{"id":398684,"date":"2022-07-01T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-01T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/?p=398684"},"modified":"2022-07-11T14:56:29","modified_gmt":"2022-07-11T18:56:29","slug":"royal-oak-50th-anniversary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/","title":{"rendered":"Audemars Piguet\u2019s Iconic Royal Oak Watch Turns 50"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\"A<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/a><\/figure>\n
Released in 1972, the original Audemars Piguet Royal Oak<\/a>, above, is considered the first luxury sports watch. Photos courtesy of Audemars Piguet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak<\/a> is among the world’s most coveted timepieces, worn by a seemingly endless list of celebrities, including Jay-Z, Drake, Kylie Jenner, Shawn Mendes, LeBron James, Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its enduring popularity can be largely explained by its sleek, almost industrial design, which combines a sporty feel with watchmaking excellence and a sense of luxury that rises above fashion trends and hype. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The distinctive piece is instantly recognizable thanks to its octagonal bezel, exposed screws, waffle-like Tapisserie dial and integrated bracelet, which extends seamlessly from the case and hugs the wrist. It’s often referred to as an emblem of innovation in the wider universe of product design, one that bridges the gap between audacious originality and measured sophistication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An<\/a>
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “50th Anniversary” ref. 15550ST, 2022<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Introduced in 1972 and heralded as the world\u2019s first luxury sports watch, it has become Audemars Piguet<\/a>\u2019s flagship model, with more than 550 permutations, each honoring the unique octagonal form of the trailblazing original. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year, the iconic design<\/a> celebrates its 50th anniversary. Here, we look into the history of the Royal Oak and why it continues to impress a half century after its game-changing debut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The Royal Oak Was Initially Named Safari<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"An<\/a>
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph “50th Anniversary” ref. 26240OR, 2022<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Legend has it that the Royal Oak was named after a trio of British warships. S\u00e9bastian Vivas, heritage and museum director at Audemars Piguet, offers a broader perspective on the story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom the first drawing, in April 1970, to mid-1971, the watch was often named Safari internally, and sometimes Excalibur,\u201d Vivas recounts. \u201cOn September 3, 1971, a meeting was organized to find a perfect name, evoking sport, wide open spaces and virility. Among the suggestions, we find Grand Prix, Surfrider, Kilimandjaro and Oxford in the archives. All witnesses of the time agree that it was Italian distributor Carlo de Marchi who came up with the name Royal Oak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was brilliant,\u201d he continues. \u201cRoyal Oak opened the door to countless interpretations, including naval battles, conquest of oceans, noble armor and saving trees. It recalls the story of Charles II, King of England, who owed his life to an oak tree that had sheltered him from Cromwell\u2019s troops and which he subsequently ennobled \u2014 a little like how the watchmakers ennobled the steel by crafting it very finely.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The Origin of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"Watch<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"An<\/a><\/figure>\n
Left: Watch designer G\u00e9rald Genta<\/a>‘s 1970 sketch for the Royal Oak next to the first model, produced two years later. Right: The original ref. 5402 displays the AP logo at 6 o’clock. Photos courtesy of the G\u00e9rald Genta Heritage Association<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In April 1970, legendary watchmaker G\u00e9rald Genta<\/a> \u2014 creator of the Omega Constellation<\/a>, Patek Philippe Nautilus<\/a> and IWC Ingenieur<\/a>, among many other well-known timepieces \u2014 was asked by his friend and colleague Georges Golay, then managing director of venerable Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet, to think of a radical design to counter the rise of the quartz watch, which was poised to wreak havoc on the Swiss watchmaking industry by swaying consumers toward cheaper, battery-powered steel timepieces. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Golay was adamant that the way to offset this influence was to launch a disruptor that would challenge the aesthetic codes of the time. The proviso was that the design had to be chic, sporty and cast from stainless steel but engineered with the same care and precision as its solid-gold counterparts, with a price tag to match. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Watchmaker<\/a>
Genta designed many iconic watches, including the Patek Philippe Nautilus<\/a>, Omega Constellation<\/a> and IWC Ingenieur<\/a>, in addition to his own line of timepieces. Photo courtesy of the G\u00e9rald Genta Heritage Association<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Genta<\/a> rose to the challenge and conceived the original Royal Oak in just one evening, drawing inspiration from classic diving helmets for the watch’s angular face. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicknamed the \u201cJumbo\u201d on account of its 39mm case, which although ultra-thin was considered oversize at the time, the unconventional design galvanized an experimental approach at Audemars Piguet that gave rise to a panoply of Royal Oak styles, with a range of dial colors and sizes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Variation Becomes Part of the Royal Oak DNA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Because the timepiece’s ultra-thin monocoque case \u2014 a cup shape with the bezel screwed to the top \u2014 was hewn from a single block of steel, a material that is much less malleable than gold, crafting the watch to a high standard in the early \u201970s was a great challenge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This labor-intensive process meant that the inaugural reference 5402 was made in relatively small quantities. It was an offshoot model inspired by the original’s silhouette that set the wheels in motion for the expansion of the Royal Oak family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ladies’ watch in 18-karat gold, 20th century<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

