155 Audemars Piguet Very Rare and Historically Important Chronograph Wristwatch in Steel and Pink Gold Pushers, Reference 5518, One of Nine Examples Produced, Given to Mr Bengt Eriksson for His Victory in Le Brassus International Ski Concours in 1960

Estimate: €100,000 –⁠ 200,000

Model: Chronograph
Reference: 5518
Case Material: Stainless steel, pink gold
Bracelet Material: Leather
Year: 1960s (1946)
Movement: Manual
Caliber: 13VZA
Case N°: 46545
Dimensions: 33.5 mm
Signed: Case, dial, movement

An Audemars Piguet chronograph wristwatch has always something special to the eyes of a collector, for its history and rarity. Despite being an ultra centenary Maison, Audemars Piguet has produced, until the ’60s, only a total of 307 wristwatches with chronograph complications. It follows how these timepieces are extremely rare and sought after. In addition to these, thanks to the archives, is possible to estimate that only 52 of them were cased in a stainless steel, making them true chimeras in the contemporary world. Find one is always an emotion, and is even more so if the one found is a reference 5518, such as the present lot. Of this specific reference only 9 examples have been produced but only the first one, manufactured in yellow gold, has been destined to the market, specifically that of the United States of America. All the other 8 examples in fact, were intended to be the price for the winners of the skiing competition “Épreuves Internationales de Ski” in Le Brassus between 1957 and 1962 on direct decision of Audemars Piguet. The lot offered here is sensational not only for its amazing conservation of both case and dial but also for being considered the only one knows with pink-gold pushers and applied pink triangles and Roman numerals. Moreover, the caliber 13VZA equipped on this watch is one of the most appreciated among collectors and is interesting to notice how all the 307 movements of the chronographs were produced between 1930 and 1946, while the present watch has been donated only in 1960. The historical background of the present lot is even more interesting because it has been given to the Swedish skier and ski jumper Bengt “Silver-Bengt” Eriksson after his victory in Le Brassus in 1960. The nickname “Silver-Bengt” comes from his victory of the silver medal in the 1956 Olympic Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo where he was not supposed to compete except that Sweden needed someone to represent them in the discipline. The legend of Bengt “Silver-Bengt” Eriksson began that day and nowadays is still considered the most successful Swedish athlete in Nordic combined of all time. The union of a fascinating story with belonging to an internationally renowned personage, added to the absolute rarity of an almost impossible to find object, make this lot a cult object and very special.