Phillips x Bacs & Russo Share Highlights of The Royal Oak 50th Auction

A thematic sale will be held on May 6th at the Hôtel La Réserve in Geneva, dedicated to the 50th Anniversary of the Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak model – featuring the earliest known Reference 5402 to come to the auction market, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, reference 5402ST A2. 

This tightly curated auction will offer 88 pieces of the finest, rarest, and best-preserved Royal Oak wristwatches known to exist.

Audemars Piguet introduced the Royal Oak in 1972 at Basel Fair, marking the beginning of the luxury sports watch market as we know it today. The Royal Oak invented a genre and is widely considered one of the most relevant watches in horological history. 

Highlights of the auction include:

Ref 5402ST A2 

The second Royal Oak ever made and one of the four Royal Oak models presented at the opening of the Basel watch fair in 1972. 

Estimate CHF 200,000-400,000

Ref 5402ST – Karl Lagerfeld Black PVD coated “A series”

Karl Lagerfeld’s black PVD coated reference 5402 – the icon is a creative director, fashion designer, artist, and photographer of fashion powerhouses, Chanel and Fendi.

Estimate CHF 100,000-200,000 

Ref 25831ST – Tourbillon in Stainless steel

Made in 1997 in celebration of the Royal Oak’s 25th anniversary. One of the only 25 pieces made.

Estimate CHF 120,000-240,000

Ref 25865ST – Grande Complication

Royal Oak in stainless steel – a Grande Complication with three difficult complications to master – a minute repeater, a perpetual calendar, and a split-seconds chronograph. 

Estimate CHF 250,000-500,000

Ref 25990BC – Grande Complication

Brings together a minute repeater, a perpetual calendar, and a split-seconds chronograph with a white gold case lavishly set with diamonds. 

Estimate CHF 250,000-500,000

Ref 25636PT – Openwork Perpetual Calendar in Platinum

One of the earliest variants to feature an openwork dial showing the wonders of the perpetual calendar mechanism. It has rare midnight blue subdials and no leap year indicator.

Estimate CHF 200,000-400,000

Ref 25829TP – Openwork Perpetual Calendar in Platinum and Tantalum

One of only 16 pieces in existence – featuring a mix of the matte sheen of platinum with the bluish/grey hues of the tantalum. 

Estimate CHF 120,000-240,000

Ref 14802PT – Jubilee in Platinum

Launched in 1992 for the Royal Oak’s 20th anniversary – with an ultra-exclusive 20-piece edition in platinum and a blue “Tuscan” dial. 

Estimate CHF 250,000-500,000

Auction viewing will be available in the US, Asia, and Europe starting March 24th.

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