134
• 2003 LeC
• 67351 – 68350
• 69861 – 70260
• 2499
• 68651 – 68750
• VZSS
• 72971 – 73010
• 73017 – 73020
• VZSSQP
• 73011 – 73016

1958

• 2498 LeC
• 62356 – 62405
• 62416 – 62455
• TOURBILLON
• 64803
• 13-JMV
• 64804
• 6/7 LeC
• 64801 – 64802
• 2005 LeC
• 68351 – 68550
• 2499 LeC
• 68751 – 68850
• 2002 LeC
• 69461 – 69560
• 2003 LeC
• 70261 – 71970
• 73671 – 73770
• 2001 LeC
• 71971 – 72370
• 7″ 2420 C
• 72871 – 72970
• VZSSE
• 73571 – 73670

1959

• JVEB LeC
• 66237 – 66240
• 2005 LeC
• 68551 – 68650
• 2001 LeC
• 72371 – 72770
• 2003 LeC
• 73771 – 74670
• 75671 – 76370
• 2070 LeC
• 74671 – 74770
• 2071 LeC
• 75171 – 75270
• VZSSC
• 80071 – 80170

1960

• 2002 LeC
• 69561 – 69760
• 2001 LeC
• 72771 – 72870
• 2071  LeC
• 75271 – 75470
• 2003 LeC
• 76371 – 76670
• 76671 – 78670
• 78971 – 79670
• 2001 LeC
• 76671 – 77270
• 2005 LeC
• 78671 – 78770
• 2426 LeC
• 79971 – 80070

1961

• 2002 LeC
• 69761 – 69860
• 2070 LeC
• 74771 – 74810
• 2071 LeC
• 75471 – 75670
• 2001 LeC
• 77271 – 77670
• 2005 LeC
• 78771 – 78970
• 2003 LeC
• 79671 – 79970
• 81401 – 82300
• 80171 – 81170
• 2001 LeC
• 82401 – 82700
• 2426 LeC
• 85101 – 85200
• 81301 – 81400
• 2072 LeC
• 85701 – 85800
• 2071 LeC
• 85801 – 85900
• 2050 LeC
• 81101 – 81300

1962

• 2003 LeC
• 82301 – 82400
• 83801 – 84800
• 86901 – 88500
• 2001 LeC
• 82701 – 83300
• 2005 LeC 
• 84801 – 85000
• 2002 LeC
• 85201 – 85300
• 2050 LeC
• 86601 – 86900
• 88901 – 89000
• 2426 LeC
• 91401 – 91500

1963

2001

• 83301 – 83400
• 93701 – 94100
• 93501 – 93600
• 2005
• 85001 – 85100
• 2071
• 85901 – 86000
• 2072
• 86311 – 86500
• 2003
• 88501 – 88900
• 90201 – 91100
• 89401 – 89900
• 2050 LeC
• 89001 – 89100
• JVEB
• 73081 – 73083

1964

• 2072 
• 86501 – 86600
• 94801 – 95100
• 2050
• 89101 – 89400
• 2003
• 89901 – 90200
• 91101 – 91400
• 91501 – 91700
• 91801 – 92700
• 2001
• 93601 – 93700
• 94101 – 94400
• 2005 
• 94501 – 94700
• 2050
• 95601 – 95700
• 18/12 LEP
• 73084

1965

• 2071
• 86001 – 86100
• 2003 
• 91701 – 91800
• 96711 – 97510
• 92701 – 93500
• 2001
• 94401 – 94500
• 2005
• 94701 – 94800
• 2001
• 95101 – 95400
• 2050
• 95701 – 96100
• 98711 – 98910
• 2005
• 96401 – 96600
• 2072
• 96101 – 96200
• JSMCCRVQ
• 99211

1966

• 2002
• 85301 – 85400
• 2001
• 95401 – 95600
• 99621 – 99920
• 2005
• 96601 – 96700
• 99221 – 99420
• 2003
• 97511 – 98710
• 100621 – 101320
• 2050
• 98911 – 99210
• 100121 – 100520
• JSMCCRVQ
• 99212
• 17″‘ IW
• 102621 – 102640

1967

• 2072
• 96201 – 96400
• 2005
• 99421 – 99620
• 2001
• 99921 – 100120
• 103641 – 103740
• 2050
• 100521 – 100620
• 104141 – 104740
• 2003
• 101321 – 102620
• 105171 – 105570
• 17″‘
• 102621 – 102600
• 2120
• 102641 – 103540
• 107271 – 107370
• 17″‘
• 105141 – 105170

1968

• 2002
• 85401 – 85500
• 2001
• 103741 – 104040
• 2050
• 104741 – 105140
• 108671 – 109070
• 2003
• 105571 – 107070
• 2423
• 107171 – 107270
• 2120
• 107371 – 108670
• 109671 – 109870
• 2005
• 110201 – 110300

1969

• 2002
• 85501 – 85700
• 2001
• 104041 – 104140
• 111501 – 111800
• 2003
• 107071 – 107170
• 110501 – 111500
• 113001 – 114000
• 2050
• 109071 – 109670
• 115301 – 116000
• 2120
• 109871 – 110170
• 112001 – 112500
• 116501 – 116700
• 2005
• 110301 – 110400
• 116301 – 116400

