Sotheby's Sells Gérald Genta's Personal Royal Oak for Record CHF 2.1 Million

"In a year that celebrates the 50th anniversary of this revolutionary and iconic design by Gérald Genta, the magnitude of this record-breaking sale is a tribute to the continued influence of, and respect for, Genta’s far-reaching and historic contribution to the watchmaking industry. One could not dream of a more exciting and important provenance for a Royal Oak, an Audemars Piguet or even any wristwatch, added to which, it carries a unique handmade feature by Genta himself. All of these elements set this very watch apart from any other, making it a true grail piece. Over the course of my career, rarely have I seen such an emotional response to any horological object, both by connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike, making today’s result all the more rewarding." - Mikael Wallhagen, Head of Sotheby’s Watches in Geneva

One of the most iconic and revolutionary watches ever created and owned by the world’s most influential watch designer, Gérald Genta, has entered the record books by becoming the the most valuable vintage Audemars Piguet watch ever sold at auction. Among the watches he most preferred to wear, Genta’s own Royal Oak soared to CHF 2,107,000 ($2,130,767) after a six-minute bidding battle between seven contestants, realizing more than seven times its low estimate (Lot 72, est. CHF 300,000 - 500,000)

A horological icon, The Royal Oak – a wristwatch with date and bracelet with an octagonal bezel with eight screws, first launched by Audemars Piguet in 1972 – revolutionized the industry as the first luxury sports watch to be made of steel. Designed overnight by Genta, the watch took inspiration from a childhood memory of seeing a man being sealed into an old-fashioned diving suit near the Mont Blanc bridge in Geneva. This Royal Oak is unique not only because it is the first time a Genta owned watch has come to auction, but also because the model, which was made circa 1978, has the unique specification of an 18k yellow gold bezel that Genta produced and added himself at his workshop in Switzerland.

The record sale of Genta’s own Royal Oak is the highlight of a sale series which brings to the market 100 original designs from Genta’s personal archives, each paired with unique NFTs. The first auction of this Icon of Time series, which took place in Geneva in February this year, was led by the original design for Audermars Piguet’s Royal Oak which ended up selling for US$610,586, whilst the second auction in Hong-Kong earlier in April saw a never-before-seen alternate prototype design of the Nautilus for Patek Philippe – featuring a strap rather than bracelet – achieve HK$945,000/ US$121,000. Alongside today’s sale of the Royal Oak, the auction included four rare oil paintings by the designer, which achieved CHF 2.3 million altogether, bringing the running total of works from the personal archive of Gerald Genta to CHF 4.3 million. The third and final tranche of the Gérald Genta: Icon of Time series is set to take place in New York next month (8 - 22 June), and features some of the most impressive and valuable Disney watches Genta had ever made.

Mrs. Evelyne Genta, President - Gérald Genta Heritage Association and life and business partner of Mr Genta said: “Gérald was an artist before all else, and I feel like Icon of Time demonstrates the ongoing influence Gérald’s creative genius has on watchmaking today. His Royal Oak was of course one of his most iconic watches, and such an exceptional piece can only go to someone who appreciates this. We’re excited to see what the future holds for the Association and especially look forward to launching the Gérald Genta Prize”.

A portion of the proceeds from the sales will also benefit the Gérald Genta Heritage Association, and their mission to encourage and reward the next generation in the watch industry, notably with the launch of the first edition of the Gérald Genta Prize for Young Talent.