Audemars Piguet Only Made 75 of This Royal Oak Model. Now One Is up for Grabs at $500,000.
If you missed out on Patek Philippe’s wildly popular collaboration with Tiffany last December, a new listing might be the consolation prize you’ve been waiting for.
Diamond Watches London (DWL) is offering a rare Audemars Piguet Royal Oak UAE edition timepiece that features an icy blue face, which feels bang on trend with the current verve for brightly colored dials. The perpetual calendar model was released in a limited edition of just 75 pieces in 2020. It was designed to showcase the brand’s commitment to the Middle Eastern country, and sold exclusively to VIPs in the region. Now, the only example on the market can be yours. But it’ll run you £400,000—just over $500,000 at current exchange.
While the 41 mm watch (Ref. 26613ST) displays a number of Gerald Genta-designed signatures for Royal Oak models, including a stainless-steel case and octagonal shape, the vibrant hue and special features of the dial make it feel incredibly fresh. Dressed in a vibrant turquoise blue, it was inspired by the Yas Marina F1 Grand Prix circuit in Abu Dhabi. AP’s classic Grand Tappisserie-textured pattern also appears on the dial, alongside subdials that indicate the day, date, and month displays plus a moon phase window.
White numerals and letters on the dial and its outer track (which displays the weeks in a year) also help the watch pop. The Swiss-made piece runs on an extra-thin automatic movement that includes a skeletonized gold AP rotor and 37 jewels. You can turn the watch over to view its inner workings via the sapphire case back. Like the case, the watch’s bracelet is crafted from stainless steel, which makes for a sharp streamlined effect.
From images seen on the DWL website, the AP Royal Oak—UAE edition timepiece appears to be in near-mint condition, and is set inside a special turquoise box. But in a concession to how international the collecting community has grown, the retailer is offering ways for potential buyers to get more information about the watch, or even arrange for a private viewing.
“This limited-edition Royal Oak UAE ref. 26613ST sold out before being officially released,” Danny Shahid, DWL founder, told Hypebeast. Note taken. And if you’re in the market for other blue-dialed timepieces, the latest from names like Grand Seiko and H. Moser & Cie could be for you. The latter’s slimmed-down Streamliner features a 39 mm case, ideal for men and women.
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