1970

• 2001
• 130901 – 131100
• 111801 – 112000
• 120502 – 120800
• 124581 – 124680
• 2120
• 112501 – 113000
• 115701 – 117200
• 122881 – 123080
• 125601 – 125700
• 2003
• 114001 – 114900
• 118201 – 118700
• 120001 – 120200
• 120826 – 120875
• 2050
• 116001 – 116300
• 117201 – 118200
• 123281 – 123380
• 123781 – 123880
• 2430
• 112401 – 116500
• 2002
• 120201 – 120400
• 2121
• 120801 – 120812
• 120881 – 121780
• 127001 – 127100
• 13″‘ 77
• 120821 – 120825
• 8/9 JN
• 125081 – 125180
• JSMCCRVQ
• 120876 – 120878

1971

• 2001
• 131101 – 131400
• 124481 – 124580
• 124681 – 125080
• 2003
• 118701 – 120000
• 128901 – 129300
• 2002
• 120401 – 120500
• 2121
• 121781 – 122880
• 126901 – 127000
• 127101 – 127200
• 2120
• 123081 – 123280
• 125301 – 125600
• 125701 – 126100
• 2050
• 123381 – 123780
• 123881 – 124080
• 17″‘ 5017
• 125181 – 125212
• 2430
• 126301 – 126600
• 126601 – 126800
• JSMCCRVQ
• 120879 – 120880

1972

• 8/9 JN
• 110171 – 110172
• 2003
• 129906 – 130900
• 2001
• 131401 – 131500
• 2050
• 131501 – 131600
• 2001
• 132501 – 133100
• 2120
• 1331012 – 133600
• 2002
• 134201 – 134400
• 5017
• 134401 – 134500
• 2003
• 134501 – 134600
• 2001
• 134601 – 135600
• 2120
• 135601 – 136100
• 2001
• 139101 – 139400
• 2050
• 124081 – 124280
• 2120
• 126101 – 126300
• 2121
• 127201 – 128400
• 2003
• 129300 – 130900
• 17″‘ JSMCCRVQ
• 120816 – 120817
• 17″‘ JSMV
• 120824 – 120825

1973

• 2050
• 131601 – 132500
• 2003
• 135101 – 137200
• 2001
• 137201 – 138100
• 2120
• 138101 – 138600
• 2121
• 138601 – 139100
• 2001
• 139401 – 141100
• 2121
• 141101 – 142700
• 2002
• 142701 – 142800
• 2001
• 142801 – 143300
• 2002
• 144101 – 144200
• 2050
• 144201 – 144300
• 2121
• 145301 – 145500
• 2120
• 147901 – 148000
• 2003
• 154101 – 154200
• 2121 
• 128401 – 128900
• 17″‘ JSMCCRVQ
• 120818

1974

• 2001
• 143301 – 144100
• 2050
• 144301 – 145300
• 2121
• 145501 – 147900
• 2120
• 148001 – 149400
• 2001
• 149401 – 151300
• 2510
• 153501 – 153565
• 153581 – 153600
• 5017
• 154001 – 154100
• 2003
• 154201 – 156200
• 2120
• 156201 – 156700
• 2121
• 158001 – 158100
• 159301 – 159600
• 2003
• 160301 – 161000
• 5017
• 164401 – 164500
• 2050
• 164501 – 164900

1975

• 2001
• 151301 – 153300
• 2002
• 153301 – 153500
• 2510
• 153567 – 153578
• 153601 – 153750
• 2120
• 156701 – 157800
• 2121
• 158101 – 159300
• 159601 – 160100
• 2003
• 161001 – 163300
• 2050
• 164901 – 165100
• 2052
• 165101 – 165800
• 2001
• 166601 – 167600
• 2003
• 170801 – 170900
• 2430
• 126801 – 126900
• 5017
• 175401 – 175416
• 175481 – 175500

How to authenticate your Audemars Piguet?

The best way to authenticate your Audemars Piguet timepiece is to have it examined by Audemars Piguet. 

Audemars Piguet clearly states on its website that they are not able to authenticate a watch only by looking at pictures, case numbers, references, etc.

If you have your watch examined by AP, they can issue a certificate of authenticity for your timepiece. To do so, you are advised to drop off your timepiece at an Audemars Piguet boutique, repair center, or any authorized retailer who will transfer your watch to their office in Le Brassus.

Any other way to authenticate an AP timepiece is not 100% surefire unless you yourself have the required expertise and knowledge to tell a fake AP watch. 

One thing that can help you authenticate your watch is by using the warranty card and APs online warranty site. On their website, you can type in your watch’s serial number if it has the electronically activated warranty, and be able to see all the information about your timepiece. If the correct information comes up, it is probably an indication that your watch is authentic. The reason we say probably is that counterfeiters can steal serial/case numbers online and use them for their counterfeit watches. If they find the serial number of an authentic watch, they can manufacture the same model, which thus makes it appear as authentic when searching for it in the AP warranty database.

Note: This article is not meant to be extensive or exhaustive. We try to keep this article as up-to-date as possible. If you find any information that you think is incorrect or outdated, please contact us. Credit to Rolexforums, “Audemars Piguet: Masterpieces of Classical Watchmaking”, Brunner, 1993 & Steltzcowatches for parts of the data.

Do you have any other specific questions regarding Audemars Piguet Serial numbers? Consult us here!

The post Audemars Piguet Serial Numbers Ultimate Guide appeared first on Millenary Watches.

Different watch brands have different warranty lengths but also different warranty policies. This makes it awfully hard to keep track of how long the warranty lasts and what they cover.

Audemars Piguet is today, one of the most prestigious and well-known watchmakers today. Audemars Piguet competes at the very top tier of fine watchmaking. But with fine craftsmanship and Haute horology also comes a price tag that reflects that. When buying premium goods, it can bring peace of mind knowing that your watch is backed by a warranty shall there be any issues with them.

