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Audemars Piguet 'Octagonal' Dress Watch - 'Sand' Dial

SOLD

The year 1972 was the advent of what is undeniably Audemars Piguet's most famous, significant, and yes, iconic line of watches, the Royal Oak. It was also the year that the 'high-end dress watch' would forever change. Prior to 1972, ultra-thin and design-focused precious metal watches represented the pinnacle of the genre, not what appears to be an industrial-styled stainless steel sports watch with a bracelet.

While the brand never stopped producing traditional dress watches, per-se, production of their new golden goose would dominate the rest of the lineup. So, watches like the svelte and, frankly, stunning yellow gold dress watch that we have here offer offer not just a ton of value next to their iconic siblings, but were produced in relatively limited quantities.

The piece that we have here is a very attractive solid yellow gold dress from circa the 1980s. The simple, yet thoughtful rounded 'octagonal' case features gently curved slim lugs and comes in at 29mm x 36mm. Inside, the cream-tone 'sandy' dial has a simply applied 'AP' logo at the 12 o'clock position, script on the lower half, and a matching yellow gold 'dauphine' handset. It is powered by a slim manual-winding movement by AP. 

This then, is a representation of a bygone era not just for Audemars Piguet, but for what a high-end dress watch used to be. Only in the last few years have collectors and enthusiasts alike started to pay a bit more attention to pieces like these and, we think, its long overdue.

Yellow Gold Circa early 1980s Automatic 29mm x 36mm SKU: OC3099

"As collectors themselves, Oliver and Clarke are on a mission to make buying vintage watches as painless as possible."

"The company focuses on good prices for its pieces, elite customer service and full transparency."

"The appointment-only space is inviting, with comfortable seating areas and exposed brick walls."

From Rolex & Patek Philippe, to Cartier & Audemars Piguet. As collectors first, we love the small details that separate the Submariner from Daytona and Calatrava from Royal Oak. This is why you'll find our curated assortment spans decades of generations of models and brands. We believe that watches don't just tell time, they tell history - and life is too short to wear a boring watch.

Oliver & Clarke