“Georges Golay understood that the 5402, the enfant terrible of high watchmaking, needed time and space to exist and to be accepted,\u201d explains Vivas. \u201cDesigned by Jacqueline Dimier and launched in 1976, model 8638 [equipped with a case measuring 29mm] was the very first variation of the Royal Oak. It created a second wave of surprise by becoming the brand\u2019s most masculine watch to be dedicated to women. Its success opened up all sorts of possibilities and demonstrated that the Royal Oak could evolve and become a creative playground.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since then, this playground has produced more than 550 models, among them classic, open-work, tourbillon<\/a> and chronograph<\/a> styles in a range of materials, including steel, gold, titanium and platinum. In 2016, Italian jeweler Carolina Bucci<\/a> added texture to the model with her famous versions in frosted gold, a finish achieved through the artisanal technique of Florentine hammering. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An<\/a>
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak in frosted gold, 2016<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The blue hue, known as Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50, that graced the dial of the 1972 \u201cJumbo\u201d is the emblematic color of the Royal Oak dynasty, although Audemars Piguet has cast its color and texture net wide through the decades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vintage models from the \u201980s and \u201990s with silver or salmon pink dials are particularly in demand, as are gilded varieties with the AP symbol at 6 o’clock, apparently so rare that no examples have been received by AP Customer Service since 2000. But the 39mm stainless-steel \u201cJumbo\u201d with blue tapisserie dial and ultra-thin movement is arguably the most desirable of them all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"An<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"An<\/a><\/figure>\n
Left: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore ref. 26405CE.OO.A056CA.01, 2021<\/a>. Right: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore ref. 26092OK, 2000s<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest developments in the Royal Oak story occurred in 1993 with the launch of the ultra-sporty Royal Oak Offshore<\/a>, a heftier take on the original with an average case diameter exceeding 40mm, guided by the bold and powerful aesthetic language of the decade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like its predecessor, the Royal Oak Offshore has become a classic, with its own rich history and fully fledged collection of sought-after rarities, ranging from diamond-encrusted editions to sleek, monochromatic chronographs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The continuing success of both \u201cJumbo\u201d and Offshore models proves that Genta’s underlying design was ahead of its time \u2014 a fact reinforced by the Royal Oak Concept<\/a> series, first released in 2002. This futuristic permutation, known for its deconstructed architecture and ground-breaking technology, signaled a paradigm shift in the field of horological assembly, impelling brands like TAG Heuer<\/a> and Hublot<\/a> to follow suit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

The Key to the Royal Oak’s Longevity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

But is design alone what makes the Royal Oak so desirable? While some people ascribe the appeal of a luxury item to an aura or an attitude, Vivas has a more academic take. He suggests that the watch\u2019s currency as an object is rooted in its constant capacity to surprise as its layers are explored.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/a>
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Blue ref. 15400ST, 2000s<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

By way of example, he offers another slice of Royal Oak history. \u201cThe German collector and entrepreneur Helmut Crott spent years researching the history of the Geneva dial maker Stern,” Vivas relates. “He found out that the Royal Oak\u2019s famous Petite Tapisserie dial was the result of a rare combination of circumstances.

