This year sees a handful of important watch anniversaries, but perhaps the most anticipated has been Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak turning 50. When the first reference 5402 was unveiled at the Basel Fair in 1972 it redefined the notion of a luxury watch: a piece of high-end timekeeping packaged in more casual stainless steel rather than typical precious metals such as gold. It set the cogs in motion for a new category of sports-chic watches that remains just as popular today, although none as instantly recognisable as the Royal Oak.

This iconic design is being celebrated in style with a dedicated auction by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, held in Geneva on 6 May. It brings together 88 of the rarest and best-preserved Royal Oaks throughout the decades. Among the stars of the show is the earliest example of the first reference 5402 to ever go under the hammer, which bears the number “A2”, making it the second Royal Oak made (estimate SFr 200,000-400,000). 

Other interesting finds include a black-PVD coated piece believed to have belonged to fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld (estimate SFr 100,000-200,000). Meanwhile in a tour de force of Audemars Piguet’s haute horlogerie expertise, the sale includes some of the most technically advanced iterations of the Royal Oak, including the Ref 25865ST Grande Complication (estimate SFr 250,000-500,000) bringing together a minute repeater, a perpetual calendar and a split seconds chronograph.

Following hot on its heels is the auction house’s Geneva Watch Auction: XV, taking place on 7-8 May. As usual, Rolex and Patek Philippe lead the line-up of some of the most covetable lots. These include a well-preserved Rolex chronograph wristwatch reference 6239 in yellow gold (estimate in excess of SFr 1,500,000), formerly part of musician Eric Clapton’s collection. 

Meanwhile, one of the most historically significant examples include a Patek Philippe reference 1503 (estimate SFr 250,000-500,000) that belonged to human rights campaigner and Holocaust survivor Simon Wiesenthal. 

Beyond the big hitters, there are also plenty of other treasures to be discovered, including pieces from some of the finest independent names such as FP Journe, Urwerk and De Bethune. 

phillips.com