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. 6005SA. Reinterpreting the Royal Oak’s iconic octagonal shape, the ref. 6005SA 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. 6005SA 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 very good overall condition Case exhibits light wear through with some scuffs and marks visible. The case has been previously polished and the bezel edge is slightly soft. Bracelet comes with 21 links, 7 of which are removable. There is light to medium stretch in the band. Please Note: The dial of the watch is refinished.

An incredibly unique design, the ref. 6005SA 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 twist on the Royal Oak's design that lives on today as one of the most distinguishable in watchmaking.