Famed for their aggressively avant-garde take on design and aesthetics, Audemars Piguet has long been known to blend aspects of their history with their own take on horology, however sometimes they lean more into classical aesthetics, much like with this ref. 5042 Classique that we have here. Understated in its design, the Audemars Piguet ref. 5042 is a round 32.5mm timepiece from the 1950s that leans into the prevailing dress watch aesthetic of the time, with a curvy platinum case and an understated cream dial. Indeed, not one to let their watches lack some exuberance, this example’s hour markers are set with diamonds, ensuring the watch is elevated beyond the typical dress watch of the time. Powered by the ultra-thin cal. 2001, this manual-wind watch is a thin and elegant dress watch that celebrates mid-century watchmaking design while also showcasing AP’s design talents and flair.

Blending mid-century dress watch aesthetics with their signature design flair, the ref. 5042 is no ordinary dress watch, as signalled by its diamond-set dial and platinum case.