Royal Oak Bracelets

At Audemars Piguet, the 1960s ushered in the first golden age of watches with metal bracelets for both men and women. These gold or platinum bracelets were adjusted, finished and attached to their cases in the workshops of Le Brassus, having first been crafted by the best independent chainmakers and jewellers. These included Italian firms such as Masella, Antonioli, Guiseppe Villa, Ponti, Hafner and Galanti; Parisian companies like Cristofol and Georges Lenfant; as well as Geneva-based artisans such as Jean-Pierre Ecoffey, renowned for his bracelets produced for Patek Philippe. These were braided and woven into Milanese, Polish and sometimes even double-Polish mesh patterns. Some were engraved, composed of tiles or triangles, in some cases combining asymmetrical elements and sculpting surfaces graced with a wealth of depth effects.

These bracelets spoke the language of craftsmanship and struck a pleasing contrast with the steel bracelets of sports watches such as the Oyster by Rolex and the Constellation by Omega – a company that patented an integrated bracelet as early as 1964 (CH405170). The two worlds nonetheless merged under the impetus of Audemars Piguet's general agents in Italy, France and Switzerland. In this respect, the Royal Oak bracelet embodied a seemingly absurd paradox: combining steel with hand finishing and sport with the refinement of jewellery bracelets.

One commonly accepted fact about the Royal Oak is that it has an “integrated bracelet”. But what does that involve? And what exactly is the meaning of this term, which is not clearly defined in watchmaking literature?

Whereas the manual titled The Theory of Horology published in 1998 does not use this term, it describes a similar concept under the category of “bracelets hard-soldered to the case”. This means that the case and bracelet are immovable, interlocking and designed as a single entity. They certainly correspond to the definition of an "integrated bracelet". Many Audemars Piguet ladies’ watches from the 1960s–1990s were fitted with bracelets belonging to this category. One of the most significant was Model 5403, introduced in 1971. Its designer Gérald Genta described it as "magnificent" and was delighted with its "perfect integration": the bracelet composed of ten very thick Polish-mesh links gradually widened to embrace the dial. The tradition of soldered (or integrated) bracelets continued until the 1990s. Jeweller Ywan Kunzle remembers that when he first joined Audemars Piguet in 1989, adjusting bracelets and attaching them to their cases by brazing represented the main task of five to seven craftspeople.

That is however not the way the Royal Oak is built and a watchmaker can easily separate the bracelet from the case by means of four lateral screws. So why did Gérald Genta – along with a large proportion of the watchmaking community – refer to this bracelet as “integrated”? The answer lies in the geometry of the watch. From a strictly aesthetic standpoint, the first bracelet link is an integral part of the case, with two studs attached to the bevelled part of the case middle and connecting it to the first mobile link of the bracelet. While some may dispute this interpretation – including watchmakers who may claim that “a case is a case!” – it provides a vivid reminder of the Royal Oak’s ability to blur the boundaries between conventional categories.

Gérald Genta was not mistaken when he said that the tapering bracelet involved "a highly complex production process". Bracelet no. 344 (with extension links) has 154 components, including 20 links, 44 studs, 75 pins and 8 screws (including the screws for securing it to the case middle). In all, it consists of 34 variously shaped elements that are adjusted, decorated and assembled by hand.

Each stud is secured by two grooved pins, "hard-driven" into the link, then gently filed so that their heads disappear into the side of the bracelet. These pins are the keystone of the bracelet's flexibility, which must be "neither too soft nor too stiff". They are subject to constant friction and wear out over time, which explains why some 1970s bracelets have become very supple 50 years later. In addition to the pins, the top and bottom edges of the links and studs are slightly rounded to accommodate their rotational movements, giving them a certain suppleness.