So this leads us to ask how long is the Audemars Piguet Warranty, how does it work, and what does it cover?

Continue reading to find out.

How long is Audemars Piguet’s warranty?

The Audemars Piguet warranty lasts for a period of two years (24 months) starting from the original point of sale. But you can also extend your warranty an additional 3 years online. This means Audemars Piguet watches have a total of 5 years of warranty, which is certainly up to par with the warranty lengths that many of its competitors have. More on how you can register for an extended 3-year warranty further on.

Do note that, as always, terms and conditions apply to the Audemars Piguet warranty. The terms clearly state what it covers and what it doesn’t.

For your warranty to be valid, the warranty cards need to be properly filled out, signed, and the purchase date recorded. Note that, unlike what some myths online say, you do not have to be the original owner of the watch. The Audemars Piguet warranty follows the watch, not the owner, which is the case for the vast majority of watch brands.

What does the Audemars Piguet product warranty cover?

The AP warranty primarily covers manufacturing and workmanship defects. If you have issues with your watch that are covered by the international warranty, you can bring your watch to an authorized Audemars Piguet retailer or boutique for help. Keep in mind that you need to bring your warranty cards with you for you to be able to use the warranty.

Audemars Piguet extended warranty

As mentioned, customers will have the opportunity to extend their warranty by 3 years, which means a total of 5 years of warranty.

To extend your Audemars Piguet warranty, you need to complete the form at: https://www.audemarspiguet.com/en/warranty/registration/ before the end of the 2nd year of purchase. If your two-year warranty has expired, you will not be able to extend it for an additional 3 years.

Audemars Piguet recommends that you do a water-resistance check every year at an Audemars Piguet boutique. The test is free of charge and confirms that your watch is safe and good to go. Keep in mind, though, that no warranty is granted for water resistance. If it proves to be necessary, a water-resistance service should be performed.

Some water-resistance services fall under the AP warranty and will be performed free of charge. If they do not fall under the warranty, they will not be free.

Audemars Piguet service

If a service is performed on your watch by Audemars Piguet, the work will be under warranty for two years from the date shown on the warranty document/invoice.

Audemars Piguet advises that it is also required to perform a paying water resistance service every two years. A water resistance service means that these are replaced.

After a water resistance service, AP guarantees water resistance for two years.

After a service has been performed by Audemars Piguet, the customer is responsible for checking and confirming that the watch does not have any defects. This must be done within 10 business days of receiving the watch from the service. If you do not do this and then later than 10 days find any issues or defects, AP deems the watch to have been accepted in good condition, and ”AP shall be released from all and any claim or liability unless it relates to a defect which could not have been reasonably noticed promptly. In such an event, the Customer may only request that AP repairs such defect under these Customer Service General Terms and Conditions.”

How long does an Audemars Piguet service take?

How long an Audemars Piguet service takes varies depending on a number of different factors, including the caliber, the type of watch, the condition of the watch, etc.

AP states that it normally takes 21 calendar days to repair your watch. Complete service when it is under warranty. If your watch is not under warranty, it normally takes 42 calendar days.

The Audemars Piguet warranty does not cover

As with all warranties, there are a lot of things that the Audemars Piguet warranty does not cover.

The warranty does not cover:

• Abnormal use
• Damages caused by improper handling
• Normal wear and tear
• Work carried out on the watch by non-authorized watchmakers
• Not following the recommended water-resistant control or service
• Excessive shocks
• Damage that has been caused by moisture penetrating the watch
• If the customer declines to do a water resistance service on their quartz watch, no service warranty will be given

What should you do if you have lost your warranty certificate?

Audemars Piguet only issues the warranty certificate once – when the watch is originally purchased.

However, you can send your watch to Audemars Piguet to have it authenticated as AP then issue a certificate of authenticity. Furthermore, when your watch is serviced, you will get a service warranty card.

The post Audemars Piguet Warranty: Complete Guide appeared first on Millenary Watches.

Audemars Piguet is one of the most recognized and iconic luxury watch brands in the world. With the release of its Royal Oak collection in 1972, the company today has a watch design that has become an icon in the watch world.

Whilst the Royal Oak wasn’t an instant success, it helped the brand get back up on its feet after the quartz crisis, and save the brand.

Today, a lot of people only know Audemars Piguet for the Royal Oak, but the fact is that the brand is so much more. At least it is working hard to try to be. With its most recent release of the new Code 11.59, Audemars tried to release a new collection to widen its offerings and not only rely on the Royal Oak.

But regardless, it’s safe to say that Audemars Piguet is one of the most reputable watch companies in the Swiss watchmaking industry. Flawless finish and advanced complications such as annual calendars and minute repeaters are not completely uncommon to see from the brand.

There are many different factors that make watch brands successful. But advertising is certainly one of them. Whilst it is crucial to make high-quality products and appealing designs, clever marketing can take you a long way. 

To take a trip down memory lane and explore Audemars Piguet’s past, we have collected some of Audemars Piguet’s advertisements throughout the decades. It’s relatively easy to see which are old and which are never based on how they are designed and which watches they advertise. This makes it interesting as you can clearly see that the way AP promotes itself changes over time.

Some of the vintage Audemars Piguet advertisements in this article, you may be able to recognize since they’ve become icons and seen huge success, for example, some of the Royal Oak advertisements.

In this article, we will look closer at Audemars Piguet’s vintage advertisements. These advertisements can give us an idea of how the company wanted to position itself in the industry back in the days. Comparing these advertisements with Audemars Piguet’s modern ads is really interesting as it will show just how much AP as a brand has changed over the decades. Both its products, but also the image the company looking to establish. 

