When it saw the light of day in the spring of 1972, the Royal Oak had a major mission: to put luxury Audemars Piguet replica watches back in the saddle. The family factory, founded in 1875, is indeed on the verge of bankruptcy, and the arrival of Japanese quartz movements does not bode well. You have to react – fast and strong.
The man of the situation is called Gérald Genta. The man who is nicknamed today the “Picasso of watches” is not yet a star of watch design, but has to his credit the design of the Omega Constellation. While all the dials of the time were round or square, he understood that the octagon had the double advantage of being original and much more legible. He radicalizes the concept with the 1:1 US fake Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches. “This model, Gérald Genta drew it in one go, in a single evening. Perhaps because it brings together several ideas already sketched out over the past years, explains Évelyne, the designer’s widow. He had planned two versions: a less geometric, softened; and the other, radical, the one that was retained.”
Speculators. Qualified as a “monster” when it is launched, the high quality Audemars Piguet Royal Oak replica watches breaks all codes. It is the first sporty chic watch at a time when one wore one to dress on Sundays. Its bezel is octagonal and fitted with eight hexagonal screws in white gold when the others are round. The guilloché dial is lined with small cubes in relief, reminiscent of a creation by Vasarely. But above all, it is the first top-of-the-range ultra-thin mechanical model produced in steel and sold at exorbitant prices! Four daring bets that turn out to be winners, thanks to an early influencer: Gianni Agnelli. This arbiter of elegance loves best replica watches and has the good idea of wearing them not under, but over his shirts. From 1974, he set his sights on the Royal Oak and proudly displayed it on his yacht in Sardinia. The images go around the world, cheap Audemars Piguet copy watches is saved!
Ironically, half a century later, the factory is a victim of its own success. She has to deal with the frustration of disappointed customers at not being able to leave with the object of their desire without showing their credentials. “Today, steel Swiss made replica Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo watches worth around 30,000 euros sells for around 150,000 euros,” fumes François-Henry Bennahmias, CEO of the company. Needless to say, many speculators have found a sudden passion for the house. »
Even dismissing venal requests, demand outstrips supply. “It’s a mathematical problem: Audemars Piguet will produce around 50,000 top super clone watches in 2022 and a maximum of 1,400 units per reference. We have 120 points of sale around the world, this represents 12 watches per store for the most produced models. That’s one per month! We are currently working on the new factory project, which should help us increase our production quantities to 80,000 perfect fake Audemars Piguet watches per year. But these projects take time. “In the meantime, how to designate the lucky ones? “No typical customer! Being educated, in every sense of the word, is always an asset.”
