4100, Royal Oak III
1977. Model 4100 Variations. The Royal Oak 4100 (35 mm) came in three variations right from its launch: stainless steel, yellow or or two-tone. Audemars Piguet 1977 catalogue. Audemars Piguet Archives.
1977. Royal Oak Advertisement. The Royal Oak 4100 was distributed in the United States in Tiffany's boutiques. Audemars Piguet Archives.
1977. Royal Oak Advertisement. Five years after its launch, the Royal Oak came for the first time in precious materials and in three different sizes. From left to right: 4100BA (35 mm), 5402ST (39 mm) and 8638SA (29 mm). Audemars Piguet Archives.
1977–1980. Dial variants for Model 4100 and its gemset 4153 adaptation. Audemars Piguet Archives.
Circa 1980. Technical sheet for dials 4100, 4161 and 4162. This document lists a few 4100, 4161 and 4162 dials. Three among them feature a guilloché T21 Tapisserie, a motif which progressively spreads in the freshly created Royal Oak collection. Audemars Piguet Archives.
1978. Technical Data Sheet for the case of Royal Oak Model 4120ST. Water-resistant to 100 metres. Probably never produced. Audemars Piguet Archives.
Designed by Jacqueline Dimier and presented in 1977, the Royal Oak 4100 is also known as the Royal Oak III in the archives because it represents the third model in the collection, succeeding the 5402 and 8638.
It was the first Royal Oak to be equipped with a centre seconds hand, and its aim was to win over a clientele that considered the 5402 (39 mm) to be too large, particularly in Italy, the United States and Asia. The 4100 set the standards with a diameter of 35 mm. Right from its introduction, it was available in steel, yellow gold and two-tone versions. The majority of the models were equipped with Calibre 2123, but some of the later creations were powered by Calibre 2125 and others by Calibre 2124. From 1982 onwards, at least 96 watches had their mechanical calibre replaced by quartz Calibre 2506, which was originally fitted in at least 36 watches.
More than 8,400 were produced between 1977 and 1985 and sold until 2002.
Models derived from the 4100: 4120 (1978, probably never produced), 4153 (1978), 4275 (1982), 4287 (1982), 4331 (1982).
Designed by Jacqueline Dimier and presented in 1977, the Royal Oak 4100 is also known as the Royal Oak III in the archives because it represents the third model in the collection, succeeding the 5402 and 8638.
It was the first Royal Oak to be equipped with a centre seconds hand, and its aim was to win over a clientele that considered the 5402 (39 mm) to be too large, particularly in Italy, the United States and Asia. The 4100 set the standards with a diameter of 35 mm. Right from its introduction, it was available in steel, yellow gold and two-tone versions. The majority of the models were equipped with Calibre 2123, but some of the later creations were powered by Calibre 2125 and others by Calibre 2124. From 1982 onwards, at least 96 watches had their mechanical calibre replaced by quartz Calibre 2506, which was originally fitted in at least 36 watches.
More than 8,400 were produced between 1977 and 1985 and sold until 2002.
Models derived from the 4100: 4120 (1978, probably never produced), 4153 (1978), 4275 (1982), 4287 (1982), 4331 (1982).
1977. Royal Oak 4100ST Model (35 mm) in its steel variation. Audemars Piguet 1978–1979 catalogue. Audemars Piguet Archives.
Circa 1980. Royal Oak 4100ST Model (35 mm) in its steel variation. Audemars Piguet 1981–1982 catalogue. Audemars Piguet Archives.
1977. Case Technical Data Sheet of Royal Oak Model 4100ST. Audemars Piguet Archives.
1977. Royal Oak 4100ST No. 129 Date. Calibre 2123, movement 186475. Petite Tapisserie dial, undocumented Oman symbol. 35 mm case in steel no. B15245. Sold at SSIH in October 1977. © Private Collection.
1977. Royal Oak 4100ST No. 129, caseback view. Date. Calibre 2123, movement 186475. Petite Tapisserie dial, undocumented Oman symbol. 35 mm case in steel no. B15245. Sold at SSIH in October 1977. © Private Collection.
With its steel casing and Tapisserie T21 dial, the 4100ST reinterprets the original codes of Model 5402 while adding a seconds hand. The Audemars Piguet press kit for the 1978 Basel Fair announced that this 35 mm model was designed "for small wrists".
Sales from 1977 to 1987: 2,721 units in all, of which 192 (1977), 741 (1978), 494 (1979), 387 (1980), 618 (1981), 188 (1982), 71 (1983), 17 (1984), 8 (1985), 2 (1986), 3 (1987).
With its steel casing and Tapisserie T21 dial, the 4100ST reinterprets the original codes of Model 5402 while adding a seconds hand. The Audemars Piguet press kit for the 1978 Basel Fair announced that this 35 mm model was designed "for small wrists".
Sales from 1977 to 1987: 2,721 units in all, of which 192 (1977), 741 (1978), 494 (1979), 387 (1980), 618 (1981), 188 (1982), 71 (1983), 17 (1984), 8 (1985), 2 (1986), 3 (1987).
1979. Royal Oak 4100SA (1977), No. 1097. Date. Calibre 2123, movement 205297. Bracelet 477. Slate-grey T21 Tapisserie dial. Movement 205297. Case B30783, 36 mm. Steel and 18-carat yellow gold. Sold to Desco in 1979. Audemars Piguet Heritage, inv. 1163.
1979. Royal Oak 4100SA (1977), No. 1097. Date. Calibre 2123, movement 205297. Bracelet 477. Slate-grey T21 Tapisserie dial. Movement 205297. Case B30783, 36 mm. Steel and 18-carat yellow gold. Sold to Desco in 1979. Audemars Piguet Heritage, inv. 1163.
