Book Royal Oak: From Iconoclast to Icon

Royal Oak: From Iconoclast to Icon traces how Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak caused a sensation when it was released in 1972, with its hand-finished stainless steel armor housing the finest self-winding mechanical movement of its era and shone around the world in the decades that followed. For the first time, steel was ennobled in the same way as gold. Inspired by the profound cultural, artistic and industrial changes of the 1960s and early 1970s, this forward-looking timepiece anticipated a more active yet relaxed lifestyle, while heralding the start of a new era of watchmaking high-end combining sportiness and refinement.
Although unusual at birth, the Royal Oak quickly found an audience among free-spirited young people, who recognized the watch’s bold blend of technological advancements and ancestral craftsmanship. The Royal Oak has been a canvas for innovation ever since, engaging with art, music, architecture and sport. Today, a cultural artifact beyond watchmaking, the Royal Oak is an object of permanence in a world of obsolescence, embodying the creative freedom and youthful spirit of those who helped write its history.
The book presents the history of the Royal Oak from a broader cultural perspective, while highlighting new archival documents discovered by Audemars Piguet’s Heritage department alongside exclusive testimonials from longtime friends of the brand. The animated narrative text is illustrated with images from six decades of groundbreaking history in art, architecture, fashion, music and culture, alongside the evolution of this pioneering watch beloved by creators innovative tastemakers and influential celebrities from around the world.
Continuing the Royal Oak’s unique cultural journey, Bill Prince also gives voice to what he calls the “Royal Oak Generation,” a group of watch connoisseurs who came of age after the watch’s launch and whose the achievements reflect the global cultural movement that inspired it. This cohort includes Kevin Hart, Bjarke Ingels, Elle Macpherson, Mark Ronson, Serena Williams and Ning Zetao, to name a few.