Vintage Audemars Piguet advertisements

All credit goes to their respective owners and Audemars Piguet. Most images were taken from Pinterest and Tumblr. Contact us for any credit.

The post Vintage Audemars Piguet Advertisements – a Large Compilation appeared first on Millenary Watches.

In this article, we’ll introduce you to the iconic and world-dominating luxury watch company Audemars Piguet, also known as AP, by sharing the top facts about Audemars Piguet. Audemars is in many eyes considered to be the epitome of fine watchmaking and has proven to be one of the best luxury watch companies of this time, by introducing some of the most advanced timepieces in the world.

Like most Swiss watch companies, Audemars has a rich heritage and a long history, which has lived on to this very day.

It is known for its innovative spirit, but its traditional watchmaking techniques and designs, while also constantly innovating and evolving. 

Audemars Piguet was first introduced to the market in 1875 and was put together by two well-known watchmakers at the time, Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet. Audemars was well known for his dedication to complicated watch movements with complications and Piguet for his final regulation of watch movements. The two watchmakers combined have since day one delivered luxurious watches, and is considered to make up a  “holy trinity” within Swiss watches together with Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe. 

Audemars and Piguet’s vision was to make thin and complicated luxurious watches which was noticeable in the beginning when their production line was very small. At the same time, the watches produced were meticulously crafted, and contained everything they looked for in a watch.

 Even though the company is successful today, they had their up and downs during the 70’s, but this contributes to the interesting history of Auderars Piguet, as the road to success is seldom straight. In this article, we share the top facts about Audemars Piguet you ought to know!

23 facts about Audemars Piguet

1. Audemars Piguet was founded in 1875

2. It is said that Gerald Genta made a drawing on the first Royal Oak on a napkin in Basel

Audemars Piguet is without a doubt today most known for their famous watch series Royal Oak that was first introduced in 1972 by the legendary designer Gerald Genta.

3. Jules Louis Audemars started a partnership with Edward Auguste Piguet

As a result, the two names merged and created the Audemars Piguet name.

4. Audemars and Piguet were both watchmakers

Together, they complemented each other and used their watchmaking skills to build what is today one of the most iconic luxury watch brands.

They complemented each other in the way that Audemars focused on creating complex watch movements to sell to other manufacturers, while Piguet focused on the regulation of watch movements.

5. Royal Oak was the first luxury sports watch made of steel

In fact, it is considered to be the world’s first luxury sports watch. After the Royal Oak was introduced, the popularity of luxury sports watches increased.

6. The first prototype of the Royal Oak was in white gold

The reason for this was to save costs. While this sounds strange, white gold was relatively affordable compared to other types of gold. Most importantly, since steel was a relatively new material for AP to work with, using white gold allowed the designers of the Royal Oak to come up with the right result before entering a then new territory of making it in steel.

7. Audemars Piguet created the first skeletonized pocket watch in 1934

8. Audemars Piguet was founded in the Vallée de Joux

9. The Royal Oak had a ridiculous price tag at the time and could get you 10 Rolex Submariners instead for the same price.

10. In 1992 Audemars Piguet invited Emmanuel Gueit to modernized the 20 years old Royal Oak in order to adapt it to the market. Emmanuel Gueits created the Royal Oak Offshore

11. It took Audemars Piguet over a year to sell the first 1000 Royal Oak watches

The watch wasn’t an instant success. When you think about it it’s not that hard to believe. People at that time had a hard time justifying that a stainless steel sports watch could be a luxury watch, and at the same time having a price tag that could get you 10 Rolex Submariners. But over time, the Royal Oak increased in popularity, and today, it is unarguably the most iconic model of Audemars Piguet, instantly recognized by its distinctive by its octagonal shape.

And seeing potential in the Royal Oak and investing money in it made Audemars Piguet where they are today.

12. The first owner of the Royal Oak was Mohammad Razi Pahlavi 

Mohammad Razi Pahlavi was the Shah of Iran for more than three decades. He became the first owner of the Royal Oak after its release.

13. Audemars Piguet created the first perpetual calendar wristwatch in 1957

14. Audemars Piguet released a new version of the Royal Oak in 1993

The new version of the Royal Oak, the Royal Oak Offshore was released in Basel 1993 and got the name “The beast” because of its huge case. Today, it is most commonly nicknamed “Jumbo.”.

 This was especially true at the time when watches tended to be of a smaller size, whereas today, the watches have moved towards larger sizes, and the size of the Royal Oak Offshore is more accepted.

Just like the Royal Oak, the Offshore model received criticism for the large size. It had a, at the time staggering size of 42 mm in diameter, but what people critiqued the most was the watch’s thickness.

The reason the watch was so thick was due to its avoirdupois which was a soft-iron inner case to protect the movement from being affected by magnetism.

15. Emmanuel Gueit didn’t like the trend of women wearing men’s watches

As such, he made the Royal Oak more oversized and a masculine timepiece. Of course, today, the Royal Oak is made in a number of different ladies variations, dedicated for women, both quarts and mechanical – but not the Offshore due to it being a very masculine watch.

16. The Royal Oak Saved Audemars Piguet financially with its futuristic look and quartz movement during the 70s

The Royal Oak wasn’t an instant success, but over time, it became Audemars Piguet’s best-selling watch, and thus saved the company from bankruptcy.

17. The first 100 Royal Oak Offshores made where not engraved ”Offshore” as they are today

The reason was that they were afraid of destroying the Royal Oak name and the reputation that the model has built

17. Audemars Piguet is still a family-owned business

Today, it is owned by the families of the original founders.

