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拍品专文
According to the Archives of Audemars Piguet, the present watch was put in production in 1925 and sold in New York in 1947.
Consigned by a private collector and returning to auction after a period of almost thirty years, this watch is distinguished by not only its excellent overall condition and the rare retailer signature Cartier, but also its stunning two-tone pink and green gold dial. Undeniably, this complicated timepiece is one of the most supremely attractive of its type, indeed this very watch is prominently illustrated in the book “Audemars Piguet” of 1993, one of the definitive reference sources for the brand’s vintage timepieces.
The present watch was sold in New York in 1947, as confirmed by the Audemars Piguet archives and the presence of the company’s “ROR” United States import code engraved on the balance bridge of the movement. The sublime champagne pink and green gold dial with pink gold numerals and indexes is an unusual and beguiling combination that immediately impresses. It is noteworthy that rarely seen green gold is used for the subsidiary dials, green gold is very subtle and actually appears as greenish-yellow rather than green. Green gold was known as long ago as 860 BC under the name electrum, a naturally occurring alloy of silver and gold. The hint of green has the effect of toning down the yellow and therefore on the present watch the subsidiary dials are perfectly harmonized with the pinkish main dial - called “champagne” by Audemars Piguet.
Only a handful of Audemars Piguet complicated watches are known to have been retailed by Cartier, such pieces, like the present watch were signed “Cartier” on the dial and also punched with Cartier’s number on the back of the pendant, hence they became “official” Cartier merchandise. Naturally only the best Swiss manufacturers like Audemars Piguet could produce watches with highly sophisticated complications such as minute repeating, chronographs and calendars. Therefore when a Cartier client required a superb quality complicated watch that was beyond the scope of the Cartier-owned European Watch & Clock Co., the company bought watches from the best Swiss manufacturers such as Audemars Piguet, Vacheron & Constantin and Jaeger-LeCoultre. Such watches were then additionally signed and in many cases numbered by Cartier thus adding a further level of cachet. It is not surprising that watches bought from other manufacturers and retailed by Cartier were carefully chosen so that their design still fitted with the Cartier brand. The present watch is a great example of this philosophy, instantly recognizable as both a superb product of Audemars Piguet whilst at the same time exuding Cartier’s unmistakable style, quality and elegance – that “Cartier magic”.
Consigned by a private collector and returning to auction after a period of almost thirty years, this watch is distinguished by not only its excellent overall condition and the rare retailer signature Cartier, but also its stunning two-tone pink and green gold dial. Undeniably, this complicated timepiece is one of the most supremely attractive of its type, indeed this very watch is prominently illustrated in the book “Audemars Piguet” of 1993, one of the definitive reference sources for the brand’s vintage timepieces.
The present watch was sold in New York in 1947, as confirmed by the Audemars Piguet archives and the presence of the company’s “ROR” United States import code engraved on the balance bridge of the movement. The sublime champagne pink and green gold dial with pink gold numerals and indexes is an unusual and beguiling combination that immediately impresses. It is noteworthy that rarely seen green gold is used for the subsidiary dials, green gold is very subtle and actually appears as greenish-yellow rather than green. Green gold was known as long ago as 860 BC under the name electrum, a naturally occurring alloy of silver and gold. The hint of green has the effect of toning down the yellow and therefore on the present watch the subsidiary dials are perfectly harmonized with the pinkish main dial - called “champagne” by Audemars Piguet.
Only a handful of Audemars Piguet complicated watches are known to have been retailed by Cartier, such pieces, like the present watch were signed “Cartier” on the dial and also punched with Cartier’s number on the back of the pendant, hence they became “official” Cartier merchandise. Naturally only the best Swiss manufacturers like Audemars Piguet could produce watches with highly sophisticated complications such as minute repeating, chronographs and calendars. Therefore when a Cartier client required a superb quality complicated watch that was beyond the scope of the Cartier-owned European Watch & Clock Co., the company bought watches from the best Swiss manufacturers such as Audemars Piguet, Vacheron & Constantin and Jaeger-LeCoultre. Such watches were then additionally signed and in many cases numbered by Cartier thus adding a further level of cachet. It is not surprising that watches bought from other manufacturers and retailed by Cartier were carefully chosen so that their design still fitted with the Cartier brand. The present watch is a great example of this philosophy, instantly recognizable as both a superb product of Audemars Piguet whilst at the same time exuding Cartier’s unmistakable style, quality and elegance – that “Cartier magic”.