Audemars Piguet Pepetual Calendar (QP), Yellow Gold 25548BA Mk1, B&P
Serial: B50085 / Mvt 212770 / N306
Circa: 1981 (Sold 1986)
Reference: 25548BA
DIAL: White dial, swiss only
CASE: 36mm, 18K yellow gold, sapphire crystal
MOVEMENT: Caliber 2120/2800, ultra-thin automatic perpetual calendar, 38 jewels
BRACELET: Leather strap with Audemars Piguet 18k ardillon buckle
CONDITION REPORT: Worn, mint overall condition. The white dial is flawless without any cracks. The case is unpolished and all hallmarks and numbers are ultra crisp.
NOTES: The present watch comes with AP green box and original warranty booklet dated Dec 1, 1986 sold in Germany. We checked with AP boutique in Geneva and the watch was produced in 1981 and the reference in their system is 25558BA. Since they looked very similar and were produced in parallel, the retailer wrote 25657BA (matte dial, sunken sub dials) on the papers, but with correct serial numbers.
In the late 1970s, the landscape of wristwatches was notably devoid of complex timepieces. The Quartz Crisis had dealt a severe blow to the watchmaking industry, reducing the number of Swiss watchmakers by over 50%. Yet, within Audemars Piguet, against all odds, three dedicated watchmakers embarked on a covert mission to develop the world's thinnest automatic perpetual calendar movement. This clandestine project remained hidden from the upper management of the manufacture. These watchmakers, driven by passion, toiled during their free hours, often convening late at night to discuss their progress.
In 1977, they astounded George Golay, then CEO of Audemars Piguet, by presenting the completed caliber. George Golay, a bold visionary who had previously introduced the iconic Royal Oak, believed in the commercial potential of the automatic perpetual calendar. In 1978, the referencece 5548 Quantième Perpetuel was unveiled as the world's slimmest automatic perpetual calendar. To put this achievement in context, in 1984, only 1,066 perpetual calendars were produced in Switzerland, and Audemars Piguet alone accounted for 675 of them.
While the Royal Oak is often credited with helping Audemars Piguet weather the Quartz Crisis, historical evidence suggests that the Quantième Perpetuel played a more pivotal role. Over a fifteen-year span, the manufacture crafted a total of 7,219 perpetual calendars, some of which found their way into the iconic Royal Oak case. These watches provided a canvas for innovative designs, resulting in the creation of 70 distinct models with approximately 200 documented variations.
SOLD |