The surfaces of the bracelet are finely satin-finished, with the same grain as those of the case middle and bezel, so as to reflect the light smoothly and create an effect of continuity that reinforces the impression of an "integrated bracelet". The lateral edges are bevelled and worked on with a lapping machine or grinding wheel in such a way that the light bounces off them as brightly as the movement's bevelled steel parts. They continue along the ridges of the case, while the facets separating the links are sandblasted to accentuate the gleam of the other components.

To ensure an even more seamless taper, the bevels on the first link pick up the lateral bevels on the case middle. However, the closer the links are to the buckle or clasp, the narrower the bevels. Creating these “degressive bevels”, a procedure done by hand once the bracelet is assembled, is a tricky operation.

These refined details explain why – despite its original masculinity based on its visible screws, its oversized steel case and its taut lines – the Royal Oak had always been in touch with its feminine side since 1972 and could thus be interpreted as early as 1976 in a women’s version (see the article on the birth of the first women’s model).

Bracelet no. 344 from the first Royal Oak has undergone several evolutions, punctuating a steady process of continuous improvement.

The Royal Oak’s early years witnessed three distinct evolutions of the attachment between the bracelet and the case middle. In its first version, the screw was placed at the outer end of the case middle and at the inner end of the studs (see "Version no. 1” diagram). This position soon proved to be problematic, as the watch owner could easily rotate the studs through a 90-degree angle, thereby jeopardising the aesthetic flow of the bracelet.

To remedy the situation, the Customer Service department welded small plates under the first link (also shown on the “Version no. 1” diagram) so that the latter could no longer rotate as much. This solution was applied for several years on watches returned to Le Brassus for servicing. In parallel, the Technical department modified the position of the screws on the studs and on the case ("Version no. 2"). The plans indicate that the latter variant was implemented in August 1974, which corresponds to the last examples of the A series. It is however possible that the modification was applied gradually.

Collectors are aware that the first blades of bracelet no. 344 bear the design of a chamois head framed by the letters G and F, the trademark of the famous Geneva manufacturer Gay Frères. To the right of this signature are indications of the material ("STAINLESS STEEL") and origin ("SWISS MADE"), as well as the batch and production year (1 – 72 in the first example shown here).

To the left of the signature sits the "PATENTED"  inscription, which probably refers to patent CH344538 filed by Gay Frères in 1958, relating to a double-blade clasp with a small cap. One should nonetheless note that the exact object of this patent does not specifically cover the system of the 344 bracelet, which perhaps explains the fact that the mention "PATENTED" vanished in the mid-1970s, before reappearing in the early 1980s, probably after the filing of patent CH633697 in 1979.

It is impossible to ascertain from existing sources just how many examples of the Royal Oak 5402 were equipped with Gay Frères blades. This inscription was replaced by an Audemars Piguet signature in 1975 or even earlier, probably at the request of other suppliers who also wished to sign their part... It is worth recalling that maker’s marks were applied to the gold cases, and that Stern engraved its star on the back of the Royal Oak dials. It is rare to find other signatures, except for those of retailers such as Bulgari, Tiffany or Gübelin which sometimes appear on the dials.

Another interesting detail for collectors: in 1977, the first examples of Model 5402BA were equipped with yellow gold blades. However, as this material quickly proved to be too soft, the following models were equipped with stiffer white gold blades.

After Model 5402, bracelet no. 344 was used on several Royal Oak "Jumbo" models, in particular the 4187 (1979), as well as the first ultra-thin Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar, Model 5554 (1984) and its subsequent versions such as the 25624 (1985), 25654 (1986), 25636 (1986) and others.

In 1981, this bracelet underwent a final evolution: at the request of the markets and Customer Service, Audemars Piguet proposed a smaller variant with a folding clasp for slender wrists and introduced "half-links" with welded studs to ensure finer length adjustments. These two improvements were rarely used because the system was particularly fragile. It was replaced by the "link and a half" in subsequent generations (a link that was 50% larger, thus enabling easier adjustment of bracelet sizes).

