Released in 1972 and designed by Gerald Genta, watchmaking's most famous designer, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak was the first stainless steel luxury sports watch ever to exist. Released as a tactic to survive the quartz crisis, the Royal Oak can single-handedly be thanked for AP's existence today due to its astounding success, albeit it wasn't an overnight hit. Its sizeable tonneau-shaped case, signature integrated bracelet, octagonal bezel, exposed screws, and steel construction failed to win over collectors until a few years later. Today, the Royal Oak is one of the most highly-coveted timepieces in all horology as its previously dismissed design details have permeated across the industry and into watches like the Patek Philippe Nautilus, Vacheron Constantin Overseas, Rolex Oysterquartz, amongst many other legendary timepieces. However, the Royal Oak family is not as one-dimensional as some may think, with a number of sibling models inspired by the iconic design, one being the Royal Oak ref. 6005BC. Reinterpreting the Royal Oak’s iconic octagonal shape, the ref. 6005BC features a longer rectangular profile with slightly flatter edges. One of very first Royal Oak variants to feature a quartz movement, the cal. 2511, the ref. 6005BC was produced for a short period during the late 1970s and early to mid 1980s meaning it is a rare piece of the Royal Oak’s heritage, yet as important as any, and thus the perfect addition to any Audemars Piguet or Royal Oak afficionado’s collection.

Watch is in overall excellent condition. The white gold case is well defined and shows light surface scratches and scuffs, with a crisp hallmark remaining on the rear of the case. The case back retains still-legible hallmarks, a strong serial number, and a well-defined FRED retailer engraving, while the screw heads show some wear. The petite tapisserie dial with diamond hour markers is near mint and the hands are very clean. It is fitted with a bracelet showing light surface marks and negligible play between the links. The bracelet is fitted with 22 links, 7 of which are removable, and fits approximately a 7” wrist.

An incredibly unique design, the ref. 6005BC was not just iconic for introducing the quartz movement to the Royal Oak, the movement that created the Quartz Crisis and led to the Royal Oak's production, it also featured a new design that lives on today as one of the most distinguishable in watchmaking.