The revolutionary Royal Oak
The Royal Oak is certainly the most famous of Audemars Piguet watch models. Thanks to the Royal Oak, the company has continued to persist in its exquisite glory.
The 1970s were a difficult time for the Swiss watchmaking industry: quartz rapidly gained popularity and traditional producers urgently searched for innovative ideas to present to the market. Audemars Piguet took the opportunity to once again display its pioneering spirit. The Royal Oak was launched in 1972 – a time in which watch manufacturers had no sports watches among their collections and steel casing were absolute taboo. Audemars Piguet broke the unspoken rules with the launch of a luxury watch in a sporty design – not to mention that it came equipped with a striking steel case.
The risk of failure was great, but Audemars Piguet nonetheless took the plunge. The courage of the company paid off as the Royal Oak began a new chapter for Audemars Piguet. Furthermore, the Royal Oak set a new benchmark for the entire watchmaking industry. Swiss-born Gérald Genta determined that the watch market was ready for a new bold style and designed the timepiece that came to be known as the Royal Oak.
The Royal Oak enjoys great popularity today. The younger relative of the model – the Royal Oak Offshore – bears a higher level of sporty appeal. Enthusiasts of sophisticated watch mechanics are familiar with the exquisite timepieces and the hefty price tags that come along with them – Royal Oak models tend to exceed the 200,000 Euro mark.