At the 1972 edition of the Swiss Watch Fair in Basel, Audemars Piguet introduced the revolutionary Royak Oak in stainless steel armour protecting the thinnest self-winding mechanical movement of its era. Because of its hefty price tag, steel was ennobled with the same status as gold.
Audemars Piguet and luxury publishing house Assouline celebrate the Royal Oak's 50th anniversary with a dedicated book titled Royal Oak: From Iconoclast To Icon.
Written by Bill Prince, an award-winning cultural journalist and former deputy editor of British GQ, the book retraces the Royal Oak's history from a broader cultural perspective, while shedding light on new archival materials uncovered by Audemars Piguet's Heritage department alongside exclusive testimonies of long-standing friends of the brand.
The Royal Oak was inspired by the profound cultural, artistic and industrial changes of the 1960s and early 1970s.
"We had to invent a model both sporty and stylish in spirit, suitable for evening wear and for the daily activities of today's man of taste," said Georges Golay, managing director of Audemars Piguet from 1966 to 1987.
Designed by Gérald Genta, the stainless steel model featured an octagonal bezel, visible hexagonal screws, a tapisserie dial and an integrated bracelet.
The book follows the evolution of the Royal Oak, culminating with a selection of 2022 models marking its 50th anniversary.
Although an outlier at birth, it soon found an audience among the free-spirited youth, who recognised its audacious blend of ancestral craftsmanship and technological advances.
The Royal Oak has been a platform of innovation ever since, conversing with art, music, architecture and sports.
Besides its cultural journey, the book provides exclusive testimonies of long-standing friends of Audemars Piguet and representatives of what Prince calls "Generation Royal Oak". This group of watch connoisseurs includes the likes of Kevin Hart, Bjarke Ingels, Elle Macpherson, Serena Williams and Ning Zetao, to name but a few.
The lively narrative text is illustrated with imagery from six decades of groundbreaking art, architecture, fashion, music and cultural history, paralleling the evolution of the trailblazing timepiece.