1979. Royal Oak 4100SA (1977), No. 1097, caseback view. Date. Calibre 2123, movement 205297. Bracelet 477. Slate-grey T21 Tapisserie dial. Movement 205297. Case B30783, 36 mm. Steel and 18-carat yellow gold. Sold to Desco in 1979. Audemars Piguet Heritage, inv. 1163.
1979. Royal Oak 4100SA (1977), No. 1097, side view. Date. Calibre 2123, movement 205297. Bracelet 477. Slate-grey T21 Tapisserie dial. Movement 205297. Case B30783, 36 mm. Steel and 18-carat yellow gold. Sold to Desco in 1979. Audemars Piguet Heritage, inv. 1163.
1977. Case Technical Data Sheet of Royal Oak Model 4100SA. Audemars Piguet Archives.
1977. Royal Oak 4100SA Model (35 mm) in its two-tone variation. Audemars Piguet 1978–1979 catalogue. Audemars Piguet Archives.
Circa 1980. Royal Oak 4100SA Model (35 mm) in its two-tone variation. Audemars Piguet 1981–1982 catalogue. Audemars Piguet Archives.
1977. Case components, Model 4100SA. The case architecture of Model 4100 is quite distinctive from those of its 5402 (1972) and 8638 (1976) predecessors. Components of the Royal Oak 4100SA no. 1097 sold in 1979. Audemars Piguet Heritage, inv. 1163.
The bezel, studs, hands and hour-markers are in 3N yellow gold. The slate grey dial echoes the colour of the steel case and links. The Royal Oak 4100SA number 1 remained a presentation model. Number 2 was sold in 1980. It is therefore number 3 that was sold first on June 9, 1977. Sales from 1977 to 2002: 3,563 units in all, of which 192 (1977), 479 (1978), 853 (1979), 783 (1980), 818 (1981), 250 (1982), 123 (1983), 41 (1984), 12 (1985), 3 (1986), 5 (1987-2002).
The bezel, studs, hands and hour-markers are in 3N yellow gold. The slate grey dial echoes the colour of the steel case and links. The Royal Oak 4100SA number 1 remained a presentation model. Number 2 was sold in 1980. It is therefore number 3 that was sold first on June 9, 1977. Sales from 1977 to 2002: 3,563 units in all, of which 192 (1977), 479 (1978), 853 (1979), 783 (1980), 818 (1981), 250 (1982), 123 (1983), 41 (1984), 12 (1985), 3 (1986), 5 (1987-2002).
1982. Royal Oak 4100BA (1977), No. 1251. Date. Calibre 2123, movement 216522. Bracelet 477. Gilded T21 Tapisserie dial set with 11 brilliant-cut diamonds. Baton-type hands not documented in the catalogue. Case 552, 35 mm. 18-carat yellow gold. Sold to Grigoros (Greece) in 1982. Audemars Piguet Heritage, inv. 881.
Circa 1980. Identification photograph of a Royal Oak 4100BA variant with white dial. Audemars Piguet Archives.
Circa 1980. Royal Oak 4100BA Model (35 mm) in its yellow gold variation. Audemars Piguet 1981–1982 catalogue. Audemars Piguet Archives.
1977. Case Technical Data Sheet of Royal Oak Model 4100BA. Audemars Piguet Archives.
Launched in 1977, the Royal Oak 4100BA in yellow gold has been available with several dial variants, some of which are set with diamonds, in various colours (Bleu Nuit Nuage 50, gilded, white, etc.) and even in a non-guilloché version.
Sales from 1977 to 1988: 2,130 units in all, of which 88 (1977), 377 (1978), 386 (1979), 447 (1980), 522 (1981), 198 (1982), 64 (1983), 31 (1984), 12 (1985), 2 (1986), 2 (1987), 1 (1988).
Launched in 1977, the Royal Oak 4100BA in yellow gold has been available with several dial variants, some of which are set with diamonds, in various colours (Bleu Nuit Nuage 50, gilded, white, etc.) and even in a non-guilloché version.
Sales from 1977 to 1988: 2,130 units in all, of which 88 (1977), 377 (1978), 386 (1979), 447 (1980), 522 (1981), 198 (1982), 64 (1983), 31 (1984), 12 (1985), 2 (1986), 2 (1987), 1 (1988).
1981. Production register extract. List comprising 9 examples of 4100BC and 4153BC models, whose production started in 1981 and which were sold in 1981 and 1982. These models are part of the same consecutive numbering series. Audemars Piguet Archives.
The white gold version of Model 4100 appeared in 1981, four years after the introduction of the other materials. Its production was so restricted that the watch was neither included in any Audemars Piguet catalogue, nor photographed for identification upon release.
Model 4100BC was launched at the same time as its gemset 4153BC version. 40 watches were delivered between 1981 and 1983. A last example was added in 1986. Sources let believe that Models 4100BC and 4153BC were part of the same numbering series.
Sales from 1981 to 1986: 41 units in all , of which 36 (1981), 2 (1982), 2 (1983) and 1 (1986).
The white gold version of Model 4100 appeared in 1981, four years after the introduction of the other materials. Its production was so restricted that the watch was neither included in any Audemars Piguet catalogue, nor photographed for identification upon release.
Model 4100BC was launched at the same time as its gemset 4153BC version. 40 watches were delivered between 1981 and 1983. A last example was added in 1986. Sources let believe that Models 4100BC and 4153BC were part of the same numbering series.
Sales from 1981 to 1986: 41 units in all , of which 36 (1981), 2 (1982), 2 (1983) and 1 (1986).
