There are objects have such a strong identity that they enter design’s Hall Of Fame by right. Seemingly immune to the passage of time they transforming into universally recognized symbols that express an idea of style. The development of these ‘icons’ in most cases is long and complex, but there are cases when all it takes is a stroke of genius.
Regardless of the route it takes, at the core of everything is an idea; a vision.
In the automotive world, you can’t talk about the Mini without its thinking of its inventor Sir Alec Issigonis; or the 911 without Ferdinand Alexander Porsche. The same associations can be applied in different industries – for example, in the world of watchmaking any conversation about Audemars Piguet’s iconic Royal Oak timepiece will inevitably mention Gerald Genta, and the industry-altering impact of its design.
Considered a true icon in the industry, it has been 50 years since the Swiss watchmaker presented the first Royal Oak at the Basel watch fair in 1972, and in one night changed the trajectory of both Audemars Piguet and the watch industry.
The story goes that the legendary watch designer Gérald Genta was briefed by the then-managing director of Audemars Piguet, Georges Golay, to design a sports watch in stainless steel – a material unheard of at the brand and considered too utilitarian for high-end watchmaking – to keep pace with the era’s changing sensibilities. In one night, the maverick designer would then create the now-iconic octagonal design with eight hexagonal screws on the case in one night.
His inspiration had come from the shape of the portholes of a trio of warships made from hollowed out oak trees. But the genius wasn’t only in the unusual shape of the dial, but also by introducing, for the first time, a watch with an integrated steel bracelet with intermediate links arranged in descending order. It was a huge risk, but one that ultimately kick-started a new category of watch: the luxury sports watch. As history now shows us, it turned out to be one of the smartest moves a watch company ever made – today, the Royal Oak is said to account for well over half of Audemars Piguet’s total sales. Over five decades its desirability has seldom waned.
This year, as Audemars Piguet celebrates 50 years of the Royal Oak it plans to release a new generation of pieces both in homage to its origin, and to help evolve the story. First on deck was the release of the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin; before a new collection of self-winding models in 37mm as well as new 38mm and 41mm self-winding chronographs, which will be launched throughout the year. Already hugely in demand, the release of new pieces is admittedly a less risky offering than it was 50 years ago, but one would guess they are certainly not less desirable.