Audemars Piguet Quantieme Perpetual First Series - Case No. '369'
- Reference 5548
- Watch Only
- Wire Price: $17,800
- Specifications
- The Story
- The Brand
Year: Circa Late 1970s
Model: Quentieme Perpetual
Case Diameter: 36mm
Lug to Lug: 38mm
Case: Gold
Condition: No significant wear as seen
Dial: Ivory
Movement: Automatic
Condition
This gem is in excellent condition, with a 'Swiss Only' first series lacquer dial that has some spidering but is hard to tell with the naked eye. The case has light wear with no dents or gashes. The watch comes with its original yellow gold buckle and a handmade strap. One of the moons on the moon phase complication has some aging but nothing major.
One of the most underrated watches from the neo-vintage era. The caliber 2120 (Derived from the JLC 920) itself is still one of the most significant movements in the world of horology, especially the story behind it. A movement that was needed during the quartz crisis to showcase how important the Swiss watchmaking industry was to the world. A movement that was created under wraps and then showcased to the world in the late 1970s and it was a hit! This reference 5548 is the first series of the Quantieme Perpetual and the first to ever house the caliber 2120. This is the perfect dress watch with its ultraslim case, thanks to the movement, and its 36mm size. Also, we have to mention its case number, '369,' which is pretty cool. It will forever be a timeless design from its double-stepped case to its ivory dial and will only become rarer and more sought after. If you have never experienced this movement or a 36mm dress watch like this, trust me, you don't want to miss out.
Audemars Piguet and Piguet were working separately in the 1870s, with Audemars creating complicated watch movements for different manufacturers. After starting to work together in 1875, they continued this split function, with Audemars overseeing production and technical aspects and Piguet focusing on sales and management. The name Audemars Piguet & Cie was first used in 1881.
In 1892, the brand created the first-minute repeater wristwatch, followed by the Grand Complication pocket watch in 1899. Tragically, Audemars and Piguet passed away in 1918 and 1919, but the company continued to grow. The next generation of Audemars and Piguet, sons Paul Louis Audemars and Paul Edward Piguet, continued the legacy.
During the early-mid 1900s, the brand continued to push for innovation within the watch community. The thinnest pocket watch caliber was released in 1925, while the first skeletonized pocket watch was released in 1934. In 1946, the world's thinnest wristwatch was launched, and the first perpetual calendar wristwatch was released in 1957. The brand also holds the record for the first thinnest self-winding automatic caliber featuring a central rotor of 2.45mm in 1967.
In the 1970s, the quartz crisis affected traditional mechanical watchmakers, leading Audemars Piguet to partner with Swiss watch designer Gerald Genta to develop a new category of watches. The Royal Oak steel watch, introduced at the 1972 Swiss Watch Show, was made of stainless steel and had an integrated bracelet. The daring design of the case, featuring a round dial within an octagon bezel with 8 screws set inside a tonneau-shaped case, has become one of the most iconic and highly sought-after pieces.
Audemars Piguet Quantieme Perpetual First Series - Case No. '369'
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