“When Genta visited Stern to start the development of the Royal Oak dial, Stern had just rescued old machines that were destined for destruction and that nobody was able to operate anymore. Without the passion of the craftsmen who had understood the potential of this lost know-how, without their dedication, the Royal Oak dial would not exist. The process of research is paved with surprises and magic moments such as this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFind Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Watches on 1stDibs\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tShop All<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak is among the world’s most coveted timepieces, worn by a seemingly endless list of celebrities, including Jay-Z, Drake, Kylie Jenner, Shawn Mendes, LeBron James, Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic. Its enduring popularity can be largely explained by its sleek, almost industrial design, which combines a sporty feel with watchmaking excellence […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":426,"featured_media":399706,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2022-07-01T18:59:34Z","apple_news_api_id":"fa8cd060-ce1d-4523-8306-a029f029cf9b","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2022-07-01T21:02:36Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACw==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/A-ozQYM4dRSODBqAp8CnPmw","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15550953,246],"tags":[15567312,15535493,15569610,15569616,15569612,15569611,15569618,15569615,15567710,15569605,15569609,15569607,15569608,15569614,15569606,15569604,15569613,15569619,15545023,15569617],"dibs-categories":[15565903,15565904],"dibs-designs":[15569602,15569601],"dibs-styles":[],"dibs-creators":[15569603],"dibs-sellers":[],"class_list":["post-398684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-iconic-designs","category-watches","tag-alexandra-zagalsky","tag-audemars-piguet","tag-carlo-de-marchi","tag-carolina-bucci","tag-georges-golay","tag-gerald-genta","tag-helmut-crott","tag-jacqueline-dimier","tag-luxury-watches","tag-royal-oak","tag-royal-oak-50th-anniversary","tag-royal-oak-chronograph","tag-royal-oak-concept","tag-royal-oak-jumbo","tag-royal-oak-offshore","tag-sebastian-vivas","tag-sports-watches","tag-stern","tag-swiss-watch","tag-tapisserie-dial","dibs-categories-dibs-j","dibs-categories-dibs-j_wat","dibs-designs-dibs-audemars-piguet-royal-oak-offshore-watch","dibs-designs-dibs-audemars-piguet-royal-oak-watch","dibs-creators-dibs-audemars-piguet"],"acf":{"post_format":"article","subtitle":"As the watch world celebrates one of fine timekeeping\u2019s most disruptive designs, AP archivist S\u00e9bastian Vivas tells tales from the piece\u2019s storied history.","contributors":{"hide_byline":false,"columnist":[{"ID":361856,"post_author":"456","post_date":"2021-12-14 22:36:15","post_date_gmt":"2021-12-15 03:36:15","post_content":"\n

Alexandra Zagalsky is a London-based journalist specializing in luxury topics, art and travel content. She began her journalistic career in Paris, where she worked on a cultural guide for English-speaking expats. Her first big break was an interview with Lionel Poil\u00e2ne, the late, venerable baker from Paris\u2019s Saint-Germain-des-Pr\u00e9s district who popularized the two-kilogram sourdough loaf and once made a bread chandelier for Salvador Dal\u00ed<\/a>.

Zagalsky moved back to London in her early 20s and has since worked with a number of august publications, including the Week<\/em>, the Telegraph<\/em>, the Times<\/em> and a variety of art and design outlets, such as Introspective<\/em><\/a> and V&A<\/em>, Sotheby\u2019s<\/em> and Christie\u2019s<\/em> magazines. She studied fine art and the history of art at Goldsmiths, University of London, and continues to explore the contemporary art scene, including the world of NFTs.

She has written extensively on the subject of vintage watches<\/a> and describes the Cartier<\/a> Crash as her favorite timepiece. \u201cIt\u2019s a great emblem of the Swinging Sixties and an adaptation of the house\u2019s classic Baignoire<\/a> Allong\u00e9e wristwatch, its sinuous Daliesque style apparently inspired by a model brought into the London Cartier workshop that had been distorted in a car crash,\u201d she says. \u201cI love it for all sorts of reasons, not least because it\u2019s so unconventional and daring, as all great design objects often are.\u201d

