Audemars Piguet QP Mini 25679BA B&P 1990

Audemars Piguet Mini Pepetual Calendar (QP), Yellow Gold 25679BA B&P
Serial: N 132 / C76016 / Mvt 322083
Circa: 1990
Reference: 25679BA

DIAL: White dial with moonphase and three registers, gold applied hour markers

CASE: 30mm, 18K yellow gold, sapphire crystal

MOVEMENT: Caliber 2132/2805, ultra-thin automatic perpetual calendar, 38 jewels

BRACELET: Leather strap with Audemars Piguet 18k ardillon buckle

CONDITION REPORT: Worn, mint overall condition. The case is unpolished and all hallmarks and numbers are crisp.

NOTES: The present watch comes with AP green box and original warranty booklet We checked with AP boutique in Geneva and the watch was produced in 1990 and the reference in their system is 25679BA.

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.