1980s Audemars Piguet Day Date Automatic Ref. 25574

Why This Watch Matters Royal Oaks are excellent but this 18k yellow gold dress watch gets to the core of what Audemars Piguet meant as a brand for much of the 20th century. The Full Story Audemars Piguet has been a horological leader since its beginning in Switzerland's Vallée de Joux in 1875. While the firm has been associated with perpetual calendar production in pocket watches since its earliest years, the company's first perpetual calendar wristwatch (without a leap year indicator) was recorded in the brand archives in 1950. Only nine examples of the early watch, known as ref. 5516, were produced. Subsequently, from 1955 to 1959, the first series of the next generation model with a leap year indicator was introduced in an even smaller run of just three examples. All this to say, Audemars Piguet is not only one of the most respected watchmakers in Switzerland, but also the brand has a real thing for calendar complications. From continuing that tradition of the perpetual calendar to