THE ESSENTIALS
MAKE: AUDEMARS PIGUET
MODEL: 56175SA
YEAR: 1993
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 33mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL / 18K YELLOW GOLD
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL / 18K YELLOW GOLD
MOVEMENT: QUARTZ
The original Royal Oak, ref. 5402, was designed and released in 1972 by Gerald Genta as the first luxury stainless steel sports watch and Audemars Piguet’s response to the quartz crisis. With its 39mm case (considered large for its time, hence named 'Jumbo'), octagonal bezel, tapisserie dial, and iconic integrated bracelet, the 5402's bold and angular design was ahead of its time. Over the next 50 years, the Royal Oak has become one of the most popular and collectable models in the world of horology. This popularity has also led to an ever-increasing price tag — the original Royal Oak 5402ST now commands well over £50,000 (reached nearly double that at the peak of the market), whilst its modern successors often sell for £1000s above retail price on the secondary market.
While the flagship stainless steel Royal Oak has impressively remained largely unchanged over the years, Audemars Piguet has experimented with a wide variety of designs to meet the demands of different audiences, including different dials, materials, sizes, and even movements. The Ref. 56175 is a great example - released in the late 1980s, it features an ultra-thin 33mm case (just 5.8mm thick) and a quartz movement. Despite its seemingly small case size, it wears much larger in person (like 36-37mm) and fits beautifully even on 7.5-inch wrists (see the wrist shot featuring Stef), thanks to its angular lugs and the perfectly scaled-down design from the original ‘Jumbo’.
The Royal Oak 56175 was available in a variety of case materials, with the present example being the 56175SA, crafted in stainless steel and 18K yellow gold. The case and bracelet are in excellent condition, retaining sharp bevels. The highlight of the watch is its dial — originally grey, the tapisserie dial has developed a beautiful tropical patina over the past 30 years, a rare occurrence for this reference. As expected, the Ref. 2612 quartz movement keeps perfect time.
This is a great opportunity to add a Royal Oak to your collection that is as cool and fun as any, without breaking the bank.