Audemars Piguet: A Rare 18 Carat Gold Automatic Day/Date Wristwatch, signed Audemars Piguet, No.779,

Audemars Piguet: A Rare 18 Carat Gold Automatic Day/Date Wristwatch, signed Audemars Piguet, No.779, Known by Collectors as "The Owl", model: Royal Oak, ref: 25572BA, circa 1988, (calibre 2124) lever movement, champagne coloured "Tapisserie" pattern dial with rounded baton hour markers, two sub calendar dials for day and date, octagonal shaped bezel with eight screws, hexagonal shaped unsigned screw down crown, case back signed Royal Oak and numbered 779 , Audemars Piguet 18 carat gold bracelet with deployant clasp stamped with maker's mark AP&Co and a convention gold mark 750 , with Audemars Piguet box 36mm wide This Iconic Audemars Piguet Royal Oak was first released in the early 1970's and designed by the famous designer Gerald Genta. Audemars Piguet first introduced this reference 25572 to the market in 1983. It has the double calendar function for the date and day of the week. Due to the dial layout and with the sub dials positioned at a horizontal axis, these watches are now referred to by collectors as "The Owl". The executions of reference 25572 comes in two form types. The first type 1 layout shows the hands and hour markers having a slender stick form. The type 2 version like the present lot shows the hour and minute hands and hour markers of a rounded baton shape. This is a highly desirable model and reference in today's watch market. Case and bracelet with light surface scratches, case sides and bezel with very minor dents visible under an eyeglass, case has been polished, bezel edges are slightly rounded, crown is screwing down correctly on the threaded tube, crown is unsigned, glass is clean, original dial surface is in good condition, hand setting correctly, both calendars are changing correctly, movement in going order. Total watch weight 167.2g. Bracelet length including watch case is 20cm approximately. Box is worn, front of the box with a vacant recess which would have been the AP plaque.