Respectable Members

This is rather strange. Since a young age and till today, I have never owned an Audemars Piguet.

Instead of getting the elusive Omega 300m model reference 166.024 or the 120m model reference 166.073 I think I may start hunting around for a 1940's or early 50's thick and chunky Audemars Piguet (with vintage PP-like furniture on its dial) manual-winding or maybe, one that is automatic - about 36mm in diameter, at least. Not the later models - we do not click.

I have just come across one. Unfortunately, the dial is restored. I admire watches with an untouched factory-original dial.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1945-AUDEMA...055&pid=100015&prg=1006&rk=1&sd=300803936990&Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

Is there any in this forum who owns a vintage AP and if so, please share with us.

Thank-you.

 

Respectable Member dsio

Thanks for the response.

The Royal Oak is a beautiful watch but it is pretty common. Many have been produced, since it is a very popular watch amongst AP lovers. I would like something that is rarely seen on one's wrist. It has to be big and chunky, probably with an untouched aged dial - never visited a beautician for a 'facial treatment'.

I can still remember, Dennis has a beautiful uncommon white gold piece.

Thank-you.

 

Why yes, yes I do. I've wanted a Classique (the caliber 2003 shown below) since I saw one years back in a shop window on Jeweler's Row. Got lucky and snagged the reference 5279 (the caliber 2120 immediately below) last year, but never bothered to put it on my Most Wanted list because this article made it seem like a long shot:

http://www.watchtime.at/archive/wt_2005_05/WT_2005_05_128.pdf

1971 caliber 2120:






1969 caliber 2003:






Wouldn't mind a caliber 2499 or 2071 inside a reference 5115 too, but it's not a major priority.

Mmmmm hmmmm. I'll put one on my list. It's about 768 watches down.

 

Respectable Member ulackfocus

Indeed, those watches are just superb and what I am looking forward to get does not belong to the same league of what you have, especially the white gold one.

Anything in white gold is just not only uncommon but highly desirable, compared to those in yellow gold.

Thank-you.

 

looking for a vintage royal oak

 

My heirloom watch one of my favs

 

Another post resurrection. Wonder whatever happened to the Respectable Member? @ulackfocus do you still have those 2 beautiful APs? That 1969 Cal 2003 looks amazing.

 

Hey! Those are my pictures. I think Tony bought that one?

Anyway, here is another one I use to own:

 

anyone else care to show their classic APs?

 

I have owned a few, and still do.

 

@Tony C. - how about a shot of the gorgeous automatic calibers inside those?

 

read my mind

 

so Ive seen some with inconsistent fonts like @Tony C. .. anything to worry about?

 

Case by case basis - post good pics if in doubt.

 

With regard to dials, the second photo above, with the smaller lettering, was produced much earlier than the others, and is original.

In 1949, the use of "& Co."was discontinued. I surmise based on observation that sometime in the early '70s [edited; h/t to Dennis] the comma was also discontinued.

 

Bump that estimate back a decade and I'm on board with your theory. My suspicion is AP dumped the comma between AUDEMARS and PIGUET about the same time VC dumped the ampersand between VACHERON and CONSTANTIN - which is around 1974. The two that I own pictured up thread are 1969 (manual wind 2003) and 1971 (automatic 2120) according to AP.

 

Hows about this 5043?