18. The Caliber 2120 debuted in 1967

This caliber measures only 2,5mm in height making it the thinnest and smallest automatic (self-winding) movement with a central rotor back then. This Caliber was only made for time and no other complications and was adapted with a date to be able to be used in the Royal Oak and was then called cal. 2121. The caliber has since then been improved but is still the base in the newest watches.

19. The Royal Oak was initially considered to be named ”Safari”

This was a suggestion by Gerald Genta. Audemars Piguet, however, didn’t think the name resonates with the AP brand.  The prototypes of the Royal Oak was named Safari

But in the end, they chose Royal Oak instead. However, a tribute to the name suggestion “Safari” has been given to a model in the Offshore range and can be recognized by its white dial and black indexes put on a leather strap.

20. How did the name Royal Oak come about?

Well, as you know, it was first considered to be named Safari, but there are two stories about how the Royal Oak name came about.

The first story is that the Royal Oak was a tree that saved King Charles II of England by hiding him, enabling him to escape the Roundheads during the Battle of Worcester in 1651.

The other story is that the name Royal Oak name comes from the powerful naval ships which were named Royal Oak and accordingly their portholes which were nautical them. There are at least 8 Royal Oak ships, which, if true, aligns well with the octagonal shape of the AP Royal Oak.

21. The Royal Oak was inspired by a diver’s helmet

Gerald Genta believed that if screws around the glass of a diving helmet could resist the water from high pressure, a watch could do the same.

22. The screws of the Royal Oak is made out from white gold

This is a detail that isn’t noticeable at first, but a luxurious touch that enhances the watch’s exclusivity.

23. The Royal Oak was designed 24 hours before it was presented 

Conclusion

What we can see from these facts about Audemars Piguet is that the company has been around for a long time, but still kept the same goal: To make thin and complicated luxury watches. Since the start, Audemars Piguet has developed complicated movements with complications such as the minute-repeater, annual calendars, and tourbillons, all this in thin, elegant and luxurious watches. The Royal Oak is unquestionably the most famous series Audemars Piguet ever started to produce, but even though the series is popular today, it hasn’t always been like that.

Which of these facts about Audemars Piguet did you find the most interesting? Let us know in the comment below!

The post Top Facts About Audemars Piguet: 23 Interesting Things you Must Know! appeared first on Millenary Watches.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak is one of the most iconic and recognized timepieces in the world. It is considered one of the most influential and important watch designs in modern times.

We all know that the Royal Oak was designed by the renowned watch designer Gérald Genta, who is also responsible for having designed the Patek Philipe Nautilus, the Omega Constellation, the IWC Ingenieur, and many others. But at the same time, there is more confusion when it comes to the Royal Oak name. Where does the name Royal Oak come from and what does it mean?

The Royal Oak Almost became the “Safari”

Did you know that the Royal Oak was almost named the “Safari” instead of Royal Oak?

Gérald Genta proposed the name the “Safari” when he designed the Royal Oak. Genta felt that it was a suitable name for the model as it was an unprecedented sports watch that reminded of desert exploration.

In developing the model, Audemars Piguet used the name Safari internally but changed the name just before the watch was about to hit the market as they felt that the name didn’t align perfectly well with the brand image and brand identity. 

To pay tribute to Gérald Genta, Audemars Piguet later created the Royal Oak Offshore Safari reference 26470ST with a white dial and brown crocodile leather strap as a tribute to Genta.

The story of the Royal Oak name?

So where does the name that would ultimately give the name to this iconic model come from? Well, it’s actually quite of an interesting story.

It’s easy to believe that the name has a direct connection with a tree, and in a way, it does. But only indirectly. Audemars Piguet took the name from something that in turn took its name from a tree. Since the Royal Oak is a sports watch that was inspired by a diver’s helmet with its octagonal bezel and exposed screws, it made sense to use a nautical-inspired name. 

As such, Audemars Piguet came up with the name Royal Oak which is inspired by a series of eight vessels of Britain’s Royal Navy. This is yet another interesting connection to the model seeing that the bezel is octagonal. 

The story of the birth of the Royal Oak name goes all the way back to 1651 when the English Civil War took place. In the last battle of Britain, the Royalists ended up in Worcester. This has later come to become known as the Battle of Worcester. Charles Stuart (the future King Charles II of England), the heir to the throne had to run for his life and find a hideout from the Roundheads who were the supporters of the Parliament of England during the English Civil War, also known as Parliamentarians.

The Roundheads were against King Charles I of England, and naturally, all of his heirs who claimed rule by absolute monarchy and according to the divine right of kings. The goal of the Roundhead party was to establish a Parliament with supreme control over executive administration of the country/kingdom. And in that mission, the Royals were in the way.

Charles Stuart tried to get out of the country but failed to cross the River Severn to Wales. Instead, he and his companion ended up at Boscobel House in Shropshire.

The house had many different secret hiding places but it was deemed that these hideouts were too risky and obvious places to seek shelter from the Parliamentarian troops. As such, they had to look for a different hideout. Charles and his partner opted for a large oak tree that stood right in front of the house. Thanks to the shape of the tree with its canopy, it was deemed a perfect hideout place where it was unlikely that the enemies would find him.

This oak proved to be a perfect hideout place as the house was searched but no one thought to search in the tree. After six weeks, Stuart made a successful escape to France.

In 1660, he was restored to the crown and the incredible story of how he successfully escaped from the Roundheads by hiding in the tree became very popular. The day is today remembered by the English as Royal Oak Day. After the event, Charles told the story of how a Parliamentarian soldier passed directly below the tree as he was hiding in it.

