Manufacturer: Audemars Piguet Year: 1991 Reference No: 35677BA.OO.0000XX.99 Movement No: 275’298 Case No: D2044 Model Name: Classique Material: 18K yellow gold Calibre: Manual, cal. 2003-SQ Dimensions: 35mm Diameter Signed: Case and movement signed Accessories: Accompanied by Audemars Piguet Certificate of Origin, green leather watch pouch, small black coin pouch, hang tag, AP stationary and outer packaging. Further accompanied by photocopy Audemars Piaget Extract from the Archives confirming registration of the watch on May 13, 1991.
Catalogue Essay
Coin watches provide a fascinating insight into the history of horology. These ultra slim timepieces were constructed from legal tender, requiring two coins to be split to form their outer case, and an impressively small watch to be completely hidden inside, via a separate, hinged case. Audemars Piguet is among many Swiss brands who created these lovely creations, and as the AP Extract from the Archives for the present lot confirms, production of them continued into the early 1990s. Typically, the manufacturer used historic United States $20 coins for watches meant for the American market.
Audemars Piguet created a fine selection of rare coin watches, and the present model with skeletonized movement was their most prestigious. The 1891 Liberty Head coin has a bas-relief “Lady Liberty” on the front cover, while the reverse features the Great Seal of the United States along with “United States of America Twenty Dollars.” To open the watch, one must find the nearly invisible push button in the milled coin-edge side. The hidden case houses a spectacular, skeletonized, and hand-engraved movement with solid 14 karat gold bridges. This inner case is hinged and lifts up from within the coin to display the time.
The present watch is in exceptional condition, complete with its rarely ever seen certificate of origin and full accessories.
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.