196 Audemars Piguet Unique, Number 1, Perpetuel Calendar, Wristwatch in White Gold, With Mother-of-Pearl Diamond Indexes Dial and Calibrated Baguette Diamond-set Bezel and Lugs, Reference 25 756BC, With Box and Extract from the Archives
Estimate: €60,000 – 120,000
Sold (Premium)€78,000
Model: Quantieme Perpetuel
Reference: 25756BC
Case Material: White Gold and Diamonds
Bracelet Material: Leather Strap
Year: 1994
Movement: Manual
Caliber: 2003/2
Case N°: N° 1, D46266
Movement N°: 373 648
Dimensions: 32 mm
Signed: Dial, Movement and Case
Accessories: Box, Extract from the Archives
People often link Audemars Piguet with the Royal Oak and often forget that the brand was making watches long before this nowadays iconic model ever came to life. In fact, AP has a distinguished history of producing exquisite dress watches in precious metals and often with lots of complications. For collectors, full calendar wristwatches produced by Audemars Piguet are certainly worth collecting. This family of timepieces borrow their design aesthetic from a historic tank design wristwatch that the brand made in the 1920s and was equipped with calendar and moon phase complication. This rare Audemars Piguet timepiece is a more flamboyant take on the Quantième Perpétuel Carré produced by the brand in the 1990s. This reference 25 756 has an evident Art Deco inspiration for the creation of the curved square white-gold case that is elegant and sophisticated. This particular piece carrying the case number 1 was probably made for a VIP client and is distinguished by its strikingly pretty case set with baguette-cut diamonds both for the bezel and the lugs. The dial is perfectly balanced with attractive mother-of-pearl background, diamond-set hours markers, white-gold hands, three black-colored guillochè registers for the day, month, and date, and a moon phase at six o’clock. Marking an important position in the line of watches produced by the firm, perpetual calendar wristwatches from Audemars Piguet are considered by many as the worthiest in terms of craftsmanship and aesthetics.