In 1664, the navy launched a new ship, equipped with 100 guns and King Charles named it The Royal Oak as a tribute to the tree that saved him and the material from which the ship was built.

The Royal Oak was later burnt down by the Dutch navy but the name continued to be used by all eight ships.

With this intriguing story in mind, it explains how the name was perfect for the new watch. It has royalty and it has a nautical connection.

Why is the Royal Oak called jumbo?

In 1972, Audemars Piguet released the Royal Oak reference 5402. This watch was designed with a 39mm case which was considered very large at the time. The name “Jumbo” refers to the large 39mm case of the Royal Oak and it is a name that Audemars Piguet still uses to this day.

The post Why is it called Royal Oak AP? History of the Royal Oak Name appeared first on Millenary Watches.

The Audemars Piguet is one of the most iconic and well-known timepieces in the world. The Royal Oak has led the way for what watch designs can be and it has been the inspiration for many other watch brands to come.

The Royal Oak is today one of the most iconic, sought-after, and collectible timepieces in the world considering the important role it has played in the watch industry, it deserves to be highlighted and celebrated.

Facts about Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

1. The Royal Oak was designed by Gérald Genta

The Audemars Piguet was designed by one of the most influential, well-known, and iconic watch designers, ever. Gérald Genta is responsible for having designed several of the world’s most iconic watch designs, including the Royal Oak, the Patek Philippe Nautilus, the  Universal Polerouter, the Omega Constellation, and many more.  He is the single most successful watch designer that has unarguably designed more iconic watch designs than any other designer ever.

2. The Royal Oak was almost named The Safari

The watch that we all know and love was almost named The Safari. As a matter of fact, this was the name that Gérald Genta came up with first and how he referred to the prototype as.

However, before the watch was officially released to the market, Audemars Piguet decided not to use the name. The reason was that Audemars Piguet felt that the name didn’t align well with the brand image and identity.

However,  Audemars Piguet later released the Royal Oak Offshore Safari to pay tribute to the initial name suggestion, and to Genta.

3. The first Royal Oak prototypes were made in white gold

Although the purpose and idea of the Royal Oak were to create the world’s first luxury stainless steel watch, the prototype was in fact made in white gold. This is quite ironic, but there’s a good reason for it.

The value proposition of the Royal Oak was not meant to be the material, but rather the level of finishing. But finishing stainless steel to that level is actually quite difficult considering the material’s hardness. 

Audemars Piguet, therefore, made the prototypes in white gold because it is a softer material and easier to work with. It actually became more affordable to use white gold in the development process than stainless steel.

Still, it’s an interesting fact that steel can be more expensive to work with than gold just because of the complexity of crafting it. It’s not something you think about it was the purpose of the Royal Oak all along – to make it the first luxury stainless steel watch.

4. The launch of the Royal Oak was not a big failure as is often reported

If you read about the history and the early days of the Royal Oak, you’ll likely read that the Royal Oak was a failure, or at least not a success in its early days. But the fact of the matter is that this has been greatly exaggerated. Audemars Piguet themselves have stated that this is “a widespread misconception”. The watch certainly wasn’t a huge failure that was met with criticism and that no one wanted. Yes, there were some skepticism about a watch that cost 3650 CHF and was made in stainless steel but after some time, the popularity and sales of this model picked up. Between 1972 and 1978, the company produced a total of 6,050 reference 5402 models as well as 4,288 in steel, 876 in gold and steel, 736 in yellow gold, and 150 in white gold.”

Now, those numbers may not be impressive today but bear in mind that Audemars Piguet’s total watch production was considerably smaller than it is today.

So to say that the Royal Oak was a complete flop is not quite correct.

5. The Royal Oak is named after a British battleship

The HMS Royal Oak from Britain’s Royal Navy is one of the most famous and iconic battleships ever created. It is also from this ship that the watch got its name. The name of the watch, therefore, has nothing to do with a tree, which some people assume. However, if we look at from where the Royal Nave ship took its name, then it does indeed has a connection to a tree. The ship was named after an Oak tree that, according to the legend, protected King Charles II from the Roundheads following the Battle of Worcester which took place in 1651.

The first name suggested, as mentioned, was “The Safari”, but this was not a name that AP chose to proceed with upon its launch. Instead, they needed something that aligned better with the brand image, but also that had a nautical connection. The Royal Oak name, therefore, made perfect sense.

6. The Royal Oak was designed in less than 24 hours

It’s truly remarkable that the initial design for one of the most iconic timepieces ever created was made in less than 24 hours.

Gérald Genta himself has described this event and how the design came about. It was in 1970, the night before the Baselworld watch fair, that  Georges Golay, Audemars Piguet’s managing director, asked Gérald Genta to design a new watch. 

According to Genta, Golay told him at 4 PM: “Mr. Genta, we have a distribution company that has asked us for a steel sports watch that has never been done before – and I need the design sketch for tomorrow morning.” Genta later said about the event: “It was a crazy thing, personally I don’t know by what magic it was possible to create such a thing in one night, it was quite amazing!”

9. The Design Of The Royal Oak actually came about because of a misunderstanding

We have discussed the fact that Gérald Genta came up with the design of the Royal Oak in less than 24 hours. But the design he came up with was actually the result of a misunderstanding.

According to Genta, he misheard Golay when he received the instructions for the design of the watch. Genta commented on the event and described what happened:

One afternoon, at four o’clock, Mr. Georges Golay, the Managing Director of Audemars Piguet, rings me up and tells me: “Mr. Genta, I need a steel sports watch that has never been done before, I want it to be something totally new and waterproof.” On my part, I understood that what he was looking for was a brand-new waterproofing technology. “I want the design by tomorrow morning.” I designed it overnight and my idea was to replicate the system of the scaphander’s helmet on the watch case. With the eight screws and with the joint visible on the case’s exterior. So I was given the ‘green light’ straight away to begin work on the prototype.

