Audemars Piguet - Phillips Watches Online Auction: The Hong Kong Sessions, Fall 2023 Hong Kong Thursday, September 21, 2023 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: Audemars Piguet
    Year: Circa 1978
    Reference No: 5402
    Movement No: 175’276
    Case No: C1’945
    Model Name: Royal Oak "C Series"
    Material: Stainless steel
    Calibre: Automatic, cal. 2121/1, 36 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Audemars Piguet bracelet, max length 170mm
    Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Audemars Piguet deployant clasp
    Dimensions: 39mm diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, movement and clasp signed

  • Catalogue Essay

    - Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak stands as one of the most iconic luxury sports watches ever made. Along with Patek Philippe's Nautilus and Vacheron Constantin's 222, the Royal Oak revolutionized watch design in the 1970s as manufacturers responded to the quartz crisis.

    - When released in 1972, the Royal Oak commanded the highest price ever for a stainless steel watch, costing more to produce than Audemars Piguet's gold dress watches due the difficulty in finishing stainless steel to their exceptional standard.

    - Famed designer Gérald Genta created its ingeniously engineered, maritime-inspired case with an octagonal bezel secured by eight hexagonal screws. The striking tapisserie dial was equally groundbreaking. Though initially met with skepticism by competitors, the Royal Oak proved an enduring success, today accounting for the majority of Audemars Piguet's sales.

    - Early examples featured the "AP" logo at 6 o'clock before later versions moved it to 12 o'clock. Collectors denote the "series" by the case number on the back, with the earliest designated "A-Series." This circa 1978 model with case number "C1945" hails from the original "C-Series". Nicknamed the "Jumbo" for its large 39mm size, the ref. 5402 pioneered oversized sports watches.

    - Offered in very good overall condition, this early Royal Oak encapsulates the magic of the model that sparked a luxury sports watch revolution. For the discerning collector, it is a landmark timepiece showcasing timeless, avant-garde design.

  • Artist Biography

    Audemars Piguet

    Swiss • 1881

    A specialist in the manufacture of complications since it was established in 1881, Audemars Piguet never ceases to impress with a rich history of creating bold, even audacious, timepieces underpinned by traditional watchmaking at its finest. This Le Brassus-based Swiss manufacturer is one of only two major manufacturers still owned by the founding family. Since its earliest days, AP is considered a leader in the field of minute repeaters and grande complication pocket and wristwatches. The brand is devoted to preserving the history of watchmaking in the Vallée de Joux, showcased at their superb museum in Le Brassus.

    Today, the brand is best known for its Royal Oak models, a revolutionary luxury sports watch launched in 1972. Other key models include early minute repeating wristwatches, vintage chronograph wristwatches, such as the oversized reference 5020, perpetual calendar watches and the Royal Oak Offshore, first introduced in 1993.

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8031

Ref. 5402
A very rare and attractive stainless steel wristwatch with bracelet and date

Circa 1978
39mm diameter
Case, dial, movement and clasp signed

Estimate
HK$120,000 - 240,000 
€14,300-28,600
$15,400-30,800

Sold for HK$254,000

Contact Specialist

Thomas Perazzi
Head of Watches, Asia
+852 2318 2001
WatchesHK@phillips.com

Phillips Watches Online Auction: The Hong Kong Sessions, Fall 2023

21-28 September 2023