Towards the end of the 1980s, bracelet no. 344 manufactured by Gay Frères was replaced by no. 944, produced by the Werthanor company in the small watchmaking town of Le Locle. A new closing system was introduced, consisting of a sliding stud that replaced the cap. Bracelet no. 944 was very similar in size to its predecessor, meaning that certain Royal Oak models with a Perpetual Calendar, such as the above-mentioned Models 25654 or 25636, as well as 25686 (1989), 25687 (1989) and 25694 (1990), were successively equipped with bracelet no. 344, then no. 944.

Just as the AP monogram migrated from 6 o'clock to 12 o'clock on the 5402 dial, the transition was gradual and probably took several years. Nevertheless, some models were exclusively equipped with bracelet no. 944 right from the time of their creation. This was notably the case for the Royal Oak "Jumbo" Jubilee Edition 14802 (1992). The same went for its successor 15002 (1996), for the 15202 model from the year 2000 onwards and its 15201 variants (2011).

In 2012, a new generation of bracelets appeared on the occasion of the collection’s 40^th anniversary. The 15202 was equipped from then onwards with the bracelet no. 1240, as were its successors, such as the 15205 (2015). Notably produced by Maspoli in Villeneuve, its ergonomic system involving a double folding clasp opening by means of two opposing pushers has equipped timepieces including Model 15300 since 2005 (bracelet 1220, Werthanor).

Given that bracelets nos. 344 and 944 could easily be substituted for one another (with the necessary manual adjustments), the Customer Service department has sometimes replaced badly damaged bracelets no. 344 with 944s. This practice evolved in 2020 thanks to the Classic Parts programme, serving to reconstitute bracelets as closely as possible to the original 344.

In the late 1970s and 1980s, in response to the Royal Oak’s growing success, Audemars Piguet decided to expand its supply of bracelets. The co-founder’s grandson, Jacques-Louis Audemars, turned to the workshops of the Lascor company, located in the small town of Sesto Calende, on the Italian side of Lake Maggiore. Founded in 1921, Lascor was run by its founder Pietro Fontana and his son Fernando. Like Audemars Piguet, it was a family business devoted to ancestral know-how. Fernando Fontana had moreover created another eponymous company which had been manufacturing the case of the Royal Oak 8638 since 1976.

From 1980 onwards, Lascor manufactured bracelet no. 516 for the miniature Royal Oak versions (26 mm), followed by Models 6007, 6010, 6012, 6019, 6027, etc. This was followed by the even smaller bracelet no. 677 and the 696 for the 33 mm Royal Oak (e.g. Model 56143). There was an increasing number of gemset variants from 1985 onwards, notably with Model 56199 (33 mm, bracelet no. 715 entirely paved with brilliant-cut diamonds), bracelet no. 593 (set with sapphires and diamonds) as well as nos. 726, 727, 821, etc.

In 1986, Lascor was renamed GTF. Little by little, it became the main producer of Royal Oak bracelets, supplying not only the classic variants (996, 1105, 1110, 1111, 1120, 1185, 1197, 1205, 1220, 1424, 1516), but also versions with studs that were lacquered (725–727), polished (963, 1004), gemset (1007, 1114, 1115, 1190, 1208), miniature (1100), and even rounded for the first Royal Oak Offshore.

Parallel to this increased collaboration with Lascor, cooperation with Gay Frères gradually dwindled. A few Royal Oak bracelets were still created in the 1980s and 1990s (692, 708, 994, 995), notably for bracelets entirely set with baguette-cut gems (861), before the Geneva company was bought out in 1998 by Rolex, its main historical customer. In addition, Audemars Piguet occasionally worked with a Swiss jeweller from French-speaking Switzerland, Vidoudez, which created Haute Joaillerie bracelets combining diamonds, emeralds and rubies for the Royal Oak (8054, 8027, 8081, 8083, 9031, 9042). Little by little, however, Audemars Piguet's Métiers d’Art workshop took over these tasks for most jewellery watches (8042, 9179, etc.)