With that said, Genta understood it as if he needed to design a steel luxury sports watch with a waterproofing technology that had never been done before. And in doing so, he looked for inspiration from diving helmets. The result was that the Royal Oak was designed with visible gaskets, a detail that is now an iconic part of the Royal Oak.

10. The first prototype was completed in less than a year

Whilst it took less than 24 hours to design the watch, creating the first prototype took almost a year. Gérald Genta said the following:

“I completed the prototype myself within a year. In 1970, I designed the watch. And it took one more year before industrial production, which finally came about in 1972.”

11. The idea for a new model that came to become the Royal Oak was not an idea from Audemars Piguet

As stated above, the Royal Oak was the result of a request from a distributor who wanted a steel sports watch that has never been done before. But there’s more to this story with a little digging.

The request actually came from Société Suisse pour l’industrie Horlogère which was a group founded by Omega and Tissot in 1930. Mr. Golay established a deal with the SSIH regarding the distribution of watches for growing production from AP. Golay needed to expand the distribution network for AP and SSIH had 15,000 retailed around the world. But in exchange for access to their distribution network, Golay was asked by top agents to create a watch, the day before Baselworld.

12. The first customer of the Royal Oak was Allegedly the Shah of Iran

Allegedly, the first-ever customer of the Royal Oak was the Shah of Iran was the first-ever Royal Oak customer. The Shah wanted his Roak Oak to be made of white gold and AP commissioned this unique watch for him.

13. The Royal Oak saved the company

The Royal Oak was created in the midst of the quartz crisis when the Swiss watch industry received a heavy blow from the Japanese watch brands who had started making quartz timepieces.

Like most other Swiss watch brands, Audemars Piguet was also affected by the great competition from the quartz watches.

It’s safe to say that the Royal Oak was something truly unique and revolutionary. And this watch couldn’t have come at a better time. It was exactly what AP needed to combat the threats from the quartz watches. The most important thing about the Royal Oak was that it made a statement. It was made in stainless steel but put an emphasis on fine watchmaking and craftsmanship. It was essentially exactly the opposite of the cheap Japanese quartz watches. Yes, the quartz watches were more accurate, but AP proved that the Royal Oak was so much more than that. It was a piece of art.

The sales of the Royal Oak were slow as a start but eventually picked up. Today, it is the single most important model for AP and also one of the most iconic models in the world.

14. The story that the design was inspired by a diver’s helmet is not quite true

We have all heard the story about the fact that the Royal Oak is inspired by a traditional diver’s helmet. However, this has proven not to be quite true.

Yes, it is possible that Genta took some inspiration from traditional diver’s helmets, but the fact of the matter is that diver’s helmets with 8 bolts don’t really exist. Moreover, Audemars Piguet themselves have done their own research and have not been able to find a diver’s helmet with an octagonal faceplate.

AP stated that the “octagonal shape definitely stems from another source.”.

With this said, it’s evident that Gérald Genta didn’t take inspiration from a specific diver’s helmet, at least not when he came up with the iconic octagonal shape. However, that is not to say that he didn’t think about divers’ suits and diver’s helmets for inspiration when he designed the Royal Oak. In other words, the result was what he envisioned in his head when he thought about these items.

The octagonal shape may have come from somewhere else but the screws were definitely inspired by divers’ helmets.

The post Top 14 Facts About Audemars Piguet Royal Oak – Interesting Things to Know appeared first on Millenary Watches.

Audemars Piguet is one of the most well-known, prestigious, and reputable luxury Swiss watch brands in the world. It has been manufacturing watches for centuries and always focused on making high-quality, prestigious timepieces with utmost focus on quality and fine craftsmanship.

If you want to contact Audemars Piguet, you have come to the right place.

When it comes to large corporations, especially Swiss watch manufacturers, it can often be rather difficult to get in touch with them. Oftentimes, the manufacturers encourage their clients to contact the official retailers so that they manage the consumer contacts and relations, making it a bit difficult to contact them directly.

To help you get in contact with Audemars Piguet, we have compiled an extensive list of all the different ways in which you can get in touch with Audemars Piguet. Whether you prefer to call, send an email, or send a letter to Audemars Piguet directly, this list includes all the different ways in which you can contact the company.

Audemars Piguet Contact information

Audemars Piguet Mailing address

It is possible to send letters directly to Audemars Piguet. They do not accept unannounced guests except for its museum. Audemars Piguet has several different buildings in Switzerland where the work is carried out – from administration to manufacturing.

Audemars Piguet Head office

Audemars Piguet

route de Lully 5c
Lake Geneva Park
Building D
1131 Tolochenaz
Switzerland

Musée Atelier (Audemars Piguet museum)

Route de France 18,
1348 Le Brassus
Switzerland

Audemars Piguet Manufacture des Forges, Le Brassus (Factory)

Audemars Piguet contact form

Audemars Piguet has a contact form on their website that you can use. This gets you in direct contact with Audemars Piguet representatives for any customer-service-related queries you may have. You can find the Audemars Piguet contact form here.

Audemars Piguet Fax

Audemars Piguet also has fax which you can try contacting them with:

Fax: +41 218024957

Auemars Piguet email addresses

Audemars Piguet has several different email addresses. Whilst they encourage people to contact them via the contact form on their website, you can also try directly via their email addresses.

