Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak is a phenomenon one of the most recognizable and successful wristwatch models of all time and the first luxury steel sports watch. The concept of the luxury sports watch was completely alien when the Royal Oak was introduced in 1972. Of course Rolex had been producing steel Submariners and GMT-Masters for many years before but the Rolex steel watches were regarded not as luxury watches as such but as working instruments or tool watches for professionals. The Royal Oak was designed by none other than Gerald Genta the man behind many of the most enduring wristwatch designs of the last 50 years. The watch featuring an octagonal screwed bezel that was initially inspired by an antique diver’s helmet is without a doubt one of the most iconic wristwatch designs of the 20th century. Not only is it the cornerstone of the brand’s success until today it was also the forerunner of other iconic watches like the Patek Philippe Nautilus which was based upon similar design principles by Gerald Genta.