Find out more about Zagalsky\u2019s work on Linkedin<\/a>.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Alexandra Zagalsky","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"alexandra-zagalsky","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-11-27 03:14:00","post_modified_gmt":"2025-11-27 08:14:00","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/contributors\/alexandra-zagalsky\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"contributors","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"photographer":"","custom_byline":false},"show_date":true,"interstitial_banners":[{"acf_fc_layout":"collection","interstitial_banner_shortcode":"ap-royal-oak","interstitial_banner_background_image":399774,"interstitial_banner_heading":"Find Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Watches on 1stDibs","interstitial_banner_subheading":"","interstitial_banner_button_text":"Shop All","interstitial_banner_button_url":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/designs\/audemars-piguet-royal-oak-watch\/"}],"show_related_items_footer_popup":false,"slideshows":false},"dibs_designs_tags":["dibs-audemars-piguet-royal-oak-offshore-watch","dibs-audemars-piguet-royal-oak-watch"],"dibs_sellers_tags":null,"dibs_creators_tags":["dibs-audemars-piguet"],"dibs_styles_tags":null,"dibs_categories_tags":["dibs-j","dibs-j_wat"],"featured_image_url":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-content\/uploads\/AP-Royal-Oak-1-640x450.jpeg","post_title":"Audemars Piguet\u2019s Iconic Royal Oak Watch Turns 50","fimg_url":{"thumbnail":{"source_url":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-content\/uploads\/AP-Royal-Oak-1-98x120.jpeg","width":98,"height":120},"medium":{"source_url":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-content\/uploads\/AP-Royal-Oak-1-286x350.jpeg","width":286,"height":350},"full":{"source_url":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-content\/uploads\/AP-Royal-Oak-1.jpeg","width":651,"height":796}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-content\/uploads\/AP-Royal-Oak-1.jpeg","apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nAudemars Piguet\u2019s Iconic Royal Oak Watch Turns 50 | The Study<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As the watch world celebrates one of fine timekeeping\u2019s most disruptive designs, AP archivist S\u00e9bastian Vivas tells tales from the piece\u2019s storied history.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Audemars Piguet\u2019s Iconic Royal Oak Watch Turns 50\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As the watch world celebrates one of fine timekeeping\u2019s most disruptive designs, AP archivist S\u00e9bastian Vivas tells tales from the piece\u2019s storied history.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Study\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/1stdibs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-07-01T19:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-07-11T18:56:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-content\/uploads\/AP-Royal-Oak-1.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"651\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"796\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Alexandra Zagalsky\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Audemars Piguet\u2019s Iconic Royal Oak Watch Turns 50\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@1stDibs\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@1stDibs\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Alexandra Zagalsky\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/\",\"name\":\"Audemars Piguet\u2019s Iconic Royal Oak Watch Turns 50 | The Study\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-content\/uploads\/AP-Royal-Oak-1.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-07-01T19:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-07-11T18:56:29+00:00\",\"description\":\"As the watch world celebrates one of fine timekeeping\u2019s most disruptive designs, AP archivist S\u00e9bastian Vivas tells tales from the piece\u2019s storied history.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-content\/uploads\/AP-Royal-Oak-1.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-content\/uploads\/AP-Royal-Oak-1.jpeg\",\"width\":651,\"height\":796},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Audemars Piguet\u2019s Iconic Royal Oak Watch Turns 50\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/\",\"name\":\"The Study\",\"description\":\"1stDibs Blog about antique and modern furniture, jewelry, fashion & art\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/#organization\",\"name\":\"1stDibs\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-content\/uploads\/1stDibs_favicon_512x512-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-content\/uploads\/1stDibs_favicon_512x512-1.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"1stDibs\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/1stdibs\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/1stDibs\",\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/1stdibs\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/1stdibs-com\/\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/1stdibs\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Audemars Piguet\u2019s Iconic Royal Oak Watch Turns 50 | The Study","description":"As the watch world celebrates one of fine timekeeping\u2019s most disruptive designs, AP archivist S\u00e9bastian Vivas tells tales from the piece\u2019s storied history.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Audemars Piguet\u2019s Iconic Royal Oak Watch Turns 50","og_description":"As the watch world celebrates one of fine timekeeping\u2019s most disruptive designs, AP archivist S\u00e9bastian Vivas tells tales from the piece\u2019s storied history.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/","og_site_name":"The Study","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/1stdibs","article_published_time":"2022-07-01T19:00:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2022-07-11T18:56:29+00:00","og_image":[{"width":651,"height":796,"url":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-content\/uploads\/AP-Royal-Oak-1.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Alexandra Zagalsky","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"Audemars Piguet\u2019s Iconic Royal Oak Watch Turns 50","twitter_creator":"@1stDibs","twitter_site":"@1stDibs","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Alexandra Zagalsky","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/","url":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/","name":"Audemars Piguet\u2019s Iconic Royal Oak Watch Turns 50 | The Study","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-content\/uploads\/AP-Royal-Oak-1.jpeg","datePublished":"2022-07-01T19:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2022-07-11T18:56:29+00:00","description":"As the watch world celebrates one of fine timekeeping\u2019s most disruptive designs, AP archivist S\u00e9bastian Vivas tells tales from the piece\u2019s storied history.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-content\/uploads\/AP-Royal-Oak-1.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-content\/uploads\/AP-Royal-Oak-1.jpeg","width":651,"height":796},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/royal-oak-50th-anniversary\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Audemars Piguet\u2019s Iconic Royal Oak Watch Turns 50"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/","name":"The Study","description":"1stDibs Blog about antique and modern furniture, jewelry, fashion & art","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/#organization","name":"1stDibs","url":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-content\/uploads\/1stDibs_favicon_512x512-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-content\/uploads\/1stDibs_favicon_512x512-1.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"1stDibs"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/1stdibs","https:\/\/x.com\/1stDibs","https:\/\/instagram.com\/1stdibs\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/1stdibs-com\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/1stdibs\/"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/398684","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/426"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=398684"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/398684\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":400056,"href":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/398684\/revisions\/400056"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/399706"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=398684"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=398684"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=398684"},{"taxonomy":"dibs-categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/dibs-categories?post=398684"},{"taxonomy":"dibs-designs","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/dibs-designs?post=398684"},{"taxonomy":"dibs-styles","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/dibs-styles?post=398684"},{"taxonomy":"dibs-creators","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/dibs-creators?post=398684"},{"taxonomy":"dibs-sellers","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/dibs-sellers?post=398684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}