• Customer support Europe: info.europe@audemarspiguet.com
• Customer support Americas: info.americas@audemarspiguet.com
• Customer support Russia: boutique.gum@audemarspiguet.com
• Customer Support Asia: info.asia@audemarspiguet.com
• Audemars Piguet Japan: info.japan@audemarspiguet.com
• General support: info@audemarspiguet.com
• Audemars Piguet house Munich: aphouse.munich@audemarspiguet.com
• AP House Bangkok: aphouse.bangkok@audemarspiguet.com
• AP house Ginza: boutique.ginza@audemarspiguet.com
• pierrick.meylan@audemarspiguet.com
• catherine.barfuss@audemarspiguet.com
• michel.beziat@audemarspiguet.com
• cransprestige@audemarspiguet.com

Call Audemars Piguet

You can contact Audemars Piguet by phone. Audemars Piguet has many different phone numbers depending on where in the world you are.

• Audemars Piguet France: +33 1 53 57 42 16
• Audemars Piguet Americas: +1 646 375 0807
• Audemars Piguet Middle East: +41 21 642 32 66
• Audemars Piguet Switzerland: +41 21 642 32 66
• Audemars Piguet Germany: +49 89 262 049 399
• Audemars Piguet Great Britain: +44 20 7409 0782
• Audemars Piguet Italy: +39 02 6749 3105
• Audemars Piguet Portugal: 800 833 003
• Audemars Piguet Spain: +34 917 814 170
• Audemars Piguet Russia: +7 495 740 34 34
• Audemars Piguet Hong Kong: +852 2732 9195
• Audemars Piguet China: 0086 400 821 5770
• Audemars Piguet Singapore: +65 6933 9020
• Audemars Piguet Taiwan: +886 2 2739 8890
• Audemars Piguet Japan: +81 3 6830 0000

Audemars Piguet boutiques

Most of the retail outlets for Audemars Piguet watches are run by authorized retailers which are not owned by AP. However, Audemars Piguet is more and more moving in the direction of setting up its own AP boutiques to get greater control from manufacturing to the final sale. If you want to contact Audemars Piguet via their boutiques.

You can find a complete list of the Audemars Piguet Boutiques here.

Audemars Piguet USA Office/headquarters

Audemars Piguet has a US office/headquarters in New York. This works as their flagship store and main office in the US.

Address:

Audemars Piguet
65 E 57th St
New York, NY 10022
United States

Contact Audemars Piguet via social media

Audemars Piguet is active on several different social media platforms. Whilst social media does not tend to be the best way to contact large corporations if you want a reply back, it may be worth a shot. 

Different social media platforms allow you to contact them in various different ways, for example via direct message, private message, or by commenting on one of their posts.

Audemars Piguet Instagram

Audemars Piguet is active on Instagram. You can either try sending them a direct message (private message) or leave a comment on one of their posts.

Audemars Piguet Facebook

Audemars Piguet is active on Facebook. You can try contacting them either via a private message or by commenting on one of their posts.

Audemars Piguet Wechat

Audemars Piguet is active on Wechat. You can contact them via this social platform.

Audemars Piguet YouTube

Audemars Piguet also has a YouTube channel. You can try leaving a comment on one of their videos, however, don’t expect a response.

Audemars Piguet Twitter

Audemars Piguet can be found on Twitter. You can try responding to one of their tweets or tagging them in one of your tweets.

About Audemars Piguet

Audemars Piguet is a Swiss luxury watch brand with a long and rich history and heritage. The company was founded as Audemars Piguet & Cie in 1881 by Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet. It was established in Vallée de Joux in 1875. Ever since the company was founded, it has been family-owned. As such, it is one of only a few watch manufacturers in Switzerland of this size that is not owned by a group and is independently owned.

Audemars Piguet is most known for the iconic Royal Oak wristwatch which was released in 1972 as a response to the quartz crisis. It was initially not a very popular watch but eventually came to become one of the most iconic and important watches ever created.

Over the course of its history, Audemars Piguet has invented a number of important innovations and inventions. Amongst many things, Audemars Piguet created the world’s first minute-repeating movement for wristwatches in 1892. Moreover, the company created the world’s first skeleton watch in 1934.

The company has always had haute horlogerie and fine watchmaking at the core of its business.

The post How to Contact Audemars Piguet – Audemars Piguet Contact details appeared first on Millenary Watches.

Audemars Piguet was founded in 1875 when Jules-Louis Audemars met Edward-Auguste Piguet in the town of Le Brassus in the Vallée de Joux region of Switzerland.

Audemars and Piguet together founded ”Audemars, Piguet et Cie”. Since then, the company has continued to meticulously produce watches of the highest quality, and the brand has remained under the control of the same two families since. Both Audemars, and Piguet were previously watchmakers and thus carried skill and expertise in creating and manufacturing high-quality timepieces.

It is one of few independent watch brands in Switzerland which still remains an independent family business, and since its founding, the watches produced are designed with a creativity and uniqueness, reflecting the brand’s independence.

Audemars Piguet is mostly known for their Royal Oak model, but also make a number of other notable models.

Just like when the company was founded, the brand stands out due to their precision work and high quality. Owning an Audemars Piguet means owning a fine, mechanical timepiece made with great craftsmanship and finished to perfection.

Audemars Piguet Retail Prices

Retail prices of Audemars Piguet watches change on a regular basis for various reasons, such as price adjustments, currency rates, and other external factors. Therefore, to see the up-to-date retail prices of Audemars Piguet watches, it is best to look at the official website of the brand and the list of their respective models.

For a complete updated list of Audemars Piguet Retail prices, visit AudemarsPiguet.com.

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