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WatchesSTR

by Dara Morgan

Watch the Icon: The Story Behind the Audemars Piguet Overnight Revolution

7 Jul 2025

Episode 4 of Watch the Icon is now live — and it is all about rebellion in brushed steel.
While the Swiss watch industry panicked over quartz crystals and digital digits, Audemars Piguet did something mad: it doubled down on mechanical craft… and priced a steel watch higher than most gold ones.
It was called the Royal Oak. People hated it. Then everyone wanted one.
In this episode, Sofia Brontvein tells the story of how a desperate phone call, a sleepless night, and a diving helmet led to the most daring design in watchmaking history. The Royal Oak didn’t just break the rules — it redefined them.
Here are five things you probably didn’t know about the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak:
1. It was designed in a single night. The AP team needed a miracle before Baselworld. They called designer Gérald Genta and said, "We need something totally new by morning." He delivered — with a pencil sketch, and a revolution.
2. It was made of steel, but priced like solid gold. In 1972, this made absolutely no sense. Which is why it made perfect sense. The Royal Oak was modern luxury’s mic drop.
3. Its bezel was inspired by a diver’s helmet. Octagonal, with visible screws and a design that said “industrial,” not “dainty.” It made other watches look like they were trying too hard.
4. It almost flopped. Critics scoffed, dealers panicked, and very few sold at first. Then the Italians started wearing it with turtlenecks and good tailoring — and everything changed.
5. It saved Audemars Piguet and reshaped modern watch design. Without the Royal Oak, AP might have disappeared during the quartz crisis. Instead, it became the watch for those who knew the difference between loud and legendary.

Listen now

Episode 4 of Watch the Icon is streaming now on YouTube. This isn’t just the story of a watch. It is the story of Swiss defiance, modern design, and steel turned into iconography.
Missed previous episodes? Here you go: