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Lot Essay
The workshop where Reference 25636 originated was particularly important to Audemars Piguet's history. From 1974 until 2018, Régis Meylan, the atelier's foreman, oversaw many of the Manufacture's most significant advancements. It was here that the art of openworking, or skeletonization, was revived in 1975 during the early years of the quartz crisis. The renowned calibre 2120⁄2800 in 1978, the first Royal Oak perpetual calendar watches in 1984, and the brand's first self-winding Grand Complication wristwatch in 1996 were all created in the same workshop.
Introduced in 1986, the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked reference 25636 perfectly expresses the quintessence of traditional watchmaking expertise, combining complications, miniaturization, hand engraving, and meticulous decoration. Before the movement could be decorated, controlled, and ultimately housed inside the incredibly thin Royal Oak case, which is only 8.8 mm thick, it took more than a month of manual labor to create the openworked extra-thin caliber. A sapphire caseback made it possible for the wearer to view the exceptional skeletonized caliber from the back for the first time in the Royal Oak collection.
It was extremely uncommon to make a steel perpetual calendar watch in the 1980s and 1990s, especially one with an extra-thin movement that was partially made of gold and completely openworked by hand. However, the complex geometry and alternating satin-brushed and polished surfaces of the Royal Oak's demanding case construction necessitated such superb finishing that steel itself was practically made into a precious metal.
An unusual detail further distinguishes the present timepiece: its blue calendar registers. Within Audemars Piguet’s design codes, the colour blue is traditionally associated with platinum-cased examples, making this configuration particularly intriguing and uncommon.
Introduced in 1986, the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked reference 25636 perfectly expresses the quintessence of traditional watchmaking expertise, combining complications, miniaturization, hand engraving, and meticulous decoration. Before the movement could be decorated, controlled, and ultimately housed inside the incredibly thin Royal Oak case, which is only 8.8 mm thick, it took more than a month of manual labor to create the openworked extra-thin caliber. A sapphire caseback made it possible for the wearer to view the exceptional skeletonized caliber from the back for the first time in the Royal Oak collection.
It was extremely uncommon to make a steel perpetual calendar watch in the 1980s and 1990s, especially one with an extra-thin movement that was partially made of gold and completely openworked by hand. However, the complex geometry and alternating satin-brushed and polished surfaces of the Royal Oak's demanding case construction necessitated such superb finishing that steel itself was practically made into a precious metal.
An unusual detail further distinguishes the present timepiece: its blue calendar registers. Within Audemars Piguet’s design codes, the colour blue is traditionally associated with platinum-cased examples, making this configuration particularly intriguing and uncommon.