From the 2020s onwards, the Geneva-based firm Centror, which joined the Audemars Piguet group in 1991 after taking on the production of Royal Oak cases in precious materials, gradually began producing gold bracelets and acquiring the expertise required to manufacture the steel variants, even though most of them were still made by specialist workshops, including Orolux in the village of Noirmont.

It should also be noted that the triple-blade clasp was introduced in the mid-1990s to improve the fit on the wrist of the first Royal Oak Offshore, Model 25721, of which around 300 to 500 featured the classic system. This innovation then progressively spread to the other collections, in particular the Royal Oak at the turn of the millennium.

While their role may seem less obvious at first glance, leather straps have nevertheless played a significant role in the Royal Oak’s history. For the first 20 years, the famous octagonal watch exclusively sported metal bracelets. In this field as in many others, purists considered this attribute untouchable, even sacred. For the record, in 1978, the first Royal Oak quartz watches gave up the octagonal bezel and its mechanical movement, while retaining the tapering metal bracelet.

In 1992, the Royal Oak was nevertheless fitted with its first leather strap. Model 14800 was so controversial that Steven Urquhart and Georges-Henri Meylan, who were jointly helming the company at the time, had it developed "extra-muros" by independent Swiss designer Jörg Hysek. Interpreted in nearly 20 material and dial variants, this atypical Royal Oak takes great liberties in playing with its original codes, as much in terms of the dial as the hands and lugs. The bevel of the case is hollowed out in the centre, surrounded by a kind of lugs, which suggests that the strap is attached by means of mobile pivot bars. The careful observer will notice that the bracelet is clamped between the underside of the case middle and a long screw-down plate.

This configuration is found on several later models, such as the Royal Oak 14890 (circa 1994), 14891, 14916 and 66800 (made during the mid-1990s). Some Royal Oak Offshore models retained this aesthetic, but by securing the strap to traditional bars, like the complete calendar 25808 (around 1996), Models 25807 (circa 1996), 25770 (around 1997) or the oversized models created in partnership with Arnold Schwarzenegger (End of Days 25770SN in 1999; T3 25863 in 2003; and The Legacy 26378 in 2010).

In 1972, the Royal Oak bracelet no. 344 for the first time united two hitherto opposite worlds: hand-crafted jewellery bracelets whose history dates back to the origins of jewellery; and steel sports bracelets, which came into being with water-resistant men's wristwatches and were produced on an industrial scale.

This integrated bracelet is one of the Royal Oak’s most recognisable features. Its wide, tapering links, punctuated by progressively smaller studs, are adorned with the same care as the case whose design they echo. Its development and production proved so complex that in the 1980s and 1990s, it was the Royal Oak cases that were adapted to the bracelet and not the other way round.

Interpreted in dozens of variants, materials and sizes, the wristband has taken liberties over the decades, adopting leather from the 1990s, including an embroidered version in 2008 (67607), then rubber, platinum, titanium as well as ceramic. With an eye to the future, Audemars Piguet also presented in November 2021 its first Royal Oak bracelet combining sandblasted titanium (links) with polished Bulk Metallic Glass (studs) for the unique Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin timepiece dedicated to the Only Watch charity auction. Notably used in micro-electronics, this new palladium-based alloy – used for the first time at Audemars Piguet – shares several characteristics with other glasses when cooled rapidly, including amorphicity and high strength, making it particularly resistant to wear and corrosion. This unique piece ushers in a new generation of Royal Oak bracelets requiring the development of new manufacturing techniques and tools.

In 2022, on the occasion of the Royal Oak’s 50^th anniversary, Audemars Piguet is adding a new subtlety: the bracelet taper that had previously been applied to the width alone for our metal bracelets is now reflected in the decreasing thickness of the first links.

Editorial board: Audemars Piguet Heritage team, Le Brassus

First publication: 10 May 2022